A singular premise is perhaps a needle in a haystack these days. It is typically much more concerning the execution and supply than the premise, although Okay-dramas are nice at taking a “what if?” to a different stage. Nonetheless, their what-ifs ship some compelling tv, and discovering essentially the most distinctive premise amongst Korean dramas is a enjoyable problem.
Fairly often, one thing thought-about distinctive can be subjective. The premises that actually break the mould, mix genres in surprising methods, and make audiences proceed coming again for extra are the true winners right here. By that criterion, listed here are the ten finest Okay-dramas with essentially the most distinctive premises, ranked by originality, although the rating order—in addition to selecting solely ten—was fairly robust.
10
‘Flower of Evil’ (2020)
Starring Lee Joon-gi and Moon Chae-won
Flower of Evil has a considerably anticipated trope, as “hidden previous” is a typical plotline in quite a few Okay-dramas. Nonetheless, the dynamic of a detective unknowingly being married to her prime suspect, together with the psychological cat-and-mouse video games that unfold inside the marriage she finds roughly good, is an exciting and really distinctive setup for a criminal offense thriller and a few melodrama in addition. Flower of Evil is without doubt one of the most lauded crime Okay-dramas, and it has twists and turns throughout many factors within the present.
Flower of Evil follows Hee-sung (Lee Joon-gi), a jewellery maker who’s married to murder detective Ji-won (Moon Chae-won). They’ve a stupendous daughter, and their household is harmonious, however then a homicide happens in the identical method that hasn’t been seen in years. With chilly circumstances resurfacing, Hee-sung’s identify comes up, and Ji-won begins suspecting him. Nonetheless, the reality is rather more twisted than she might think about. This daring twist might have been a catastrophe, nevertheless it labored out, and the drama was an enormous success. Apparently, Lee and Moon starred collectively within the Korean model of the American collection Prison Minds.
9
‘Crash Touchdown on You’ (2019–2020)
Starring Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin
Crash Touchdown on You is considered one of essentially the most romantic Okay-dramas ever made, and with romance, Korean showrunners actually like to go all out. For Crash Touchdown, they consulted North Korean defectors and natives so they might faithfully depict life in components of the mysterious nation. In fact, there may be glamorization and a few fiction within the narrative, however the depiction of romance budding between two people who find themselves taught to be enemies is just about a melodrama driving level and a novel premise. Additionally, the fish-out-of-water state of affairs applies to each leads, not only one – the misplaced heiress results in a rural a part of North Korea the place they stay with necessities solely, and the soldier should break his duties and assist somebody in want.
For anybody who does not know, Crash Touchdown on You is a couple of Seoul heiress and businesswoman, Se-ri (Son Ye-jin), who goes paragliding close to the capital in the future and will get blown in direction of the DMZ throughout a storm. She results in North Korea, close to the border, the place the dashing however stern Captain Ri (Hyun Bin) finds her. He hides her in his village residence whereas determining a solution to get her again to Seoul, and so they bond and fall in love throughout her keep. The present is extremely romantic and the chemistry between the leads is palpable; in contrast to many Okay-romances the place the leads are cold and hot, Son and Hyun have an intense attraction that’s apparent from the very first second. I assume the couple getting married IRL wasn’t stunning to anybody.
8
‘The Uncanny Counter’ (2020–2023)
Starring Jo Byeong-kyu, Yoo Jun-sang, and Kim Se-jeong
The Uncanny Counter is certainly a novel Okay-show; it blends mundane, on a regular basis life with high-stakes supernatural motion, going from a chill day to a sleepless evening very quickly. The protagonists are quirky, fascinating, humorous, and deep, and the charming and authentic combo of operating a noodle store by day and being a demon hunter by evening is made all of the extra fascinating due to them. Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets a comfortable Korean restaurant.
The Uncanny Counter is about demon killers known as Counters, who’re educated to seek out demons by being granted supernatural talents and superhuman power. Three Counters, Mo-tak (Yoo Jun-sang), Ha-na (Kim Se-jeong), and Mae-ok (Yeom Hye-ran), run a noodle store by day, which they use as a entrance for his or her nighttime demon looking. The Counters seize evil spirits which have escaped the afterlife for an opportunity to realize immortality, and their obligation is to cease the spirits, although that does not at all times show to be simple. The collection was primarily based on a webtoon known as Wonderful Rumor, and it turned the highest-rated present ever on its native broadcasting channel.
7
‘Goblin’ aka ‘Guardian: The Lonely and Nice God’ (2016–2017)
Starring Gong Yoo, Kim Go-eun, and Lee Dong-wook
Picture by way of Hwa&Dam Footage
A Okay-drama with a reasonably tragic ending, Goblin, additionally has a reasonably distinctive premise. Goblin is typically additionally referred to as Guardian: The Lonely and Nice God, although many followers check with it as Goblin (it is also shorter). And whereas sci-fi/fantasy Okay-dramas and fantastical components are frequent in Korean collection, the precise mythology that is been woven across the Goblin, the Grim Reaper, and the principles that outline their existence and interactions with people are wealthy, detailed, and one way or the other uniquely and distinctly Korean. This contributes to Goblin feeling general grandiose and melancholic, but typically humorous and grounded.
Goblin follows the titular goblin, Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), who was a adorned navy normal within the Goryeo dynasty period and was cursed to stay for hundreds of years. His curse features a large sword that lies in his chest (which isn’t seen with the human eye), and it may be lifted when he finds his human bride, somebody who can pull out the sword. Goblin Kim Shin lives with the Grim Reaper (Lee Dong-wook), who cannot bear in mind his previous life experiences; Kim Shin additionally meets Ji Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun), a 19-year-old who can see ghosts and summon him. The trio spend time below one roof, and we uncover their quirks, similarities, and variations in an uncommon story that can be heartwarming and a bit unhappy.
- Launch Date
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December 2, 2016
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Jo Hyun-sik
Batch 21 Grim Reaper
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-
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Lee Dong-wook
Grim Reaper / Wang Yeo
6
‘Sign’ (2016)
Starring Lee Je-hoon, Kim Hye-soo, and Cho Jin-woong
Sign is without doubt one of the Okay-dramas that is merely good from begin to end. It has a novel premise that blends sci-fi and thriller seamlessly, and it is a terrific present for anybody, not simply followers of Okay-dramas. The present introduces a time-travel factor, however not by means of a time-traveling machine, however a walkie-talkie that connects the previous and the current. There are strict guidelines of engagement with it, too: it really works solely at particular occasions, and the audio system cannot select who initiates the dialog. This creates pressure in a police procedural and explores trigger and impact throughout a long time.
Sign follows prison profiler Park Hae-young (Lee Je-hoon), who wanders a cold-case crime scene one evening in 2016 and finds an deserted walkie-talkie. The gadget activates, and Hae-young hears the voice of detective Jae-han (Cho Jin-woong), who’s been lacking since 2000. Hae-young joins forces with Jae-han’s former co-worker, detective Cha Soo-hyun (Kim Hye-soo), who’s been in search of Jae-han for a very long time. The story helps the detectives clear up circumstances collectively, however Hae-young and Soo-hyun additionally search for clues about Jae-han’s disappearance. This present is intense and thrilling all through its total run; extremely really helpful viewing.
5
‘Mr. Queen’ (2020–2021)
Starring Shin Hye-sun, Kim Jung-hyun, and Choi Jin-hyuk
Mr. Queen is one of essentially the most good Okay-dramas ever made, partially as a result of it is enjoyable and ridiculous, that includes real laugh-out-loud moments, and in different components due to its distinctive premise. It is type of onerous to clarify with out context, so right here goes: Blue Home chef Jang Bong-hwan (Choi Jin-hyuk) is conceited and careless; after a pursuit goes improper, he falls off his residence’s balcony and results in the pool beneath. A girl in a Joseon-era gown comes from below the water and kisses him, and he wakes up the subsequent morning as Queen Cheorin of Joseon. His inner monologue is in his personal voice, however his physique is feminine, and of feminine royalty, at that.
This premise is wild, nevertheless it works rather well, particularly since Choi does an unimaginable job of delivering ridiculously humorous strains with out even having a physique to reflect them. As a substitute, Shin Hye-sun, who performs the Queen, acts out the monologue with good appearing and comedic timing. Bordering on slapstick, her efficiency is the perfect within the collection by a mile, although the remainder of the forged is fairly hilarious, too. As Chef Jang tries to return to his personal time, his fashionable, male mind and spirit occupy the Nineteenth-century Queen’s physique and shortly begin mixing along with her personal emotions and reminiscences.
4
‘Kingdom’ (2019–2021)
Starring Ju Ji-hoon and Bae Doona
Kingdom is without doubt one of the hottest Okay-dramas on Netflix and undoubtedly one which helped popularize South Korean reveals and programming internationally. Till 2019, Okay-drama followers used streaming websites like Viki, however now, Netflix, Disney, and Amazon fund their very own Okay-drama productions and have a whole lot available to stream. Kingdom is exclusive for its mixture of the Joseon dynasty period’s political plots and fights for the throne with the at all times common zombie virus plot. It is the primary historic zombie thriller of its type, fast-paced, intelligent, and good.
Kingdom is about within the seventeenth century Joseon Korea, the place the king has died, however the officers refuse to publicly ship the information as a result of he is been struck by a novel plague that retains him alive whereas his vitals are lifeless. His son, Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon), decides to uncover the supply of his father’s mysterious sickness earlier than it spreads and keep away from political conspiracies made towards him by these vying for the throne as an alternative of him. Bae Doona joins him as the dominion’s doctor and skilled on the plague. Kingdom has extremely badass characters and an exciting plot, and its two seasons might be simply binge-watched in a day.
3
‘Squid Recreation’ (2021–2025)
Starring Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon, and Gong Yoo
Squid Recreation is the Okay-drama hit that gained over audiences domestically and worldwide, even incomes its foremost forged Golden Globe nominations (and one win, for Oh Yeong-su) and three SAG wins. The present is an unimaginable phenomenon, and it is nonetheless a preferred theme for Halloween events, sport nights, and parodies. Squid Recreation would not be as common if it did not have a novel and fascinating premise; although the “demise sport” plot is not new, Squid Recreation makes use of that to juxtapose innocence and nostalgia with brutality and sharp social commentary.
Squid Recreation follows Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), a divorced father with a playing debt. He is invited to enter a match at an undisclosed location, the place he can battle to win a big money prize. When he arrives, although, he sees there are 455 different gamers, and the video games are from their childhoods. Nonetheless, failing the video games means demise, so gamers should be very cautious. Squid Recreation is thrilling and makes folks binge-watch your complete collection due to how addictive it’s. Folks typically speak about how they might play the video games, and there was even a actuality TV spin-off (folks weren’t killed, after all) that allowed of us to strive themselves out at it.
- Launch Date
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2021 – 2024
- Community
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Netflix
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Lee Jung-jae
Seong Gi-hun / ‘No. 456’
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Jeon Younger-soo
Recreation Information
Starring Kim Hye-yoon, Rowoon, and Lee Jae-wook
Extraordinary You has a unprecedented premise; it is a distinctive present that takes us on a journey by means of the lifetime of a highschool pupil, Dan-oh (Kim Hye-yoon), who rapidly realizes she’s a personality in a manhwa, a romantic comedian guide. She is not the lead or somebody essential, both—she’s only a facet character, an additional who has a really tragic and one-dimensional storyline. This meta-narrative is nice on paper however might be tough to execute; Extraordinary You‘s showrunners managed to do it in an creative, likable, and intelligent method.
Extraordinary You assist Dan-oh develop into conscious of her predetermined destiny, and she rebels towards that storyline and the comedian’s creator, looking for out one other “conscious” character to assist her. It is a good concept that may encourage folks to probably discover their very own participation within the story of their life; understanding we now have free will and nothing is at all times pre-written. Extraordinary You will also be a narrative that encourages viewers to take life into their very own arms.
1
‘W: Two Worlds’ (2016)
Starring Lee Jong-suk and Han Hyo-joo
W: Two Worlds additionally has a comic book guide that got here to life premise, however its meta narrative takes it to a different stage. It shifts between the true world and the comedian guide world fairly often and has particularly developed guidelines that govern them each. Although charming and romantic, the present’s premise tends to get existential, too, particularly when the comedian guide characters start interacting with their creator. This mind-bending sci-fi/fantasy collection is extremely authentic and unpredictable, difficult viewers expectations. It was critically praised for its premise and storytelling.
W: Two Worlds follows Yeon-joo (Han Hyo-joo), the daughter of Seong-mu (Kim Eui-song), writer of a well-known comedian guide titled W. When Seong-mu disappears, Yeon-joo goes to his studio to analyze his disappearance however will get pulled into his comedian guide, W, and its fantasy world. There, she meets the comedian’s protagonist, Kang Cheol (Lee Jong-suk), a billionaire athlete who’s looking for the true killer of his household. The 2 develop emotions whereas serving to one another, and the narrative takes sudden twists and turns.