One and done: 10 intense and sad K-dramas you can only watch once
Dr Ji Sun-woo (Kim Hee-ae) is the picture of satisfaction and composure, until she discovers her husband's (Park Hae-joon) affair and unleashes a tidal wave of ice-cold revenge. What follows is a masterclass in marital warfare, societal hypocrisy and emotional shrapnel. It's Shakespearean betrayal in stylish coats. This K-drama is beautifully made and the script was impeccable but it can be frustrating, especially with how realistic it is. Watch once, then go scream into a pillow. 3. 'Twenty-Five Twenty-One' (2022)
In a love story set during Korea's financial crisis, Na Hee-do (Kim Tae-ri) is a fierce, foil-wielding teenager and Baek Yi-jin (Nam Joo-hyuk) is her charmingly broken older love interest turned journalist. Their chemistry is off the charts, but real life has other plans. It's exhilarating, nostalgic and ends with a goodbye that hurts like growing up. 4. 'Move to Heaven' (2021)
Han Geu-ru (Tang Jun-sang) is a neurodivergent teen who, alongside his ex-con uncle (Lee Je-hoon), runs a trauma cleaning business that handles the belongings of the deceased. The premise is rather unique, as far as sad K-dramas are concerned. Each episode is a standalone lesson in grief and grace, with stories that sneak up on you and leave emotional bruises. Bring tissues and maybe hug your pet. 5. 'Uncontrollably Fond' (2016)
Shin Joon-young (Kim Woo-bin) is an arrogant Hallyu star with a terminal illness and unresolved angst, while Noh Eul (Bae Suzy) is the documentary producer—and ex-love—tasked with filming his last months. What starts as a bitter reunion spirals into raw confessions, sobbing-in-the-rain scenes and one of K-drama's most soul-crushing finales. 6. 'Strangers from Hell' (2019)
Yoon Jong-woo (Im Si-wan) is a naive country boy who moves to Seoul and rents a room in the creepiest goshiwon ever, while Seo Moon-jo (Lee Dong-wook) slithers in as the suspiciously too-friendly dentist next door. The descent into madness is slow and skin-crawling, with psychological horror that sticks to your ribs. It's genius—just don't watch it alone, or ever again.
Don't miss: 12 intense K-drama thrillers that will keep you on the edge of your seat 7. 'Youth of May' (2021)
Set during the Gwangju Uprising, Hwang Hee-tae (Lee Do-hyun) is a bright med student who falls in love with Kim Myung-hee (Go Min-si), a stoic nurse, against a backdrop of rising unrest. Their romance is tender, pure and ultimately doomed—and if you know your Korean history, you already know you're watching a ticking emotional time bomb. 8. 'Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo' (2016)
IU as Hae-soo time-slips into the Goryeo dynasty and the hearts of several royal brothers—most dangerously, Wang So (Lee Joon-gi), the scarred and smouldering fourth prince. This tragic historical romance pulls no punches: it's dramatic, opulent and ends with a heartbreak so operatic, you'll find yourself mourning characters who died 1,000 years ago. 9. 'Flower of Evil' (2020)
Baek Hee-sung (Lee Joon-gi) is a loving husband and doting father, but he might also be a serial killer. Cha Ji-won (Moon Chae-won) is his detective wife who begins to suspect the man she married. It's a domestic thriller laced with unnerving secrets and unexpected tenderness, and once you survive the emotional rollercoaster, you won't dare get back on. 10. 'Misaeng: Incomplete Life' (2014)
Jang Geu-rae (Im Si-wan) goes from failed Go player to office grunt, navigating corporate politics with the help of his quietly heroic boss Oh Sang-shik (Lee Sung-min). It's so painfully accurate about office life, job insecurity and silent ambition that it feels like a documentary. Brilliant, yes. Therapeutic? Only if you've already quit your job.
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