If you are a fan of watching Asian Dramas, then you definitely must have heard of the Chinese Drama; “Under The Skin”. The drama is one of the best thriller dramas of recent times, and it is a must-watch for fans who are into thriller dramas. The story of “Under My Skin” revolves around an extremely talented painter, who is almost prodigal.
However, his talent lands him in a mess, which eats away at him for years. After playing an unconscious yet very important part in a police case, which results in an officer’s death, he spends a lot of time mulling over his actions and feeling guilty. As a part of his redemption journey, he joins the police force as a painter to help identify criminals.
He faces a lot of discrimination, because of his role in the murder, but he tries his best. He even becomes friends with the partner of the deceased officer.
Together, they try to solve the cases that the department gets, as well as going on their own personal mission, to find the true facts behind the officer’s death. From the plot, we understand that this drama has a very engaging and gripping storyline.
Below, we have given 12 similar dramas to “Under The Skin,” which will definitely get under your skin.
1. Who Is He
Who is He is a Chinese drama which released in 2023. The show is a gripping tale of a police force employee trying his best in a corrupt society. The show revolves around a police officer who started out his career in a very traumatizing way.
While on the lookout for a serial killer, he was put together in a team with several of his colleagues. However, during the showdown with the murderer, most of his teammates died, but he was the only survivor.
The show cuts ahead to the future, where the officer is surviving with a heavy feeling of survivor guilt, but he has given his best to the police force and is now a captain.
Again, he is faced with another serial killing case, which brings back memories of the case, which changed his life forever. Soon, he can’t help but wonder if these two cases are related by any chance. He feels that this is his chance to right the wrong and restore justice that escaped from him back in those days.
- Director: Xin Jian Jun
- Screenwriter: Wu Yao, Zhang Min, Jia Dong Yan
- Starring: Tan Jian Ci, Jin Shi Jia, Baby Zhang, Zhu Jia Qi
- Total number of episodes: 20
- Where to watch: Viki
2. Original Sin
Original Sin is an exciting and thrilling Chinese drama that was released in 2018. The show shows the two sides of the same coin: Law. There are two main characters in the story. Both of them live in the same world of law and justice, but their personalities and thought processes couldn’t be any more different.
One of them is a lawyer. However, as a lawyer, his moral compass swings like a pendulum towards anything that is personally beneficial to him. For that, he has done a lot of things that go against the laws of society. As karma sees fit, he is sent to jail for his crime. On the other hand, our second protagonist works in the police force itself.
As a newcomer, he works harder than every person there, and he soon becomes one of the top officers there. As we said, they are completely different personalities. But fate brings them to solve a very difficult and dangerous case together, which makes for a gripping and yet heartwarming storyline.
- Director: Raymond Yip
- Screenwriter: N/A
- Starring: Yin Zheng, Zhai Tian Lan, Michelle Bai, Cherry Ngan
- Total number of episodes: 24
- Where to watch: Viki
3. Desire Catcher
Desire Catcher is a 2023 Chinese mystery drama that was well received by the viewers. The story is a bit unique and is like a breath of fresh air among the repetitive police force storylines that are mainstream in Chinese dramas.
The story is based on a famous hypnotist who comes under the eye of the general public when a criminal goes about making other people commit violent crimes by hypnotizing them. Soon, the famous hypnotist is called on by the police for his help with the case. Eager to help, the hypnotist is assigned to a very troubled detective.
The detective has a past of his own, which is dark, and it affects how he behaves. But stuck on this case together, both of them learn a lot about each other, along with a bigger mystery that connects them together and might be the key to solving the case. However, this is a very risky ordeal, and both of them have to take a leap of faith to get to the bottom of this.
- Director: Wang Tao Tao
- Screenwriter: Sun Hao Yang
- Starring: Zheng Ye Cheng, Xin Yun Lai, Joy Wang, James Yang
- Total number of episodes: 24
- Where to watch: Viki
4. My Roommate is a Detective
My Roommate is a Detective is a very famous Chinese drama released in 2020. It is a fun to watch and quirky drama, but it can be serious at times and can get really suspenseful. The story is set in the early 20th Century and revolves around a detective trying his best to make a big break in the police force.
For this, he has taken up a very difficult case of catching a serial killer, which he cannot solve alone. To solve this problem, he decides to get help from some people who are not detectives, and all of them are very different from each other. One of them is a news reporter, who has extremely strong opinions and does not hesitate to do what is right.
Another is just a student but has a very high IQ and is smarter than the average person. The detective brings together this highly unlikely group, and he believes that the three of them can solve the case better than any professional.
- Director: Zhang Wei Ke
- Screenwriter: Hu Yue
- Starring: Hu Yi Tian, Leon Zhang, Xiao Yan
- Total number of episodes: 36
- Where to watch: Viki
5. Mysterious Love
Mysterious Love is a 2021 romance drama with a bit of suspense. The story is adapted from a Chinese book, “Ban Yin,” and it’s a heartwarming yet painful story at the same time.
The story revolves around an actress who has worked very hard to be where she is today. Nothing comes easily to her, so her job is precious to her, and she takes it very seriously.
She has always wanted to be an actress, and after a lot of ups and downs, she has finally landed a big role that will push her career forward. However, fate does not seem to be on her side. While on the set for shooting a scene for her movie, she gets into an almost fatal accident. The accident would have killed her if not for Li Teng.
Li Teng, who saw the accident, quite literally saved her life. After that, both of them started getting closer, and the connection that they felt on the set was instant and real. But fate again pulls them apart, only to reunite them after five years and do the exact same thing again. But beating the odds doesn’t seem to be in their favor.
- Director: Ming Yan
- Screenwriter: Zhong Zu Yao
- Starring: Yilia Yu, Tsao Yu Ning, Leslie Ma, Wu Hao Ze
- Total number of episodes: 16
- Where to watch: Viki
6. The Crack of Dawn
The Crack of Dawn is a Chinese drama aired in 2022. This drama is one of the best Chinese dramas of contemporary times, as it deals with the struggles of being a working woman and the repeated acts of infidelity by an insecure husband. The story revolves around an extremely hardworking and ambitious woman known as Xiao Nan.
Xiao Nan is a very dedicated person, working two jobs every day. She is married, but she still has to work. Her husband, however, is rich. But he’s a very dangerous and abusive person, as well as a cheater. Xiao Nan’s Life is a constant cycle of being stuck in this toxic environment, but she does not give up. She is working extremely hard to get a better life for herself.
However, when a person from her past comes back into her life, she feels hopeful for the first time in a long while. For the first time since getting married, she feels that she has the power to put an end to this abuse and live for herself.
- Director: Niu Chao
- Screenwriter: Cao Xian Tian
- Starring: Ma Si Chun, Bai Ke, Liu Kai, Zhang Yao
- Total number of episodes: 24
- Where to watch: Viki
7. Medical Examiner Dr Qin
Medical Examiner Dr Qin is a series which released in 2016. It is a well-loved Chinese drama and has its own fan base in China. The story revolves around a doctor, Qin Ming. Dr Qin Ming is an extremely talented Doctor with a penchant for solving crimes and paying attention to the smallest of details that everyone misses.
But his ways of working are so out of pocket that no one can work with him for a permanent period of time. His behavior has made many people quit, and when a new assistant joins, he thinks it will be the same.
But the new assistant has a lot of patience. Along with that, she’s incredibly smart and is a good assistant to Dr Qin. So, the both of them become a formidable duo capable of solving any case thrown at them.
- Director: Xu Ang
- Screenwriter: Yang Zhe
- Starring: Zhang Ruo Yun, Jiao Jun Yan, Li Xian, Qian Bo
- Total number of episodes: 20
- Where to watch: Viki
8. Suspicious Partner
Suspicious Partner is a mystery romance K-drama which aired in 2017. The plot can be a bit of a complicated mess sometimes, but it is really entertaining, and you will get hooked.
The story revolves around Ji Wook and Bong Hee. Both of them are really smart in their own line of work. Ji Wook is a talented prosecutor, and Bong Hee is an intern who can be a bit clumsy at times. But Bong Hee is under scrutiny as the police think she killed her ex-boyfriend.
Here, Ji Wook comes to her rescue, threatening his career in the process. As they start getting involved together, they look for the real killer, as both of them have a personal motive to find out the truth. But feelings come in between, and they start getting themselves in more and more danger.
- Director: Park Seon Ho
- Screenwriter: Kwon Ki Young
- Starring: Ji Chang Wook, Nam Ji Hyun, Choi Tae Joon, Kwon Na Ra
- Total number of episodes: 40
- Where to watch: Viki
9. The Case Solver
The Case Solver is a 2020 thriller Chinese drama. The story revolves around a very tough period in China. The area mostly shown in this drama is Shanghai.
Shanghai was going through a very turbulent era during that time. Amidst that, a forensic specialist, a detective, a reporter, and a police officer are actively working to solve cases. That period in China was marked by a rise in crime, and the show adequately captures the situation.
- Director: Yang Dong Liang
- Starring: Dong Xuan, Jason Gu, Su Xiao Ding, Lu Yan Bei, Cui Peng, Wu Xiao Min
- Total number of episodes: 24
- Where to watch: iQIYI
10. Vagabond
Vagabond is a slow-burn, grueling K-drama that will keep you on your toes the entire time. It was aired in 2019 and gained immense popularity in the Korean mainland as well as the international scene.
The story revolves around a dedicated uncle (Cha Dal- gun) who is single-handedly taking care of his nephew. He works odd jobs; even works as a stunt person to give his nephew the best life he can. However, while his nephew was on a plane to Morocco, the plane crashed and killed all the passengers, including his nephew.
Dal-gun’s entire world turns upside down. But when he gets to know that the plane crash might not have been an accident, he becomes hell-bent to prove it to everyone and seek justice for the death of his nephew.
- Director: Yoo In-sik
- Screenwriter: Jang Young-Chul
- Starring: Lee Seung-gi, Bae Suzy, Shin Sung-rok
- Total number of episodes: 16
- Where to watch: Netflix
11. Juvenile Justice
Juvenile Justice is a really impactful K-drama that aired in 2022. The show is a law-court drama, and it should be watched by everyone to actually understand juvenile crime and the laws governing those.
The story revolves around a very prejudiced and biased judge who has a particular grudge against juveniles. She cannot tolerate them at all, and coincidentally, she gets appointed as a juvenile judge.
Her biased behavior gets in the way, and she becomes very extreme in passing judgment. At the same time, it is also a reflection of the Korean Justice System and the cracks through which the entire structure falls apart.
- Director: Hong Jong-chan
- Screenwriter: Kim Min-Seok
- Starring: Kim Hye-soo, Kim Mu-yeol, Lee Sung-min, Lee Jung-eun
- Total number of episodes: 10
- Where to watch: Netflix
12. The Bad Kids
The Bad Kids is a 2020 Chinese Drama which is based on the book “ Bad Kid. “ The story follows three teenage boys who are from extremely humble backgrounds. As they start hanging out, they play around and accidentally record a murder scenario taking place in front of them.
They do not understand the severity of the situation and pass it off as gameplay at first, but when they get attached to the assumed culprit, those three children unintentionally place themselves in the center of a murder case that is complicated beyond their understanding and destroys several families in the process.
- Director: Bob Xin
- Screenwriter: Joker Sun, Pan Yi Ran
- Starring: Qin Hao, Rong Zi Shan, Shi Peng Yuan, Wang Sheng Di, Wang Jing Chun, Zhang Song Wen
- Total number of episodes: 12
- Where to watch: iQIYI
