Clouded by mysteries and vengeance, bullied yet rebellious, and friendly yet closed, these K-dramas take the viewers through a storm of raging emotions. With high school or workplace bullying on the rise in South Korea, these K-dramas give a voice to the abused and make sure that they are seen by the world. Most of them are real-like incidents, which gives depth to the storyline and makes the scenes all the more real.
Even though they are enjoyed by massive viewers, these dramas are definitely not for the faint-hearted. The violence shown might be true, but they do bring nightmares in real life. However, it does make one realize the extent of trauma it brings to the victims of bullying, even after many years of the cases taking place.
If you liked watching The King of Pigs, you would definitely like this list of K-dramas curated perfectly to suit your taste. We do hope that you will add them to your definitely growing watchlists.
The King of Pigs
One message, One shared past, and three victims. A high school bullying case closed 20 years ago resurfaces when mysterious killings start taking place.
Hwang Kyung Min (Kim Dong Wook), a police officer, suffers constant nightmares related to the bullying he witnessed as a high school student. When a serial killer is on the loose and mysterious killings start taking place, Hwang Kyung Min is appointed to catch the suspect before things go out of hand.
Detective Jung Jong Suk (King Sung Gyu) receives a message from a friend that takes him back 20 years ago. The suspicion of Jung Jong Suk being a serial killer spreads like wildfire, causing him to take the help of Officer Kang Jin Ah (Chae Jung Ah) to catch the culprit and prove his innocence. But everyone is not what they seem.
Will the victims receive justice, or will the killer receive the justice he clearly deserves? King of Pigs is a wild ride, with the viewers wanting to sympathize with the abused while bringing the same person to court for the murders he commits. Choose wisely between who deserves to be saved and who deserves to be held accountable.
- Drama: The King of Pigs
- Episodes: 12
- Duration: 55 min.
- Aired: 2022
- Original Network: TVING
1. One Ordinary Day
College student Kim Hyeon Soo (Kim Soo Hyun) lives a mundane, boring life compared to the rest of his peers. Wanting to gain popularity quickly, Kim Hyeon Soo meets Hong Kook Hwa (Lee Seol), a mysterious girl. They soon agreed to spend a night together in a hotel near their campus.
Come morning, Kim Hyeon Soo is horrified by the scene before him. The once-ordinary day has come to an end with Kim Hyeon Soo being framed for the murder of Hong Kook Hwa.
Enters Shin Joon Ahn (Cha Seung Won), a lawyer who is well-known among his superiors for all the wrong reasons, takes up the murder case of Kim Hyeon Soo. In an attempt to prove his innocence, Kim Hyeon Soo agrees to retell the whole night as he remembers it.
One Ordinary day crosses the line between an innocent victim and a gruesome murder. With Kim Hyeon Soo, it is the opposite. As he tries to survive in prison, his will to know the truth diminishes day by day.
There are moments in the drama that often point at the main lead being the murderer due to his subconsciousness. While he undergoes trial for his supposed murder, the background elements highlight his innocence, making the K-drama a worthy watch.
- Drama: One Ordinary Day
- Episodes:8
- Duration:1 hr. 10 min.
- Aired: 2021
- Original Network: Disney Plus
2. She Knows Everything
Yang Soo Jin (Park Shin Ah) is strangled and thrown off from the balcony at her apartment complex. This triggers a warning for the residents living there.
Each of the residents has their own secret to protect. When the mysterious murder of Su Jin takes place, the prices for the homes drop, causing an uproar among the residents. Lee Gong Book (Kang Sung Yun), a real estate agent, steps in to help.
The detective involved in this case is Cheol Ho (Jo Han Sun), who is surprised at the reaction of the residents, causing him to be suspicious of everyone.
She knows everything is a perfect blend of thriller, mystery, and psychological influence of drugs. With the episodes taking twists and turns at every end, it is impossible to know the real suspect. The crime is portrayed as a dream in the beginning and the ending as a cliffhanger. She knows Everything is not your typical K-drama crime thriller.
- Drama: She Knows Everything
- Episodes: 4
- Duration:1 hr. 10 min.
- Aired: 2020
- Original Network: MBC, Viki, Kocowa
3. Taxi Driver
Kim Do Gi (Lee Je Hoon) is a just police officer who respects the law. This causes him to be well-known among his peers. But when his mother is murdered by a serial killer, Kim Do Gi loses the ability to differentiate between right and wrong.
Kim Do Gi starts working for Jang Sung Chul (Kim Eui Sung), the mastermind behind Rainbow Taxi. The Rainbow Taxi, a premium taxi service, doubles up as a secret organization; those who hire the drivers are often wronged by the Law. These drivers get the victims the justice that the law cannot provide and protect those who are mistreated by the law.
Kang Ha Na (Esom) is the prosecutor who is assigned to investigate the lawless justice behind Rainbow Taxi. In an effort to right the wrongs, Kang Ha Na comes across Kim Do Gi, who hides his identity from her. Together, the main leads work to bring justice to the victims and their families.
Taxi Driver is an intense watch for those who love crime, action, and drama, all in a single frame. The viewers support the male lead while wishing for a better life for him, and the drama makes up for all the tears one would shed watching the first three episodes.
- Drama: Taxi Driver
- Episodes:16
- Duration:1 hr. 5 min.
- Aired: 2021
- Original Network: SBS, SBS World, Viki, Kocowa, Netflix, Prime Video
4. Hunted/ Boar Hunting
In a small country village in South Korea, a group of farmers notice that their agricultural crops are being eaten by wild animals. To prevent further damage, they suspect a wild boar to be behind the disappearances, so the group sets out on a hunting mission to capture the boar.
Meanwhile, people go missing after the boar has been dealt with. While the villagers suspect each other, the local police try to locate the kidnapper and set traps throughout the village.
The once-peaceful village falls into shambles as secrets are discovered, and people give false testimony against each other to prove their own innocence. Tried of constant interrogations from the police, the villagers try to find the person behind the case on their own.
Hunted builds suspense on every villager, showing the true nature of human beings. The character development of each villager is insane, and they go from being soft-hearted to vicious in a matter of seconds, giving viewers a whiplash due to sudden outbursts. Making Boar Hunter not only a thriller but also a psychological based drama.
- Drama: Hunted/ Boar Hunting
- Episodes: 4
- Duration:1 hr. 9 min
- Aired: 2022
- Original Network: MBC, Viki
5. Strangers from Hell
Yoon Jong Woo (Yim Si Wan), a young adult, moves to Seoul from his village after his friend gives him a job opportunity. With no one offering him a room to stay in, Yoon Jong Woo stumbles upon Eden Gosiwon, an apartment building that offers cheap stays for working adults.
Yoon Jong Woo is thrilled and signs the lease for the apartment. His next-door neighbor is a dentist called Seo Moon Jo (Lee Dong Wook). His over-friendly nature yet mysterious aura causes Yoon Jong Woo to take an interest in the dentist.
Things start going wrong soon after around the people living in the apartment. Homicides start taking place, and suddenly, everyone is a suspect and a victim. Yoon Jong Woo becomes entangled in their web and becomes a psychological patient. The friendly neighbors are not what they seem.
Strangers from Hell is a drama where no one knows what is going on until the end. The main theme involves anxiety, the paranoia of human beings, and the scariest part of it all, not knowing if you are going to be the next victim.
- Drama: Strangers from Hell
- Episodes:10
- Duration: 60 min.
- Aired: 2019
- Original Network: OCN, Amazon Prime Video
6. Extracurricular
Unlike other high school dramas, Extracurricular take the number one spot in bringing a fresh scenario to the truth among high school students. With school bullying being the main storyline, the drama focuses on the lives the bullies lead, making them the villains and the anti-villains.
Oh Ji Soo (Kim Dong Hee), a typical straight-A student, gets into trouble with the local authorities when he gets caught. Now labeled as a criminal, Oh Ji Soo becomes the school’s bully along with his girlfriend, Bae Gyu Ri (Park Ju Hyun).
Seo Min Hee (Jung Da Bin) tries to collect money by bullying other students. She manipulates her victims, making them vulnerable to others. Kwak Ki Tae (Nam Yoon Su), the school’s popular boy, plays the perfect role of a partner in crime to Seo Min Hee.
With the four of them coming together to form an unthinkable group of friends, their facades slowly start cracking as each episode goes by. The ugly truth is reflected in their actions, and the group is soon forced to accept their crimes.
- Drama: Extracurricular
- Episodes:10
- Duration: 55 min
- Aired: 2020
- Original Network: Netflix
7. Children of Nobody
Cha Woo Kyun (Kim Sun Ah) is a child psychologist who has the perfect family consisting of a child and a husband. But when a tragic tragedy happens, her seemingly perfect life is shattered.
Kang Ji Hyun (Lee Yi Kyung) is a detective involved in cases related to child abuse. He teams up with Cha Woo Kyun to save the children, and they soon uncover secrets related to their family members. The ending does not do justice to the plot, and viewers keep waiting for more, especially justice for the suffering.
Children of Nobody is a hidden gem that is waiting to be discovered by thriller lovers. With morally grey characters who have their own agendas, this is not your comfort drama but rather a drama that should be watched while craving something dark and exciting with mysteries to watch.
- Drama: Children of Nobody
- Episodes: 32
- Duration: 30 min.
- Aired: 2019
- Original Network: MBC, Kocowa
8. Beautiful World
Park Sun Ho (Nam Da Reum), a brilliant and bright high school student, gets bullied on a daily basis by his peers. But then an accident happens, causing Sun Ho to be declared brain dead by the doctors.
His parents, enraged with the incident, start enquiring about Sun Ho’s accident, causing the truth about bullying in schools. Meanwhile, Park So Ho (Kim Hwan Hee), Sun Ho’s younger sister, takes on the case on her own. The things she discovers act as an eye-opener.
Many of the bullying cases often go undetected, causing young adults to give up on life. Beautiful World captures and brings attention to such cases that trigger the victims even after many years of the incidents taking place.
With no one to help them and teachers being unreliable due to pressure from the parents, students in high school lose hope and endure the bullying as much as they can. Park Sun Ho’s case is a similar one wherein the last episode, though ending on a light note, makes a lasting impact on the viewers.
- Drama: Beautiful World
- Episodes:16
- Duration: 60 min
- Aired: 2019
- Original Network: JTBC, Viki, Disney+, Netflix
9. The Glory
Moon Dong Eun (Song Hye Kyo), a high school student, is the victim of the highest and most brutal form of bullying from her classmates. The perpetrators were not punished because, according to the law, they were still minors at the time.
Due to this, she carries physical and emotional scars to this day. Her dream of becoming an architect is ruined, and Moon Dong Eun blames her classmates for destroying her life.
The opportunity for revenge comes knocking at the door when Moon Dong Eun becomes a high school teacher at the same school where she was once bullied. Park Yeon Ji (Im Ji Yeon), now a parent to a young girl and once a bully to Moon Dong Eun, enrolls her daughter at the school.
Overcome by grief and anger, Moon Dong Eun vows to get back at her once classmates who were her bullies and silent spectators to the crime.
The level of bullying shown in this K-drama is based on a true story. While the revenge part of the drama might not be true and is merely a work of fiction, do not label it as such. Some episodes of the drama are hair risers, which might make it difficult for some to watch.
Overall, The Glory is a K-drama that should be on the watch list of every revenge drama lover.
- Drama: The Glory
- Episodes: 8
- Duration: 50 min.
- Aired: 2022
- Original Network: Netflix
10. Revenge of others
Ok Chan Mi (Shin Ye Eun), a talented sharpshooter, transfers to Yongtan High School to learn about the reality of her twin brother’s supposed suicide. She is certain that her brother was a victim of bullying.
While walking through the classroom corridors, Ok Chan Mi meets Gi Oh Sung (Chae Sang Woo), a person related to her brother’s death. She is suspicious of her classmates and decides to be a silent observer. Soon she starts getting bullied by Lee Soo Min (Gook Ji Hyun) and her friends, but this time she fights back.
Enter Ji Soo Heon (Lomon), an anti-hero who gets revenge on the perpetrators for money. Ok Chan Mi, in a desperate situation, comes to Ji Soo Heon for help even though she does not trust him. Ok Chan Mi attempts to catch the bully red-handed but always falls short and slowly loses hope.
In a class where everyone is harboring secrets and hatred for one another, will Ok Chan Mi be able to avenge her brother’s death, or will she become one of the victims herself?
- Drama: Revenge of Others
- Episodes:12
- Duration:1 hr. 2 mins
- Aired: 2022
- Original Network: Disney+, Hulu
11. Drama Stage Season Three: Everyone is there.
Soo Yeon (Roh Jeong Rui) is a high school student who gets ruthlessly bullied by her classmates on a daily basis. With no one to protect her and slowly sinking into depression, Soo Yeon decides to end it all. On the verge of giving up, she finds herself on the school terrace.
Suddenly, the school counselor appears beside Soo Yeon and stops her from taking a drastic step. Together, they talk about their experiences of being victims of bullying that went undetected by teachers.
(Credits: TVN)
They soon meet Soo Yeon’s twin sister, who, unlike her, is unforgiving and seeks revenge on behalf of her sister. The three of them make the perfect revenge plan to make the bullies’ lives a living hell.
Drama Stage Season Three, Everyone Is There, is the perfect revenge drama for those who like watching this kind of K-dramas. Revenge is often sweet when the victim stands up for herself and defends those who are victims like her.
- Drama: Drama Stage Season 3: Everyone Is There
- Episodes:1
- Duration:1 hr. 9 min.
- Aired: 2020
- Original Network: TVN
12. Weak Hero Class 1
Yeon Shi Eun (Prak Ji Hoon) is a brilliant high school student. Even though he is physically weak, Yeon Shi Eun uses his mental capabilities to ward off any kind of bullying incident. With the help of Ahn Su Ho (Choi Hyun Wook) and Oh Beom Suk (Hong Kyun), they form a group that protects others and themselves from threats. Yet their friendship is often tested.
Weak Class Hero 1 is a brilliant action-oriented K-drama that dwells on friendships and getting revenge on behalf of the victims. There are strange parallels throughout the dramas that show the backstory of each of the main characters. The progression from high school students to young adults is something that the viewers can relate to.
However, the only drawback would be that the drama is short, and people would not mind more episodes or even a Season 2.
- Drama: Weak Hero Class 1
- Episodes:8
- Duration:40 min.
- Aired: 2022
- Original Network: Viki, Kocowa, iQIYI, Amazon Prime Video
13. My Name
The classic murder troupe with a dash of vengeance and solidarity plays in the background of this drama.
Yoon Ji Woo (Han So Hee) was bullied in high school. She quits studying and becomes an undercover cop and member of the most feared drug gang in South Korea, going after a man who killed her father.
With support from the mob boss Choi Moo Jin (Park Hee Soon), Yoon Ji Woo undertakes his mission of killing Cha Gi Ho (Kim Sang Ho), a detective who has long been enemies with the mob boss.
Choi Moon Jin’s true intentions are unknown, which makes Yoon Ji Woo vulnerable in most cases, yet she is positive about the ring and does her utmost to get the attention of the detective, rendering him worthless in the end.
My Name has many trigger warnings due to its gruesome depiction of gang wars, fights, and bloodshed. Watch at your own risk. Other than this, it was one of the most highly watched K-dramas at the time of release.
- Drama: My Name
- Episodes:8
- Duration:50 min.
- Aired: 2021
- Original Network: Netflix
