These 6 Korean Revenge Dramas Will Make Your Head Spin
Miss The Glory? These thrilling Korean dramas are equally binge-worthy with their gripping plots
There’s nothing sweeter than a good K-drama revenge plot: a traumatising origin story that kickstarts the entire narrative, gripping plot twists that will have you on the edge of your seat, and a satisfying ending where vengeance is served in favour of the one seeking revenge.
Thankfully, there are plenty of choice picks when it comes to such shows. Whether you’re on the hunt for a new K-drama to satiate your sense of justice or you’re trying to fill the void after binge-watching The Glory, these revenge Korean dramas should do the trick.
Related article: The Korean Dramas To Watch In 2021
The plot: Revenge is a dish best-served cold (alongside plenty of drama) in The Glory. Screen darling Song Hye-kyo stars as the main protagonist Moon Dong-eun. Having been subjected to extremely violent bullying and assault by four of her classmates in school as a young teenager, Dong-eun is now a woman hell-bent on revenge. She concocts an elaborate plan that’s dark and thrilling, with only one goal in mind: the downfall of her bullies.
The cast: Song Hye-kyo, Lee Do-hyun, Lim Ji-yeon
Watch it on: Netflix
The plot: Song Joong-ki is no stranger to revenge storylines, having starred as a revenge-seeking lawyer and a consigliere for the mafia in his 2021 hit, Vincenzo. In Reborn Rich, he is now a trusted employee at Soonyang Group. He is betrayed and murdered by a member of the Soonyang family to cover up a tax evasion scheme, but instead of dying, he finds himself transported back to 1987 in the body of the youngest son of the same family.
Seeking revenge for the injustice he suffered, he plots a hostile takeover of the Soonyang Group. His revenge plan is carefully laid out over a series of surprising plot twists.
The cast: Song Joong-ki, Lee Sung-min, Shin Hyun-been
Watch it on: Viu
The plot: Revenge is complicated in Korean melodrama Mine. The popular series offers a peek behind the gold-clad life of secrets and life in high society and portrays ambitious women on their self-identity discovery journey whilst freeing themselves from the prejudices of society.
Veteran actress Lee Bo Young is Seo Hee Soo, a former top star who gives up her thriving career to become the second daughter-in-law of the Hyowon Group chaebol group. However, she soon realises that her husband isn’t the man she thought she had married – and she starts fighting for what is rightfully hers after the truth about him unravels.
The cast: Lee Bo Young, Kim Seo-hyung, Ok Ja-yeon
Watch it on: Netflix
The plot: Gritty and intense, noir crime and thriller series My Name is full of unexpected twists. Han So-hee brings main character Yoon Ji-woo to life. Ji-woo, who witnessed her father’s murder, is determined to seek revenge. To avenge her late father, she joins a crime syndicate. After undergoing rigorous training to hone her fighting skills, she changes her identity and infiltrates the police force, in order to find the man who killed her father.
The cast: Han So-hee, Park Hee-soon, Ahn Bo-hyun
Watch it on: Netflix
The plot: In this courtroom thriller, a former gangster-turned-lawyer (played by Lee Joon-gi) and a righteous lawyer who had her licence suspended (portrayed by Seo Ye-ji) team up to avenge the death of their mothers, who were murdered. Their opponents include one of South Korea’s powerful and revered judges and a gangster-turned-politician. Be warned: almost every episode ends on a cliffhanger, and you’ll likely spend sleepless nights finishing all 16 episodes.
The cast: Seo Ye-ji, Lee Joon-gi, Lee Hye-young, Choi Min-soo
Watch it on: Netflix
The plot: Across 12 gripping episodes, Celebrity delves into the lives of social media influencers immersed in a world of competition and intrigue.
A-ri, portrayed by the talented rising star Park Gyu-young, is an ordinary cosmetic salesperson whose life takes an extraordinary turn when she becomes an overnight social media sensation. As her following skyrockets and she grapples with newfound fame, A-ri’s overwhelming success exposes the hidden perils and consequences beneath the glamorous surface of stardom. The ending is definitely one that will take you by surprise.
The cast: Park Gyu-young, Kang Min-hyuk, Lee Chung-ah, Lee Dong-gun and Jun Hyo-seong
Watch it on: Netflix
This article originally appeared in Her World.