It’s no surprise that most K-dramas became a worldwide sensation for their heartbreaking romance stories and explosion of love tropes. However, over time, many Korean dramas that aren’t about romance have captivated fans with their intriguing plot and complex characters. Emmy-winning 2021 squid game, for example, is a great example of how non-romantic K-dramas can also lure viewers. Per Varietyin reality, squid game became Netflix’s most-watched show, with 1.65 billion hours streamed in its first weeks on the platform.
While the romance genre still reigns over K-dramas, those that deviate from it have a lot going for them: survival contests, murder mysteries, dealing with social issues, and more. The influx of such K-dramas has been a boon to fans who want to look beyond love and relationships. That’s why here are 6 non-romantic K-dramas that will help you discover a new side of Korean television.
6/6 go to heaven
Starring Lee Je-hoon and Tang Jun-sang in the lead roles, go to heaven centers on Han Geu-roo (Tang), a 20-year-old boy with autism, who works at his father’s ‘Move To Heaven’ company, which is cleaning up a crime scene. Their company rearranges and collects items left behind by the deceased and passes them on to the next of kin. After the death of Geu-roo’s father, his uncle, Cho Sang-gu (Lee), an ex-con, becomes his guardian. Although initially uninterested in the company or the boy, he admits to acting as a guardian to inherit the money. Based on the actual essay Things that are left behind by professional trauma cleaner Kim Sae-byul, go to heaven conveys a beautiful message through its characters and respectfully shows their view of death. The emotional K-drama was also praised for its accuracy, with Tang receiving praise for its extraordinary performance.
5/6 We are all dead
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The 2022 Zombie Apocalyptic Drama We are all dead received a lot of attention from all over the world and was, per Deadline, the number one series on Netflix’s US Daily Top 10 list shortly after its release. The show stars Park Ji-hoo, Yoon Chan-young, Jo Yi-hyun and Lomon in the lead roles. Along with other supporting characters, the aforementioned actors star as high school students who must band together and fight against zombies after their school goes to zero for a virus attack resulting from a failed science experiment. Without food, water and supplies, the students must figure out ways to protect themselves, or else they will become part of the infected. Thanks to the exciting and successful first season, We are all dead will return soon with a second season on Netflix.
4/6 DP (Deserter Chase)
The drama with a military theme DP (Deserter Chase) tells the story of the Korean police team that forms a group to find defectors. The K-drama stars Jung Hae-in, Koo Kyo-hwan, Son Seok-koo and Kim Sung-kyun. Jun-Ho (Jung) is a young and confused police soldier who has also served in the military like other Korean men. One day, he becomes part of the military defector arrest team, and in addition to grappling with deserters, he must grapple with why most soldiers feel the need to be absent without an official discharge. DP is adapted from the webtoon DP Dog Day by Kim Bo-tong, and is heavily praised for portraying the complexity people feel in the context of things like suicide, bullying, poverty, violence, and domestic violence. The drama received critical acclaim from several critics for its wonderful portrayal of an issue spanning the past and present.
3/6 Signal
Another Lee Je-hoon starrer on the list is Signal, also starring Kim Hye-soo and Jo Jin-woong. The fantasy crime mystery thriller follows Park Hae-young, a criminal profiler who witnessed a crime during his childhood. Years later, he finds a walkie-talkie that connects him to Detective Lee Jae-han (Jo) in the past. The duo, along with police officer Cha Soo-hyun (Kim), get together and embark on a journey to solve cold mysterious cases. Unlike other crime-solving dramas and series, Signal comes with a time-traveling twist, keeping viewers on their toes throughout the show. Praised for its emotional touch, perfect storyline and impeccable cast performances, Signal is undoubtedly one of the best Korean dramas and should not be missed.
2/6 Cab driver
Lee Je-hoon should be called the king of crime thriller K-dramas, with Cab driver another hit of his career. The 2021 drama, based on the webtoon The luxury taxi by Carlos and Keukeu Jae-jin, is an action thriller that shows real heinous crimes that took place in Korea. The show follows Kim Do-gi (Lee), whose mother was murdered when he was young. Years later, Do-gi has now graduated from the Korean Military Academy and was unable to avenge his late mother. However, he works as a taxi driver for a company that offers its customers a “call for revenge” and helps them find justice with their own terms and laws. Cab driver connected with its audience by addressing issues such as workplace harassment, pornography, human trafficking for orphans, health abuse, and more. It became a hit among Korean citizens as these heinous crimes were told from the perspective of the victims, turning it into a promising plot rooted in empathy and justice.
1/6 Sky Castle
Sky Castle is at the top of our list with its satirical plot aiming its scope at the elite and wealthy, who, to maintain their social image, would even consider creating extreme parenting environments. The second highest rated korean drama in the history of cable television, Sky Cstle revolves around four high class families who live in the upper class neighborhood of Sky Class. Home to the rich and doctors and professors, all the women of Sky Castle want their children admitted to the most prestigious universities in the country.
While some parents would go to great lengths to destroy other families, some took a different approach to supporting their children. However, the situations, the difficult family problems and the desire to always be at the top ultimately cost some their lives, futures and mental health. Sky Castle was considered a critique of the competitive Korean education system, which can exert mental strain on many students. SKY is basically an acronym for the three most popular universities in South Korea: Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University. Doubtless, Sky Castle is a K-drama that you should definitely watch.