If you're a TV fan who recently got their first glimpse at the world of Korean entertainment, odds are it came courtesy of an edge-of-your-seat thriller. South Korea has been renowned for its spine-chilling suspense and horror films for decades, and its TV industry has fully embraced global audiences's appetite for gripping tales of serial killers, zombies, and dystopian death games. Since Squid Game took the world by storm in 2021, Korean broadcasters and streaming channels have followed the wave of exciting thriller K-dramas, allowing filmmakers to depict darker societal themes than in traditional romance or historical dramas.
For fans of series like Teach You a Lesson or Agent Kim Reactivated who are looking for their next TV binge, here are our picks of the best thriller K-dramas to watch, from terrifying horror series to psychological crime dramas to the best superhero show we've seen in years. (Once you've dipped your toes in, check out our list of the best K-dramas to watch on Netflix.)
