Korean horror sequence are slowly turning into a staple amongst newer and current followers. As extra streaming companies produce Okay-dramas, the manufacturing worth and creativity of every rise, offering viewers with some impeccable content material to binge-watch all weekend lengthy. Horror is at all times a well-liked style and, thankfully, there’s not a scarcity of South Korean horror.
The ten finest Korean horror exhibits are genre-bending masterpieces; from psychological slow-burns to full-blown monster mash horror tales, there is a present for everybody’s style and desire. These ten sequence present that Korean showrunners are additionally prepared to maneuver boundaries with their work, giving Western productions a run for his or her cash.
10
‘Save Me’ (2017)
Created by Jo Geun-hyun and Jung Shin-kyoo
Save Me is probably not thought-about horror in probably the most simple sense of that phrase, however it’s a slow-burning thriller with components of psychological horror due to the emotional abuse its characters undergo. The true terror right here is not ghosts—it is manipulation, coercion, and isolation. This deeply disturbing have a look at blind religion and management is without doubt one of the most spectacular Okay-dramas of its style. It additionally has one of many most annoying villains in any Okay-drama.
Save Me follows Sang-mi (Search engine optimisation Yea-ji), who strikes to a rural city close to Seoul along with her mother and father after her father’s enterprise enterprise fails. Susceptible and ashamed, Sang-mi’s father turns into a sufferer of the native cult led by the eerie Baek Jung-ki (Jo Sung-ha), who brainwashes all of his followers and takes benefit of them in numerous methods, from monetary to different kinds of advantages. Save Me is kind of darkish at occasions, and this type of darkness could also be terrifying for some whereas unmoving for others. Nonetheless, even the hardest people will really feel some compassion whereas watching Save Me.
9
‘Hell Is Different Individuals’ (2016)
Created by Jung Yi-do
Hell Is Different Individuals refers back to the Jean-Paul Sartre phrase from his existentialist play No Exit. Although that phrase tends to be misinterpreted, within the context of this Okay-drama, it is greater than becoming. It is extra of a psychological thriller than a horror, but it surely has eerie components which can be laborious to disregard and never be positioned into the horror style. Lee Dong-wook and Im Si-wan lead this intense and thrilling Okay-drama sequence that can make you wish to hold your human interactions to a minimal.
Hell Is Different Individuals follows Jong-woo (Im), a 20-something from a small city who strikes into Eden Dormitory, to room 303. The lodging seems to be a lot worse than marketed, although the larger challenge finally seems to be Jong-woo’s neighbors. Lee portrays a sociopathic dentist who efficiently hides his colder facet till Jong-woo begins getting concerned in his life extra. The remainder of the forged can be good, because the unusual and unruly neighbors, whereas the present itself seems to be nice, significantly the setting of Eden Dormitory, which seems to be, for lack of a greater phrase, cursed.
Hell Is Different Individuals
- Launch Date
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2016 – 2018
- Community
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OCN
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Lee Dong-wook
Byeon Deuk-jong
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Cha Rae-hyung
Yoon Jong-woo
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Kim Han-jong
Eom Bok-soon
8
‘The Uncanny Counter’ (2020–2023)
Created by Yeo Ji-na
The Uncanny Counter is one other genre-bending Okay-drama that takes the very best of all worlds and combines them into two enjoyable seasons. It is a mix of fantasy, drama, horror, thriller, and thriller, even including some comedy now and again, as a result of Korean showrunners can not help however add amusing or two in there, which is in the end nice for viewers. The Uncanny Counter might not at all times be scary, however its finest moments lie in references to horror.
The Uncanny Counter follows a gaggle of demon hunters referred to as Counters, who work undercover as noodle store employees. The story follows their lives but in addition the person circumstances of looking and banishing evil spirits in every new episode. The present is fast-paced, action-heavy, and quirky at occasions, but it surely additionally has a stroke-of-genius darkish streak that provides it some emotional depth, elevating it above typical fantasy fare. This darkish streak provides the horror component and makes the present much more entertaining total.
7
‘Parasyte: The Gray’ (2024)
Created by Yeon Sang-ho and Ryu Yong-jae
Parasyte: The Gray is a comparatively small Okay-drama, contemplating it solely had six episodes. Nonetheless, it is half of a bigger, very well-known lore of Parasyte, a Japanese manga created by Hitoshi Iwaaki, which had quite a few comic-to-screen diversifications. It was the Korean showrunners’ flip to make the very best of this physique horror meets alien invasion story, they usually did an incredible job. One of many showrunners is Prepare to Busan‘s personal Yeon Sang-ho, who appears to be answerable for most horror content material within the Okay-drama and movie world over there.
Parasyte: The Gray is a few lonely store employee, Su-in (Jeon So-nee), who will get practically killed by an offended man one evening. Throughout that very same evening, an invasion of body-snatching aliens involves Earth, and Su-in will get possessed by considered one of them. Nonetheless, as a result of she was practically useless, the alien spent half of its energy reviving her, so now Su-in and her alien host talk and take turns over management of her physique. Parasyte: The Gray has beautiful visible results and nice manufacturing worth, including a uniquely Korean taste to a well-recognized idea. Brutal, considerate, and superbly grotesque, Parasyte: The Gray will possess you and make you binge-watch the Okay-show in a single day.
Parasyte: The Gray
- Launch Date
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April 5, 2024
- Administrators
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Yeon Sang Ho
- Writers
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Ryu Yong Jae, Yeon Sang Ho
6
‘Hellbound’ (2021–2024)
Created by Yeon Sang-ho
One other Yeon Sang-ho authentic drama, Hellbound, is one other manhwa adaptation, and it is completely terrifying. It is set in a world the place demons all of the sudden seem to pull individuals to hell, and these are normally sinners, however the guidelines of “dragging” are unfamiliar to individuals. When these occasions begin taking place, individuals begin residing in concern and start forming completely different teams that imagine in several issues, even making up their very own guidelines as they go. The present is existential and social horror at its finest, and it is undoubtedly considered one of a sort, one thing it’s a must to watch a couple of times to completely comprehend.
The ensemble forged featured within the present consists of Yoo Ah-in, Kim Hyun-joo, and Park Jeong-min, amongst others; the completely different characters’ lives turn out to be intertwined as they struggle to deal with the occasions. Although the present got here after Squid Sport and received unfairly in comparison with it, it does have some social overtones threading via it in a comparable manner as Squid Sport made it occur. Nonetheless, the 2 exhibits are incomparable in lots of different methods, with Hellbound being type of much more dystopian, provocative, and unsettling.
Hellbound
- Launch Date
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2021 – 2023
- Community
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Netflix
5
‘The Visitor’ (2018)
Created by Search engine optimisation Jae-won and Kwon So-ra
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The Visitor is the favourite horror Okay-drama of anybody who’s dived deep into that world. It isn’t all that well-known, so it is a deep lower, however a superb one; if you happen to’re concerned about Korean shamanism and its attention-grabbing lore, The Visitor is the right present to bask in. It blends conventional shamanism with trendy evil, giving folklore a renewed twist in an attention-grabbing story. The Visitor was closely watched in South Korea regardless of not airing in prime time, although many Koreans take shamanic practices very severely.
The Visitor follows a psychic, a priest, and a detective; their lives have turn out to be intertwined from childhood, they usually need to race in opposition to time to exorcise a demon, which is referred to within the title as “the visitor.” The present is dense with folklore and religious horror, and it options a number of the most annoying demonic entities in Okay-drama historical past. It is extremely addictive, too, if you happen to do not feel the necessity to look away.
Son: The Visitor
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Kim Dong-wook
Yoon Hwa Pyung
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Jung Eun-chae
Kang Gil Younger
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Park Ho-san
Detective Go Bang Sang
4
‘Join’ (2022)
Created by Takashi Miike
Japanese cult auteur Takashi Miike dipped his fingers into the Okay-drama world with the six-part sequence Join, starring one of the vital standard trendy actors, Jung Hae-in. Jung is normally a romance drama darling, however his daring decisions of roles make him one of many actors whose Okay-dramas by no means miss. Join absolutely belongs on this listing, although if you happen to’re delicate to chopping our bodies and cult-like murders, this present could also be robust to abdomen. It is quintessential Miike, who boldly references his personal legendary work in some scenes.
Join is graphic, surreal, and grimly creative…
Join follows Dong-soo (Jung) getting kidnapped one evening by organ traffickers and getting dismembered for physique elements. Nonetheless, Dong-soo is particular—his physique would not separate, as any a part of himself he would possibly lose, the physique retrieves, retaining him immortal. When Dong-soo wakes up and escapes, the one factor he is lacking is his proper eye; quickly sufficient, he finds out it is within the physique of a serial killer at the moment plaguing town along with his ritualistic murders. Join is graphic, surreal, and grimly creative; that ending type of implies season two someday sooner or later, although it has been three years since then.
3
‘All of Us Are Useless’ (2022–)
Created by Chun Sung-il, Lee Jae-kyoo, and Kim Nam-su
All Of Us Are Useless is without doubt one of the newer Okay-dramas that received Netflix viewers over by storm; it shortly grew to become one of the vital watched Korean exhibits on the streaming service, and persons are eagerly awaiting the following season, which was introduced someday in 2025, however retains getting postponed. Meaning there’s nonetheless time to compensate for the lore earlier than the following batch of episodes is launched.
All Of Us Are Useless is about in a highschool that turns into floor zero in a zombie outbreak. After an contaminated hamster begins biting classmates, they begin turning into monsters; those that had been (un)fortunate sufficient to not get bitten have to cover from the contaminated in every single place in class. This Okay-drama blends relentless motion with highly effective emotional arcs, tackling the coming-of-age trope in a special mild. It is horror performed proper and painfully human, regardless of not a lot of them truly being nothing greater than previously human within the present.
2
‘Candy Residence’ (2020–2024)
Created by Kim Carnby and Hwang Younger-chan
Candy Residence vibes equally to Hell Is Different Individuals, although the previous is a full-blown horror sequence that takes quite a few dangers that repay greater than superbly. They’re comparable as a result of each exhibits observe tenants of a rundown condo complicated, although in Candy Residence, the tenants turn out to be precise monsters; the story is not merely psychological however bodily painful, too. Candy Residence has three seasons, that are all obtainable on Netflix.
Candy Residence follows the only survivor in his household, Hyun-su (Music Kang), who strikes right into a rundown condo complicated, Inexperienced Residence. There, he should band collectively along with his neighbors to struggle different neighbors who’re turning into grotesque monsters based mostly on the issues they need. Season 2 permits the characters to enterprise out of the complicated, whereas Season 3 tackles the characters and their emotional journeys individually. Candy Residence has top-tier creature design and uncooked emotion at its core; with excessive stakes, the present brings freshness to the monster horror style, which we have been lacking a bit.
Candy Residence
- Launch Date
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2020 – 2023
- Administrators
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Lee Eung-bok, Jang Younger-woo, Park So-hyun
1
‘Kingdom’ (2019–2021)
Created by Kim Eun-hee and Kim Seong-hun
The cream of the crop of Okay-horror is Kingdom, which you’ll deny all you need, however it’s completely true. Not solely is Kingdom a extremely influential Okay-drama total, but it surely’s additionally extensively considered being the primary zombie present hailing from Korea. It gave the inexperienced mild to different creators to enterprise out and do their very own factor. Kingdom is an impeccably written and carried out zombie horror that also climbs its strategy to the highest as an influential and immortal piece of tv (pun meant?)
Kingdom follows the Joseon-era Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) as he investigates a mysterious sickness that struck his father, the King. Whereas researching, Lee Chang uncovers a terrifying zombie epidemic that spreads to the remainder of the realm. Kingdom combines political intrigue and interval drama with pulse-pounding horror, and it is a cinematic masterpiece. Stuffed with elaborate and delightful costumes, nice actors, and super-cool characters, it is actually laborious to dislike this staple of Korean horror, which can be a staple within the zombie style.
Kingdom
- Launch Date
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2019 – 2019
- Administrators
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Kim Seong-hun, Park In-je
