It is no surprise that most K-dramas became a global sensation because of their heart-fluttering romance stories and explosion of love tropes. However, over time, many Korean dramas not revolving around romance have gripped fans with their intriguing plot and complex characters. 2021’s Emmy-winning Squid Game, for instance, is a prime example of how non-romantic K-dramas also hold the capability to lure viewers. Per Variety, in fact, Squid Game became Netflix’s most-watched show, with 1.65 billion hours streamed in its first for weeks on the platform.
Although the romance genre still rules over K-dramas, those that divert from it have a lot to offer: survival competitions, murder mysteries, dealing with social issues, and more. The influx of such K-dramas has been a blessing for fans who want to explore beyond love and relationships. As such, here are 6 non-romantic K-dramas that will let you explore a new side of Korean television.
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6 Move to Heaven
Netflix
Starring Lee Je-hoon and Tang Jun-sang in the leading roles, Move to Heaven centers around Han Geu-roo (Tang), a 20-year-old boy with autism, who works with his father’s ‘Move To Heaven’ business, which operates as a crime scene cleanup. Their company rearranges and collects things left by the deceased person and hands over them to the bereaved family. After Geu-roo’s father dies, his uncle, Cho Sang-gu (Lee), an ex-convict, becomes his guardian. Although not initially interested in handling either the business or the boy, he gives in to act as a guardian in order to inherit the money. Based on the factual essay Things Left Behind by professional trauma cleaner Kim Sae-byul, Move to Heaven conveys a beautiful message through its characters, and respectfully showcases their views on death. The emotional K-drama also received praise for being accurate, with Tang earning acclaim for his extraordinary performance.
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5 All of Us Are Dead
The 2022 zombie-apocalyptic drama All of Us Are Dead received great attention from all across the globe, becoming, per Deadline, the number-one series on Netflix’s U.S. daily Top 10 list soon after its release. The show stars Park Ji-hoo, Yoon Chan-young, Jo Yi-hyun, and Lomon in the leading roles. Along with other supporting characters, the aforementioned actors star as high school students who must unite and fight against zombies after their school becomes ground-zero for a virus attack as a result of a failed science experiment. With no food, water, and necessities, the students must come up with ways to protect themselves, or they’ll become a part of the contaminated. Thanks to its thrilling and successful first season, All of Us Are Dead will return with a second season on Netflix soon.
4 D.P. (Deserter Pursuit)
The military-themed drama D.P. (Deserter Pursuit) tells the story of the Korean Police Team who forms a group to find defectors. The K-drama stars Jung Hae-in, Koo Kyo-hwan, Son Seok-koo, and Kim Sung-kyun, in the leading roles. Jun-Ho (Jung) is a young and confused police soldier who also served in the military like other Korean men. One day, he becomes a part of the military defector arrest team, and alongside seizing deserters, he must struggle with why most soldiers feel the need to go absent without official discharge. D.P. is adapted from the webtoon D.P. Dog Day by Kim Bo-tong, and is heavily praised for displaying the complexities people feel in context to issues such as suicide, bullying, poverty, violence, and domestic abuse. The drama garnered favorable reviews from several critics for its beautiful portrayal of an issue that spans past and the present.
3 Signal
tvN
Another Lee Je-hoon-starrer on the list is Signal, also starring Kim Hye-soo and Jo Jin-woong in the primary roles. The fantasy crime mystery thriller follows Park Hae-young, a criminal profiler who, during his childhood, witnessed a crime. Years later, he finds a walkie-talkie that connects him with detective Lee Jae-han (Jo) in the past. The duo, along with police officer Cha Soo-hyun (Kim), get together and start a journey to solve cold mysterious cases. Unlike other crime-solving dramas and series, Signal comes with a time-traveling twist, keeping its viewers on edge 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 Taxi Driver
SBS
Lee Je-hoon should be named the king of crime thriller K-dramas, with Taxi Driver being another hit of his career. The 2021 drama, based on the webtoon The Deluxe Taxi by Carlos and Keukeu Jae-jin, is an action thriller that showcases real atrocious crimes that have happened in Korea. The show follows Kim Do-gi (Lee), whose mother was murdered when he was young. Years later, Do-gi is now a Korean Military Academy graduate who could not avenge his deceased mother. However, he works as a taxi driver for a company that offers a ‘revenge-call’ to its clients, helping them find justice with their own terms and laws. Taxi Driver connected with its audience by addressing issues such as workplace harassment, pornography, orphan trafficking, health abuse, and more. It became a hit among Korean citizens as these heinous crimes were told from the perspectives of the victims, making it a promising plot rooted in empathy and justice.
1 Sky Castle
JTBC
Sky Castle tops our list with its satirical plot that turns its scope toward the elite and rich, who, to maintain their social image, would even consider creating extreme parenting environments. The second-highest-rated Korean drama in cable television history, Sky Castle revolves around four high-class families who live in the upper-class neighborhood Sky Castle. Home to wealthy and doctors and professors, all the women of the Sky Castle want their children to gain admission into the most prestigious universities of the nation.
While some parents would go to any lengths to destroy other families, some had a different approach to supporting their children. However, the situations, the troubled family issues, and the desire to always be at the top utlimately cost some their lives, future, and mental health. Sky Castle was considered a criticism of the competitive Korean education system, which can cause mental pressure to many students. SKY, in fact, is an acronym for the three most popular universities in South Korea: Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. Undoubtedly, Sky Castle is a K-drama one should definitely watch.
