Are you ready to dive into the world of Korean dramas? Netflix has become a treasure trove for fans seeking thrilling narratives, unforgettable characters, and, most importantly, a good scare.
From tales shrouded in mystery to supernatural thrillers that will send shivers down your spine, Netflix offers an impressive selection of K-dramas, which are renowned for their ability to blend genres, creating a unique viewing experience that goes beyond traditional horror TV shows.
So are you ready to explore the scariest K-dramas available to stream on Netflix in 2024? Have these dramas left you sleeping with the lights on, or are you hungry for more bone-chilling content? Either way, let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
The Cursed
A Chilling Mystery Thriller
The Cursed thrives with its mystery and atmosphere, making it an engaging and absorbing watch throughout.
The main story revolves around a young girl and her mother. Jin-Hee grows up to be a reporter who investigates a violent case involving Forest, the biggest IT company in South Korea. As a child, she witnessed her mother killed by a rich man and his shamanist. Fast forward ten years later and Jin-hee sets out for revenge. However, it turns out the rich man is actually possessed by an evil spirit who is developing a website to release evil spirits on humans.
The series manages to weave mystery and horror together beautifully but also has a knack for being quite slow paced at times. If you can go in with a bit of patience however, this one delivers an intriguing story worth checking out.
Has this piqued your interest? Why not add it to your watchlist on Netflix now!
Kingdom
Non-stop Zombie Action!
Beautifully presented and dripping in Asian culture, zombie action-thriller Kingdom is quite the thrill ride. The show effortlessly blends political drama with a thrilling action plot, full of beautifully shot set pieces.
The story begins slowly, using its first episode to show off the gorgeous setting of Hanyang in South Korea as we travel back through time to the Joseon Period. Crown King Lee Chang is our protagonist and while he begins engaging in a bitter feud with the Queen, physician Seo-Bi in Jiyulheon makes a horrific discovery.
With no guns or modern weaponry, much of the tension comes from seeing these men and women make do with the scarce resources around them. It’s also one of the few zombies shows that balances this action with tension perfectly.
Has this piqued your interest? Why not add it to your watchlist on Netflix now!
Happiness
A Claustrophobic Pandemic Thriller
Happiness is a brilliantly written hidden gem. Our story takes place in post-pandemic modern Korea. Just as the world is starting to get back on their feet, an experimental vaccine pill called Next drip-feeds onto the market. It’s soon revealed that these are the catalyst for another outbreak – one far deadlier than Corona.
With an unquenchable thirst for water and a madness that descends over the infected, the virus spreads courtesy of bites and scratches – as well as taking the pills.
What’s particularly interesting here is the development for all the supporting players. While Sae-Bom and Yi-Hyun have their own angle, intent on finding a vaccine with the help off government official Tae-Seok, the real meat of the story lies in the reaction from the different owners and renters inhabiting this block.
Happiness is an absolute must-watch and one of the hidden gems in the K market.
Has this piqued your interest? Why not add it to your watchlist on Netflix now!
Sweet Home
Horror Webtoon Adaptation
Adapted from the webtoon of the same name, Sweet Home is an action packed fight for survival as humanity finds itself on the brink of extinction. When people suddenly begin to turn into monsters outside, a group of misfit residents inside an apartment complex are forced to work together. Of course, cabin fever, fear and paranoia begin to consume our characters. This is only made worse when a few begin to fall prey to that very same infection they’re trying to keep out.
When the monsters do show up, Sweet Home ramps up the pace and tension to deliver 4 breathless episodes of action back to back. It’s not until the halfway point of the show where we actually stop and learn more about the characters we’ve been following. This serves as a proverbial deep breath, building toward a climactic finale and a crazy second season to boot.
Netflix’s latest foray into horror definitely has some promise and more than a few tense moments.
Has this piqued your interest? Why not add it to your watchlist on Netflix now!
All of Us Are Dead
Zombie Horror Thriller
Penned by the same screenwriter who wrote LUCA: The Beginning, All Of Us Are Dead starts brightly and continues on that track through much of its season.
The story itself is simple enough to understand; a zombie outbreak decimates a town called Hyosan, with authorities trying to get a grasp of the situation. Ground Zero happens to be Hyosan High School, where a whole group of kids try to survive.
If you’re looking for a mammoth zombie drama to tide you over, with plenty of action, gore and survivalist drama, there’s enough here to enjoy.
Has this piqued your interest? Why not add it to your watchlist on Netflix now!
The Glory
Ice-Cold Revenge
While not an outright horror, The Glory’s horror and scares come from the chilling bullying scenes early on. There’s also some ice-cold revenge that will keep you watching until the crazy end. And It’s all inspired by true events too!
The Glory follows a woman named Dong-eun as she plots her revenge on bullies from high school, setting out to make all of them pay for their deeds. It is a thrilling, well-written revenge drama with a great understanding of its characters and the prominent societal issues in Korea when it comes to bullying.
Has this piqued your interest? Why not add it to your watchlist on Netflix now!
Beyond Evil
A Chilling Whodunit
Beyond Evil is a great example of how to take a simple concept and absolutely run with it. Between the exemplary acting, tight writing and numerous twists and turns along the way, this Korean drama is easily one of the best horror-thrillers on Netflix. It’s hardly surprising then that it’s been nominated for 7 Baeksang Awards.
At its core, Beyond Evil plays out as a simple murder mystery. Police detective Dong-Sik is haunted by the ghosts of his past, forced to deal with the death of his sister Yu-Yeon 20 years prior. With the case still unresolved to this day, a string of new murders seem to be connected with Yu-Yeon’s death.
This is a stunning crime drama, packed with intricate layers of beauty despite some chilling and outright scary scenes that transcend beyond the simple story being told.
Has this piqued your interest? Why not add it to your watchlist on Netflix now!
Gyeongseong Creature
A Delightfully Sinister Period Drama
This historical period drama is set in the city of Gyeongseong (as Seoul was known then), during the spring of 1945. Jang Tae-sang, a wealthy merchant, and Yun Chae-ok, a bounty hunter who finds missing people, work together to investigate a suspicious hospital. Joining them is Tae-sang’s best friend Kwon Joon-taek.
Unfortunately, their search leads them to learn about some horrific experiments, mysterious creatures and a battle for survival.
What begins as a simple thriller soon turns into something way more chilling, with some scary scenes featuring the creature. This one is anything but simple and you’ll find yourself biting your nails until the very end.
Has this piqued your interest? Why not add it to your watchlist on Netflix now!
Possessed
A Chilling Paranormal Thriller
Possessed is an enticing K-drama, revolving around a reluctant clairvoyant joins forces with a police detective hiding a soft heart. Together, they set out to solve criminal cases using her psychic abilities. Naturally, not everything goes to plan.
If you’re in the mood for paranormal stories with some jump scares and some seriously chilling tales, you’re in the right place. This one’s a definite winner.
And there we have it, our picks for the scariest K-Dramas on Netflix right now. What do you think of our list? Have we included your favourites? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.