Dramas with complex, dark stories

Ever watched a drama that was so complex and well put together that it simply blew your mind?
Feel free to add it to this list.

Jelcia Jul 29, 2023
67 Titles Loves
0% Watched
102 Voters Report
Top 100
  • The Guest

    1. The Guest

    Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
    8.7
    4,447 points by 45 voters
    Yoon Hwa Pyung, a young psychic born into a shaman family, learns about the powerful demon called "Son" (Guest). The demon has the power to control other demons and allows them to ...more
  • Stranger

    2. Stranger

    Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
    8.8
    3,420 points by 35 voters
    Hwang Shi Mok underwent brain surgery as a child to curb his violent temper, which left him devoid of emotions. Hwang becomes a prosecutor known for his piercing intelligence and logic, but ...more
  • Awaken

    3. Awaken

    Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
    8.2
    3,006 points by 31 voters
    It’s been nearly thirty years since one small village was plagued by a mysterious string of events that shook it to its core. While the events were never fully understood, nor the ...more
  • Taxi Driver

    4. Taxi Driver

    Korean Drama - 2021, 16 episodes
    8.8
    2,804 points by 29 voters
    Do Gi has lived more honestly than anyone else as an officer in the Special Forces. Yet, when a serial killer murders his mother, he spends his days in agony. While feeling ...more
  • The Glory

    5. The Glory

    Korean Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
    8.9
    2,718 points by 28 voters
    A high school student dreams of becoming an architect. However, she had to drop out of school after suffering from brutal school violence. Years later, the perpetrator gets married and has a ...more
  • Voice

    6. Voice

    Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
    8.5
    2,604 points by 27 voters
    Popular detective Moo Jin Hyuk who is filled with guilt for his wife’s death, works with professional voice profiler Kang Kwon Joo, whose father is killed, to solve a different crime, chasing ...more
  • Strangers from Hell

    7. Strangers from Hell

    Korean Drama - 2019, 10 episodes
    8.6
    2,021 points by 21 voters
    Yun Jong U is a young guy in his 20s who moves from the countryside to Seoul after his college friend, Jae Ho, offers him a job. While looking for a place ...more
  • Save Me

    8. Save Me

    Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
    8.5
    1,636 points by 17 voters
    Following the failure of her father's business, Sang Mi and her family move to Muji-gun, where they have no friends or relatives. There she meets four young men, Han Sang Hwan, Seok ...more
  • Signal

    9. Signal

    Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
    8.9
    1,636 points by 17 voters
    Fifteen years ago, a young girl was kidnapped on the way from school, and Park Hae Yeong, who was an elementary school student at that time, witnessed the crime. A few days ...more
  • Beyond Evil

    10. Beyond Evil

    Korean Drama - 2021, 16 episodes
    8.7
    1,626 points by 17 voters
    Meet the two fearless men willing to go to extreme lengths in their pursuit of a serial killer that has shaken up their quiet city: Lee Dong Sik, a once capable detective, ...more
  • Through the Darkness

    11. Through the Darkness

    Korean Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
    8.7
    1,441 points by 15 voters
    Back in the 1990s, the citizens of Seoul were gripped with a paralyzing fear after a series of brutal attacks and murders occurred. A mysterious figure dubbed ‘Red Cap’ was stalking women ...more
  • Imawa no Kuni no Alice

    12. Imawa no Kuni no Alice

    Japanese Drama - 2020, 8 episodes
    8.8
    1,341 points by 14 voters
    Arisu Ryohei—a listless, jobless and video-game-obsessed young man—suddenly finds himself in a strange, emptied-out version of Tokyo in which he and his friends must compete in dangerous games in order to survive. ...more
  • Squid Game

    13. Squid Game

    Korean Drama - 2021, 9 episodes
    8.4
    1,298 points by 14 voters
    After a failed business venture, the debt-ridden chauffeur Seong Gi Hun lives his life gambling away the money he mooches off his elderly mother while failing to provide for her and his ...more
  • Vagabond

    14. Vagabond

    Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
    8.5
    1,215 points by 13 voters
    Cha Dal Gun becomes an awakened tiger in the face of his nephew’s death in a mysterious plane crash. As an orphan himself, he had raised his nephew singlehandedly in place of ...more
  • Little Women

    15. Little Women

    Korean Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
    8.5
    1,209 points by 13 voters
    About three sisters with a close bond who grew up in poverty. It is the exciting story of the sisters as they get embroiled in a major incident and face off against ...more
  • Till the End of the Moon

    16. Till the End of the Moon

    Chinese Drama - 2023, 40 episodes
    8.6
    1,151 points by 12 voters
    In an era when demons have dominion over cultivators and mortals, the cultivator elders believe it is imperative to send someone back in time to discover the origin of the demon lord ...more
  • Revenant

    17. Revenant

    Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
    8.7
    1,138 points by 12 voters
    When the door to another world opens, demons exist there. Ku San Young is possessed by one of those demons. Yeom Hae Sang can see the demon which has possessed Ku San ...more
  • Kill It

    18. Kill It

    Korean Drama - 2019, 12 episodes
    8.2
    991 points by 11 voters
    Will a killer-turned-veterinarian and a detective find common ground? Kim Soo Hyun is a veterinarian who is also a professional killer. Many individuals and organizations hire him for large sums of money. ...more
  • My Mister

    19. My Mister

    Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
    9.0
    894 points by 10 voters
    Park Dong Hoon is a middle-aged engineer who is married to attorney Kang Yoon Hee. However, his life is not that happy as he has two unemployed brothers, Sang Hoon and Gi ...more
  • Doctor Prisoner

    20. Doctor Prisoner

    Korean Drama - 2019, 32 episodes
    8.3
    883 points by 10 voters
    Doctor Prisoner centers around an ace doctor in a university hospital’s emergency care center, a skilled professional who treats his patients with full devotion and without discrimination. However, his medical license gets ...more
  • Hello Monster

    21. Hello Monster

    Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
    8.4
    824 points by 9 voters
    Genius profiler Lee Hyun, returns home to Korea after something from a case he’s been sent triggers a memory he thought he’d lost forever. Unbeknownst to him, one of his team members, ...more
  • Mother

    22. Mother

    Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
    8.9
    810 points by 9 voters
    Realizing one of her students is being abused, school teacher and bird researcher Soo Jin impulsively kidnaps the girl and acts as a substitute mother in an attempt to take care of ...more
  • Tell Me What You Saw

    23. Tell Me What You Saw

    Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
    8.2
    800 points by 9 voters
    Oh Hyun Jae used to be a top criminal profiler. He solved many cases with his skills, but one day, an explosion caused by a serial killer ended the life of his ...more
  • Mouse

    24. Mouse

    Korean Drama - 2021, 20 episodes
    8.8
    750 points by 8 voters
    A suspenseful story that asks the key question, “What if we could identify psychopaths in advance?” A crazed serial killer’s ruthless murders have left the entire nation gripped with fear, and chaos ...more
  • Tunnel

    25. Tunnel

    Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
    8.6
    715 points by 8 voters
    In 1986, Park Gwang Ho works as an excellent and enthusiastic detective. His life changes when he’s pursuing leads in a serial homicide case and then passes through a time portal, which ...more
  • Celebrity

    26. Celebrity

    Korean Drama - 2023, 12 episodes
    8.3
    698 points by 8 voters
    Fame. Money. Power. One young woman fights to become the next hottest celebrity in the glamorous yet scandalous world of influencers in Seoul. (Source: Netflix)
  • The Veil

    27. The Veil

    Korean Drama - 2021, 12 episodes
    8.3
    668 points by 8 voters
    In this spy series, top NIS agent Ji Hyuk seeks to uncover a traitor, unveiling a larger threat. His memory loss leads him to a minor task team, where he meets Je ...more
  • Sketch

    28. Sketch

    Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
    7.7
    658 points by 8 voters
    Nabi Project Team is a small-scale secret group secretly operated by the National Police Agency. The group is named after the Hebrew/Arabic word ‘Nabi,’ meaning ‘Prophet,’ because they attempt to solve cases ...more
  • Blind

    29. Blind

    Korean Drama - 2022, 16 episodes
    8.5
    615 points by 7 voters
    Ryu Sung Joon, Ryu Sung Hoon and Jo Eun Ki become involved in a serial murder case involving jury members as the victims. These three individuals try to uncover the truth behind ...more
  • Class of Lies

    30. Class of Lies

    Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
    8.3
    585 points by 7 voters
    The drama is about a highly successful lawyer who falls from grace because of one case. He becomes a fixed term teacher at a high school that is tied to that case ...more
  • He Is Psychometric

    31. He Is Psychometric

    Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
    8.3
    518 points by 6 voters
    After losing his parents in a fire, Lee Ahn acquires the power of psychometry, the ability to read a person or an object's past through physical contact, and he decides to use ...more
  • Designated Survivor: 60 Days

    32. Designated Survivor: 60 Days

    Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
    8.5
    510 points by 6 voters
    Park Moo Jin is a former professor of chemistry and now holds the Minister of Environment position. He doesn't have ambition, personal beliefs or political sense. One day, the cabinet is gathered ...more
  • Nobody Knows

    33. Nobody Knows

    Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
    8.5
    502 points by 6 voters
    Detective Young Jin, from the regional investigation unit, has only one thing on her mind: to catch the 'Stigmata' serial killer who murdered her friend 19 years ago. She carries guilt and ...more
  • Duel

    34. Duel

    Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
    8.4
    499 points by 6 voters
    Jang Deuk Cheon, a hardened detective cop whose daughter is kidnapped, begins a chase against great odds to solve the mystery of his situation and find his child before it is too ...more
  • The Glory Part 2

    35. The Glory Part 2

    Korean Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
    9.0
    491 points by 6 voters
    Moon Dong Eun's silent fury against those students that horrifically abused her during her high school years continues to burn inside of her. She meticulously executes her plan to inflict ultimate pain ...more
  • The World of the Married

    36. The World of the Married

    Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
    8.3
    454 points by 6 voters
    Everything seems perfect in the life of the successful family doctor and associate director, Ji Sun Woo. She lives happily in Gosan with her handsome husband Lee Tae Oh, whom she financially ...more
  • The Killer's Shopping List

    37. The Killer's Shopping List

    Korean Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
    8.0
    438 points by 6 voters
    Despite having an excellent memory, Ahn Dae Sung has yet to pass his civil service examination. Studying to become a ninth grade public official, Dae Sung has taken the exam three years ...more
  • Less Than Evil

    38. Less Than Evil

    Korean Drama - 2018, 32 episodes
    7.9
    435 points by 6 voters
    It is a crime drama about the psychological games between a detective with a strong sense of justice but tormented by the crimes he solves, and a genius woman who is insensitive ...more
  • Black

    39. Black

    Korean Drama - 2017, 18 episodes
    8.0
    392 points by 5 voters
    Black is about a detective possessed by the Grim Reaper. Ha Ram can see shadows of death. These two struggle to save the lives of people, breaking the rules of heaven. (Source: ...more
  • Voice Season 2

    40. Voice Season 2

    Korean Drama - 2018, 12 episodes
    8.4
    387 points by 5 voters
    Listen closely because skilled voice profiler Kang Kwon Joo is back. Working tirelessly at the Emergency Call Center, she uses her first-rate hearing to save lives and catch culprits. When it comes ...more
  • Train

    41. Train

    Korean Drama - 2020, 12 episodes
    8.4
    381 points by 5 voters
    Haunted by the thought that his drunkard father killed another man before also dying on the same day and not paying for his crime, Seo Do Won lives his life trying to ...more
  • Voice Season 3: City of Accomplices

    42. Voice Season 3: City of Accomplices

    Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
    8.3
    378 points by 5 voters
    Emergency 112 call center members deal with an international evil cartel. The group is involved in the internet's dark web. (Source: AsianWiki)
  • Weak Hero Class 1

    43. Weak Hero Class 1

    Korean Drama - 2022, 8 episodes
    9.1
    359 points by 5 voters
    Yeon Shi Eun is a model student who ranks at the top of his high school. Physically, Yeon Shi Eun appears weak, but by using his wits and psychology, he fights against ...more
  • The Untamed

    44. The Untamed

    Chinese Drama - 2019, 50 episodes
    9.0
    333 points by 4 voters
    Wei Wu Xian and Lan Wang Ji, two talented disciples of respected clans, meet during cultivation training and accidentally discover a secret carefully hidden for many years. Taking on the legacy of ...more
  • Children of Nobody

    45. Children of Nobody

    Korean Drama - 2018, 32 episodes
    8.6
    333 points by 4 voters
    Cha Woo Kyung is a child counselor who works at a children’s center. Her life seems perfect since she is married to a great husband and is pregnant. However, her perfect life ...more
  • 365: Repeat the Year

    46. 365: Repeat the Year

    Korean Drama - 2020, 24 episodes
    8.5
    326 points by 4 voters
    A story where ten people get the chance to go back in time by one year, but unexpectedly mysterious situations start to arise when their fates are changed and twisted in the ...more
  • Extracurricular

    47. Extracurricular

    Korean Drama - 2020, 10 episodes
    8.3
    321 points by 4 voters
    "Extracurricular” is centered around four high school students who start committing crimes to earn money and the unpredictable dangers they face as a result. Ji Soo, who goes from a model student ...more
  • Voice Season 4: Judgment Hour

    48. Voice Season 4: Judgment Hour

    Korean Drama - 2021, 14 episodes
    8.3
    282 points by 4 voters
    A serial killer with enhanced hearing ability, identical to Kang Gwon Ju, appears and starts murdering people using it. Because of this, Kang Gwon Ju is driven into a corner, and she ...more
  • Partners for Justice

    49. Partners for Justice

    Korean Drama - 2018, 32 episodes
    8.4
    270 points by 4 voters
    Baek Beom has worked as a forensic doctor for 10 years. He is excellent at his work but does not open his mind to other people. Eun Sol is a rookie prosecutor ...more
  • Priest

    50. Priest

    Korean Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
    7.9
    268 points by 4 voters
    Oh Soo Min is a spirited young Catholic priest affiliated with the 634 Regia, a group known for unofficial exorcisms. His mother's tragic possession and death left a lasting impact on him. ...more
  • Remember: War of the Son

    51. Remember: War of the Son

    Korean Drama - 2015, 20 episodes
    8.2
    266 points by 4 voters
    Seo Jin Woo has hyperthymesia, a condition that makes him remember life experiences in vivid detail. His father, wrongfully accused of murder, was tried and put on death row. Determined to prove ...more
  • A League of Nobleman

    52. A League of Nobleman

    Chinese Drama - 2023, 29 episodes
    8.3
    241 points by 3 voters
    Zhang Ping is an impoverished orphan who comes from a provincial part of the country. He came to Beijing in an attempt to take the civil service entrance examination but had to ...more
  • Forgotten

    53. Forgotten

    Korean Movie - 2017
    8.5
    227 points by 3 voters
    After moving into a new house, the eldest son of the family, Yoo Seok, is abducted right in front of his younger brother, Jin Seok. After 19 days, Yoo Seok suddenly comes ...more
  • One Ordinary Day

    54. One Ordinary Day

    Korean Drama - 2021, 8 episodes
    8.5
    220 points by 3 voters
    A drama that explores the criminal justice system from an extremely popular perspective through the fierce story of two men surrounding the murder of a woman. Hyun Soo, an ordinary college student, ...more
  • Stranger Season 2

    55. Stranger Season 2

    Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
    8.5
    218 points by 3 voters
    The prosecutor's office and the police find themselves on opposing sides. The prosecutors, including elite prosecutor Woo Tae Ha, want discretionary power over investigations. Meanwhile, the police, including Choi Bit, try to ...more
  • Kairos

    56. Kairos

    Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
    8.5
    216 points by 3 voters
    Living a precarious life as a part-timer at a convenience store, Ae Ri strives to support her mother who is on a waiting list for a heart transplant. Unfortunately, her mother’s worsened ...more
  • Memorist

    57. Memorist

    Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
    8.4
    215 points by 3 voters
    Dong Baek possesses an extraordinary gift - the ability to delve into the memories of those he touches. His remarkable talent, striking appearance, and no-nonsense approach have made him a world-renowned detective. ...more
  • Watcher

    58. Watcher

    Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
    8.2
    188 points by 3 voters
    An inspector who decided to live as a watchdog for the rest of his life after being betrayed by a trusted senior. A young police officer who lives suspecting that his father, ...more
  • Ouroboros

    59. Ouroboros

    Japanese Drama - 2015, 10 episodes
    8.5
    154 points by 2 voters
    Ryuzaki Ikuo and Danno Tatsuya are orphans who grew up in an orphanage called Mahoroba no Ie. When they were elementary school students, an orphanage staff, who took care of them like ...more
  • Justice in the Dark

    60. Justice in the Dark

    Chinese Drama - 2023, 8 episodes
    8.5
    151 points by 2 voters
    The story is now set in a sci-fi-esque Xinyuan Civilization Year 253 where rising crime rate and its relation to "zero-degree empathy" have become a topic of interest. The murder of a ...more
  • Drama Special Series Season 1: White Christmas

    61. Drama Special Series Season 1: White Christmas

    Korean Special - 2011, 8 episodes
    8.4
    147 points by 2 voters
    After receiving an anonymous letter stating that someone would die, eight students at the elite boarding school, Susin High School, nicknamed "Prison High", decided to remain at school for the 8 days ...more
  • Partners for Justice Season 2

    62. Partners for Justice Season 2

    Korean Drama - 2019, 32 episodes
    8.7
    135 points by 2 voters
    In crime and in life, all contact leaves a trace. There is no perfect crime and our hero and heroine have the ultimate cooperation. This drama continues the tale of a forensic ...more
  • Ikebukuro West Gate Park

    63. Ikebukuro West Gate Park

    Japanese Drama - 2000, 11 episodes
    8.1
    99 points by 1 voters
    This story follows a young man named Makoto, who lives in Ikebukuro West Gate Park, an area known for youth delinquency and gangs. In fact, one of Makoto's best friends from high ...more
  • Insider

    64. Insider

    Korean Drama - 2022, 16 episodes
    8.0
    97 points by 2 voters
    Tells the story of a judicial trainee named Kim Yo Han. After going undercover for an investigation, Kim Yo Han experiences a crisis and ends up struggling to try to obtain a ...more
  • Smoking

    65. Smoking

    Japanese Drama - 2018, 12 episodes
    7.9
    95 points by 1 voters
    A group of homeless men perform contracted assassinations, flaying their targets and delivering the tattooed skins as proof of the agreements' fulfilment.
  • Double

    66. Double

    Japanese Drama - 2022, 10 episodes
    8.0
    93 points by 1 voters
    Takarada Takara works for a company. On a rainy day, he walks helplessly without an umbrella. Somehow, he watches a stage play performed by theatrical troupe Eiyu. Takarada Takara becomes touched by ...more
  • Confession

    67. Confession

    Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
    8.3
    58 points by 1 voters
    A case involving the hidden truth behind the law prohibiting double jeopardy. When Choi Do Hyun was a boy, he had a heart disease. He spent most of his childhood in a ...more

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