10 Best Detective and Crime K-Dramas, Ranked

There are many amazing detectives K-Dramasbut some of these shows become the best K-dramas of all time. Many of these series rival American programs like Hannibal, which are often praised for their deep mysteries and thoughtful visuals. These Korean shows are pretty much the same, following intriguing plots with plenty of twists and turns to confuse viewers as they build their mysteries and tension from the ground up.

Several of the most notable K-drama series are romances, but despite this subgenre receiving so much praise and popularity, there are many excellent K-dramas that are not romances. Detective thrillers and crime dramas are some of the best, simply because they can be so much fun to watch. With nail-biting action that leaves viewers on the edge of their seats, shows like Less than evil and Strange have been challenging fans for years.

10

Less than evil (2018-2019)

It was originally based on a British show

First airing on Korean channel MBC Less than evil is actually based on the British crime drama Luther, starring Idris Elba. The series follows Detective Woo Tae-suk as he pursues Eun Sun-jae, a psychopath and murderer who he has yet to gather enough evidence to put in prison. In a strange twist, Sun-jae begins to help Tae-suk, drawing on his own experience as the two grow closer.

Although its premise is based on another show Less than evil can stand out on its own. The story is compelling, and the relationship between Tae-suk and Sun-jae really drives the plot forward in a way that feels satisfying. Lee Seol Eun Sun-jae’s performance was praised in particular, especially considering this was one of her first major roles.

9

Rat (2021)

A serial killer is portrayed with chilling transparency

Another crime thriller that revolves around the pursuit of a serial killer, Mouse centers on traumatized detective Ko Moo-chi and his rookie police partner Jeong Ba-reum. The two are tasked with hunting down a serial killer who has terrorized the city of Mujin. Mouse focuses on psychopathy and what it does to a person, exploring whether killers are capable of empathy and regret.

Mouse asks a lot of questions about the characters he creates, hoping for a better world while portraying one that is incredibly dark. The series was a huge success, garnering some of the biggest numbers for its channel, tvN, in about two years. This is for good reason, as the show is deliciously tense and introspective.

8

Strange (2017-2020)

This season’s detective drama has more than one mystery

Strange is a series that revolves around a prosecutor who once had debilitating sound sensitivity, but underwent surgery to help alleviate the problem. However, this procedure affected his sense of empathy, making him a much colder person in the process. The series is a unique crime drama that spans two seasons, with a different case being focused on in each season.

When Strange Originally released, it had a large audience and was well reviewed. Strange it was considered one of the best programs of the year by several outlets, which praised its cerebral method of storytelling. After winning several awards for both his acting and the series as a whole, Strange is now available to watch on Netflix.

7

My Name (2021)

It was an action-focused detective thriller with a female protagonist

Starting with the murder of his father, my name tells the story of Ji-woo’s quest for revenge. After his father, a gangster from the Dongcheon gang, is murdered, Ji-woo joins the police force under false pretenses to find the killer. She takes the name Oh Hye-jin, working for the department’s drug division while providing information to her father’s gang.

This is an action-packed K-drama filled with well-choreographed and visceral fight scenes. Many of the actors and actresses who appear in my name are relatively new to acting, with this series being one of the first successes for many of them, and because of this, much of the cast was nominated for Best New Actor or Actress. 100% of Rotten Tomatoes critics’ reviews for this show are positive, praising everything from acting to action and more.

6

Bad and Crazy (2021-2022)

Lee Dong-wook and Wi Ha-joon team up in this detective comedy

Starring the legendary Lee Dong-wook as an unreliable detective named Su-yeol, the series progresses as he realizes he has manifested a split personality in the form of Wi Ha-joon’s mysterious K. he was lacking as a detective, which led him to get involved in increasingly terrible but also comical situations. There is even a romantic subplot that adds a touch of drama to the series.

The series’ comedy is timely and often plays with different premises. The chemistry between Dong-wook and Ha-joon as the protagonists is electric, and both give great performances throughout the entire series. It’s definitely one of the best crime comedy shows out there, standing out in a genre full of depressing and often hopeless plots.

5

Signal (2016–present)

This K-Drama was recently brought back after several years

Following a criminal profiler rather than a traditional detective, Signal is a program that reveals the perpetrators of cold cases, rather than cases that have occurred recently. That doesn’t change the urgency with which the show moves forward, as there are big reveals around every corner. There’s even a small jump in the timeline between the ’90s and the present, adding an extra layer of depth to the story’s plot.

The performances in Signal they are top-notch and full of passion, sure to arouse emotion in the viewer. Because of this, it became one of the highest-rated dramas in the history of Korean cable television, consolidating Signal as an iconic piece of media. In March 2024, the series’ writers confirmed that a second season was in production, scheduled for release sometime in the future.

4

Through the Dark (2022)

This crime drama won several different awards

One of the most recent additions to the crime thriller genre Through the darkness is another series that revolves around the life of a criminal profiler. Following Song Ha-young as he attempts to solve horrific crimes by entering the minds of their perpetrators, Through the darkness ends up being a dark representation of the darkness that can end up engulfing people’s real lives. It features a lot of crime and even more serial killers, with a complete and dynamic cast.

The writing in this series feels grounded in a way that most series simply can’t replicate, truly taking viewers through the darkness of the villainy it portrays. This is possibly because Through the darkness is based on a novel written by South Korea’s first criminal profiler, Kwon Il-yong. There is only one season of this show, which, despite an emotional conclusion, will still leave viewers wanting more.

3

Strangers from Hell (2019)

This horror series is brutal and fascinating

A unique take on the detective genre, detectives from Strangers from Hell take a backseat to the plot between serial killer Seo Moon-jo and his alleged victim Yoon Jong-woo. In fact, unlike most crime dramas, which focus on more realistic situations, Strangers from Hell leans more towards the horror aspect of the genre. It does this while also showing Jong-woo’s psychological decline in harrowing detail, all at Moon-jo’s hands.

Strangers from Hell It’s really full of twists and turns with shocking moments that many don’t imagine. Although the detectives are not the main characters in this series, their presence is very much felt, leaving viewers wondering if Moon-jo will be caught at the end of the series. Horrible and beautiful in equal measure, Strangers from Hell is a great example of a K-drama with the perfect villain.

2

Flower of Evil (2020)

Two perfectly matched characters face off

Starting with a mysterious series of murders, police officer Cha Ji-won must investigate who is causing chaos in Kangsoo. Her seemingly loving husband seems supportive at first, but things start to fall apart when Ji-won realizes he may be hiding something from her. Ji-won quickly realizes that he is not a simple, loving husband, but a monster with a hidden past.

The series is well shot, beautifully rendered, and even won an award for its incredible direction. Although it initially starts off a little slower, as things pick up and mysteries begin to reveal themselves, Flower of Evil quickly becomes one of the most intriguing mysteries of recent years. The tension is palpable and the story is easy to follow, making Flower of Evil a memorable and exciting tour.

1

Beyond Evil (2021)

The mystery of this detective thriller will leave viewers guessing

Following closely two detectives as they investigate a serial murder in a small town, Beyond Evil is a paranoid masterclass in mystery-making. As the series continues, the two detectives become increasingly unhinged, causing even them to be suspects in the murder case. No one is safe in this tense drama, with gripping writing and fast-paced revelations that leave viewers reeling.

Beyond Evil poses the question of who a monster really is, turning the magnifying glass to each of its characters and analyzing them for their flaws. The layers continue to build until the series reaches its natural breaking point, and when that happens, every ounce of drama the series has built up to that point falls flat in the best way possible. The journey is as compelling as the end of the mystery, making Beyond Evil the greatest detective and crime K-Drama.