15 Best Revenge K-Dramas, Ranked

From critically acclaimed dramas like the honor To heart-pumping action thrillers like Taxi driverThere are plenty of gems K-dramas About revenge. The theme of revenge is a popular and perfect theme for many amazing K-dramas. By nature, it provides so much potential for creating drama through lies, deception and complex issues like psychological trauma and bullying. The burning desire of the characters to get what they want drives the story forward with thrilling speedLeading to exciting action sequences, dramatic confrontations and dark and intense tones.

Prime Video’s newest hit revenge K-drama, Marry my husbandProves how popular these stories are. shows how Vincenzo Showcases a unique blend of mafia drama and dark comedy, with a protagonist who battles corporate greed and corruption with his cunning and resources. Meanwhile, Itaewon Class Tells a more gripping story of personal and professional revenge, pulling at the heart and focusing on the journey of a young entrepreneur fighting against the odds to make his mark in the competitive world of Itaewon. Each of these shows, with their unique exploration of revenge, makes them fascinating and captivating K-dramas.

15

Pyramid Game (2024)

A high school tale of revenge

Pyramid game is inspired by a webtoon of the same name, and it’s set in an area ripe for revenge: an all-girls school. The show doesn’t take a long-term look at revenge like so many other K-dramas do, but a more immediate one.

In this school, popularity polls are used to rank classmates. Those with the most positive rankings are treated well by the other students and teachers, while those who fall to the bottom are relentlessly targeted and bullied. When a transfer student finds herself the target of harassment and even violence, she decides to change the game. She makes it her mission to climb the school’s social pyramid in order to save herself, but it leads to revenge and rebellion.

The series was named among NME’s Best K-Dramas of 2024 and earned Jang Da-ah a Blue Dragon Series Award nomination for Best New Actress.

14

Crazy Love (2022)

A secretary tries to take revenge for the way her boss treats her

Most revenge K-dramas are some of the darker series to come out of South Korean television. crazy love Takes a slightly more lighthearted approach to revenge as the series is a romantic comedy with some telenovela tendencies.

When a high-powered person receives death threats, he fakes amnesia so that others will be more likely to help him. His secretary decides to use the amnesia, pretending to be his fiancee as a way to take revenge against him For how he treated her at work. This isn’t the weakest plot point in the series, as it gets more dramatic and sillier as the show goes on.

There are exes carrying out their own schemes, terminal illnesses and an attempted murder plot. The revenge plot may not be exactly what those looking for a darker series would expect, but it is definitely a unique entry in the subgenre.

13

The World of the Married (2020)

A woman wants revenge for her husband’s infidelity

The world of marriage Took some fire from critics when it first premiered in 2020, with some believing it featured too much sex and violence. Despite this, it became one of the most watched shows in South Korea in 2020, as well as one of the highest rated K-dramas on TV at the time.

The series follows a woman who seems to have the perfect life to outsiders. She is a successful doctor with the seemingly perfect husband. She, however, discovers that her husband has had an affair and that her friends know about it. Knowing that everyone in her life is lying to her, she decides to try to take revenge on everyone who hurt her.

The world of marriage is a riveting drama that leaves the audience on the edge of their seats wondering just how far one woman will go to get even.

12

Reborn Rich (2022)

Time travel and revenge combine

Time travel shows make up a fascinating subgenre on Korean television. There has been an influx of them since 2020, but only a few of them tie into the concept of a revenge K-drama. Reborn Rich Combine the two concepts in an interesting wayAnd South Korean fans loved it, making it the most watched K-drama of 2022 in the country.

The series begins with a murder. An employee at a chaebol (a huge family-owned business in South Korea) sees something he suspects is wrong and ends up getting killed for trying to do the right thing. He gets a second chance to make things right as his soul is brought back to life as the youngest member of a chaebol family years before his murder.

He decides to start using what he knows about the future to improve his life and to take revenge against those responsible for his death.

11

Perfect Wedding Revenge (2023)

A woman gets a second chance for revenge against her family

Perfect wedding revenge was originally a webroman before being adapted into a webtoon, and finally a live-action K-drama. like Reborn RichThe series combines time travel elements with those of revenge.

It features a young woman who has been adopted by a wealthy family and tries her best to please them. Nothing she does is ever good enough though as she discovers that her husband has feelings for her little sister and her mother has sold her reproductions of paintings as fake art and framed her for the crime. When she ends up dead, she wakes up one year before all the events unfold, giving her the chance to take revenge on her family.

She strikes up a deal with the man she knows her little sister was crushing on, marrying him and agreeing to help get his grandmother’s approval in exchange for his help. The family drama combined with the revenge elements make this one fascinating K-drama.

10

Rugal (2020)

A former South Korean police officer begins a quest for revenge after being framed

Rugal is a sci-fi action thriller sequel A former South Korean elite police officer Who, after being framed for his wife’s murder, joins an organization armed with biotechnological enhancements to fight against a national crime syndicate in his quest for revenge. The show is extremely bloody, with very realistic execution-style murders, so it’s not for the faint of heart.

Rugal Also features impressive production quality and visuals, but being a webtoon adaptation, it encounters some pitfalls common to adaptations, with forced musical montages and network TV quality. The series is a bloody revenge tale, with Kang Gi-beom not only seeking revenge for his wife’s brutal murder, but also for framing him for her murder. It also has elements of sci-fi, like he is blinded in the attack on his wife and takes two artificial eyeballs to regain and enhance his sight, a kind of superpower.

9

Revenge of Others (2022)

A high school student begins to accept the death of her sister

Revenge of others follows Ok Chan-mi (Shin Ye-eun), A high school student seeks revenge after her twin’s mysterious death. TWith the morally upright but troubled Ji Soo-hoon (Lomon), they navigate a creepy, gothic school filled with suspects, including school bullies and a recurring senior with a shady medical history. The show’s excessive use of dramatic plot twists can be overwhelming.

However, these Engaging lead performances and the modern execution of the show That blends in early 2000s teen horror still make it worth the watch. The series is all about revenge, as Ok Chan-mi is looking for the person she believes is responsible for her brother’s apparent suicide, and she won’t stop until they find those responsible and make them pay for the death. Since the police considered it a suicide, she is in this alone, which adds to the places of everything she does. The series premiered on Disney+ in the United States.

8

The Innocent Man (2012)

Heartbroken, a gigolo pursues his ex’s stepdaughter

The innocent manListed on Netflix as Nice guyFollows the story of Kang Maru (Leed Joong-ki), who seeks revenge against the woman who betrayed him. Once a promising medical student, Kang Ma-ru’s life spirals when his love, Han Jae-hee, lets him take the blame for a crime he didn’t commit. Years later, Ma-ru, now a bartender and gigolo, plots against Jae-hee using Seo Eun-gi, a chaebol heiress and the woman he once loved’s step-daughter, only to fall for her.

Despite criticisms due to a particular amnesia plot, the show is full of some emotional moments that tug at the heartstrings. This is a very different revenge tale, because it is not revenge against criminals, but it is Revenge against someone who hurt himAnd he targets a daughter instead of the woman who betrayed him. However, as a romantic story, it hits the right notes and is a fan favorite. It won six honors at the KBS Drama Awards with 13 nominations.

7

Vincenzo (2021)

An Italian mafia-raised lawyer plans to dismantle a powerful corporation

adopted into an Italian mafia family, Vincenzo Follows Vincenzo Cassano (Leed Joong-ki), a skilled lawyer and mafia consigliere. When a power struggle forces him to flee to Seoul, he tries to recover hidden gold stashed in a plaza now claimed by the Babel Group. Together with the fierce lawyer Hong Cha-young (Jeon Yeo-been), whose father was murdered for exposing Babel’s criminal activities, Vincenzo uses his mafia tactics to dismantle the corporation.

Despite a slow start, Vincenzo Keeps his momentum going Tight plotting, compelling character arcs Including one of K-drama’s most menacing villains, and a satisfying number of necomedic undercurrents. The series approaches revenge a little differently, as Vincenzo went after the gold and the Babel family first and foremost. But he still has a grudge to settle against Paolo, Fabio’s biological son, who tried to kill him, setting Vincenzo on his way to independence.

6

My Name (2021)

An undercover cop infiltrates a drug gang after her father’s death

in My name, After the sudden death of her father, Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee), an undercover cop, seeks revenge by infiltrating the drug crime gang DongcheonLed by Choi Mu-jin (Park Hee-bald). Together with her partner, detective Jeon Pil-do (Ahn Bo-hyun), she delves deep into the underworld to discover the truth behind her father’s death. The series is all about revenge, but it takes a slightly different look since it is a police officer who seeks revenge.

Yoon Ji-woo sets out to take revenge despite being part of the force that upholds the law. The show’s realistic depiction of the challenges in the criminal and legal realms make it so A standout dark and gritty revenge story. It is a tense thriller with some great action sequences and strong performances from the cast. The series earned Han So-hee a nomination for Best Actress at the Baeksang Arts Awards.

5

Taxi Driver (2021)

A former CMA graduate drives a taxi for a company that serves revenge-calling services

Taxi driver goes Kim Do-gi (Lee Je-hoon), a former Korea Military Academy (KMA) graduate turned taxi driver for a company that offers revenge services to victims of injustice. Motivated by his own past inability to avenge his mother’s murder, the show brilliantly interweaves exciting revenge missions with commentary on broader social issues. The K-drama series, based on the webtoon The deluxe taxi (Red cage) by Carlos and Lee Jae-jin, is actually influenced by real-life crimes in Korea.

The show has fantastic, fast-paced action and deep dives into social issues, Highlighting corruption, privilege, and legal system failures. Watching Kim Do-gi take justice into his own hands is cathartic, because the wronged often don’t see justice. The whole concept of revenge is the basis of the story as the company’s only goal is to seek revenge and right wrongs for those who suffered. It was a huge success, winning 15 SBS Drama Awards in 18 nominations.

4

Secret Love (2013)

After going to prison for the crime of her ex-boyfriend, a young woman is determined to take her revenge

secret love tells the story of Kang Yoo-jung (Hwang Jung-eum), who Takes the blame and goes to jail for a hit-and-run caused by her boyfriendAhn Do-hoon (Bae Soo-bin), who dumps her after she does this for him. After her release, she is determined to take revenge, crossing paths with Min-Hyuk (Ji Sung), a rich bad boy grieving the loss of his girlfriend from the same accident.

As they work together, they begin to fall for each other and find love while trying to come to terms with their past. It’s a must-watch for fans of romantic dramas that explore themes of betrayal, revenge and second chances. The series is all about getting revenge both against a man who let his girlfriend take the case and for a man who lost his girlfriend at the hands of this man. The series was critically acclaimed and won seven KBS Drama Awards with 12 nominations.

3

Graceful Family (2019)

15 years after her mother’s murder, a chaebol heiress returns to South Korea to reclaim her rightful place.

Graceful family goes Mo Seok-hee (Im Soo-hyang), the heir to the vast MC Group empire, whose life is upended by the murder of her mother. Fifteen years later, she returns to South Korea to confront her family’s dysfunction and the mystery of her mother’s murder, along with a lawyer, Heo Yoon-do (Lee Jang-woo), to uncover the truth and Claim your rightful place.

The series explores the dark underbelly of a wealthy, dysfunctional family, including Power struggles, hidden secrets, betrayal and deep-seated corporate corruption. This was a series with revenge in its bones, as Mo Seok-hee wants to make the people responsible for her mother’s death, but it’s also a family drama about who she can and can’t trust when she returns home. It became the highest rated drama in MBN network history at the time of its run (by Soompi), since surpassed by Bossam: Seal the fate.

2

Itaewon Class (2020)

After his father’s death and prison time served for beating his rival, a vengeful man opens a restaurant

After being imprisoned for attempting to kill his rival, whose actions led to his father’s death, Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Seo-joon) opens DanBam, a restaurantIn Itaewon upon release, seek success and revenge against the Jangga Group. Itaewon Class Wonderfully emphasizes the importance of community as Sae-ro-yi gains resilience through the support of his close-knit friends.

Along with great performances, the series is visually striking, set against the backdrop of Seoul’s vibrant Itaewon district. There’s a lot to unlock in the series, as it’s not only about Park Sae-ro-yi seeking revenge against the Jangga Group, but also his unresolved feelings for Oh Soo-ah, who joins the group he blames for his Father’s death. The show won Best Drama Series at the 25th Asian Television AwardsA testament to its fantastic storytelling and why it’s one of the best K-dramas of all time.

1

The Glory (2022-2023)

A woman seeks revenge against her childhood bullies

transition between Dong-eun’s (Song Hye-kyo) harrowing high school experience and her meticulous plans for revenge as an adult, the honor Delve into the depths of abuse and its long-lasting impacts. Over the intensity of the plot, the honor‘s true story shines a spotlight on bullying, a pervasive issue with devastating consequences, as the K-drama is rooted in the real-life bullying problem in South Korea.

This is a highly controversial K-drama, as the bullying victim targets the children of the people who bully her, making her almost no better than them as she seeks revenge. the honor Received both critical acclaim and viewership success, receiving eight nominations at the 59th Baeksang Arts AwardsAnd win three – Best Drama, Best Actress for Song Hye-kyo, and Best Supporting Actress for Lim Ji-yeon. It also swept the Asian Academy Creative Awards, with six wins.