15 Most Action-Packed K-Dramas, Ranked

Some of the best K-dramas push genre boundaries and include lots of bloody, action-packed sequences that even the most die-hard action fan would love. Violence is a difficult tool to master in film and television, as it can be too brutal for some viewers, while others can’t get enough. The secret is to balance fast-paced, adrenaline-filled scenes with attractive character dynamics that make the audience invest in the outcome of the fight scenes and battles.

Action is a difficult genre to master and is often secondary to the main thrust of a series, which is closer to the thriller, crime, horror, and drama genres. However, due to this, action is used as an essential element that elevates a series’ other conflicts and creates visually engaging sequences that leave the audience breathless. The best K-dramas keep audiences hooked from the first episode, and those that involve fights, violence, and complicated battles are incredible at keeping audiences and increasing K-dramas’ notoriety.

14

Life on Mars (2018)

The K-Drama remake of a hit British crime show

One of the best action K-Dramas is also a remake of an equally acclaimed British crime show. The 2018 South Korean version of Life on Mars one of them was the Asian Academy Creative Award for Best Adaptation of an Existing Format, and the retelling of the original story stands on its own. Jung Kyong-ho stars as Han Tae-joo, a data-obsessed forensics officer in modern-day South Korea. In addition to being action-packed, Life on Mars is also among the best time travel K-Dramas.

After an accident, Han is transported back to the 1970s. What’s more, many people seem to know who he is. He becomes a member of a small town’s homicide team. The repression of crime is uninterrupted in Life on Mars, and working alongside 70s cop Kang Dong-chul (Park Sung-woong) ensures that Han has to adapt to using intuition and direct action rather than statistics and data.

13

Terrius Behind Me (2018)

A grieving widow follows an NIS agent to uncover deep conspiracies

Also known as My Secret Terrius in some territories, the 2018 spy thriller Terius behind me is as action-packed as any blockbuster film about intrigue, espionage and conspiracies. Creator Kae Dae-sun’s action K-Drama has an incredibly gripping conspiracy that unfolds at a masterful pace throughout its 32 episodes. Not only is it full of excitement and high-octane set pieces, but it’s also incredibly gripping, with the plot ensuring viewers will resist the difficulty of binge-watching.

The plot focuses on Go Ae-rin (played by Jung In-sun). After losing her husband and becoming a widow, she begins to question the circumstances of his death. After digging a little deeper, Go Ae-rin discovered that her husband was involved in a web of conspiracy so deep it defies comprehension. Fortunately, she is being helped by Kim Bon (So Ji-sub), a former NIS covert ops agent with many secrets of his own.

12

The K2 (2016)

A former mercenary needs to escape

It’s not just 2020 The K2 Among the best revenge K-Dramas out there, it’s also a show that spans multiple genres and mixes elements of military thrillers with crime dramas. After being accused of killing his wife while living in Iraq, mercenary Blackstone PMC (Choi Sung-hoo) manages to escape from prison and smuggle himself back to South Korea.

Upon returning, he starts working for Choi Yoo-jin (Song Yoon-ah), owner of a security company. He quickly finds it difficult to balance protecting Go An-na (Im Yoon-Ah), the illegitimate daughter of a presidential candidate, and those who falsely accused him of murdering his wife during his career as a mercenary. As attempts on Goon An-na’s life abound, The K2 has many impressive chase scenes and gunfight sequences, ranking it among the best action K-Dramas of recent years.

11

City Hunter (2011)

An action-packed revenge saga

2011 City Hunter is a South Korean adaptation of Japanese author Tsukasa Hojo’s 1985-1991 manga of the same name, and manages to capture the intense action of the source material while tweaking it into a stylish, highly pulse-pounding K-Drama. As The K2 and many of the best action K-Dramas, City Hunter is a revenge story at its core, although it is also a great political thriller as it focuses on a group of soldiers crossing the border into North Korea.

The cast’s performances are a particular highlight of the city ​​hunter, especially Lee Min-ho as Lee Yoon-sung (the special operations soldier from whose codename the show gets its title). He won the Best Actor category at the 4th Korea Drama Awards for his work on the show. Not only that, but Jin Hyuk (director), Park Min-young (actress), Kim Sang-ho (supporting actor), and Hwang Sun-hee (supporting actress) also received nominations in their respective categories.

10

Two Weeks (2013)

A story of gang violence and political conspiracy

Many of the best action K-Dramas manage to mix subgenres in ways that many US shows can’t (or often even try to), and a notable example is 2013’s. Two weeks. Written and co-directed by So Hyun-Kyung, Two weeks is at once a gritty story of gang violence and a political espionage thriller. The story focuses on Jang Tae-san, a gang member who is released from prison only to be framed for the murder of a government agent.

To do Two weeks Even more intense, Jang’s daughter, Lee Chai-mi (Seo Soo-jin), has leukemia. If he cannot show up for a bone marrow transplant within two weeks of the first episode, her death is guaranteed. This adds meaning to Jang’s situation and makes each episode that sees him trying to unravel the conspiracy behind the false accusation and clear his name even more emotionally impactful.

9

Descendants of the Sun (2016)

A fictional war creates a real conflict amid an epic love story

Star-crossed lovers Yoo Si-jin (Song Joong-ki) and Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo) find themselves constantly separated because of Yoo Si-jin’s active role in the military and Kang Mo’s busy professional life. -yeon. as a doctor. Moments of war and conflict are punctuated by a true love story between the couplewhich elevates both aspects of the narrative.

There is something for both ends of the K-drama audience spectrum in this series. Audiences less interested in romance get some great action scenes, but there are also plenty of soft, sensual moments between the central couple for romance fans. However, Descendants of the Sun It shouldn’t be overlooked as an action series just because of its love story. For international audiences, it offers an interesting look at the South Korean military.

The series also became an international success, sold for distribution in 32 different countries. It was also broadcast in China and South Korea simultaneously, after a Chinese network paid nearly 40% of the show’s production costs for the broadcast rights. This was the first time a K-drama received this treatment.

8

Curator (2014 – 2015)

Journalistic integrity, freedom of expression and a series of murders are solved by one man

Curator takes down corrupt media outlets and solves murders through the lens of Seo Jung-hoo (Ji Chang-wook), a man known by the nickname Healer, who has a reputation for getting things done. Even though he starts the series thinking only about himself, he soon builds a connection with Chae Young-shin (K-drama romance darling Park Min-young). The two quickly become involved in a case that Chae Young-shin is reporting on, and secrets from their past begin to resurface.

This intrigue pairs well with the excellent fighting skills Seo Jung-hoo displays and the high stakes of press freedom. The action scenes here are actually more similar to some of the traditional action scenes in modern thrillers, like rooftop chase sequences or indoor hand-to-hand combat. Fans of the fight scenes in Bourne movies will probably love this one.

7

My Name (2021)

Revenge takes many forms in this thriller about a woman with an all-consuming goal

After his father is killed, Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee) allies with a mafia boss in the criminal underworld. to catch his father’s killer. Han So-hee is known for some of the best K-dramas, and my name might be the best of all her shows because of how fast the pace is and how much material she has to play Yoon Ji-woo.

She becomes a fearsome warrior and trains to be a weapon in her dogged quest. Things heat up beyond belief when she goes undercover in the police force to root out corruption as an agent of her criminal organization.

The show was incredibly well-received when it premiered in South Korea, but also across the world. It was nominated for several awards, with Han So-hee in particular racking up nominations.although she, unfortunately, didn’t take home any wins. The United Kingdom’s New Musical Express named the series one of the best Korean dramas of the year.

6

Train (2020)

Parallel universes change a man and the woman he loves’ perception of justice

In a universe, Seo Do-won (Yoon Shi-yoon) tries to solve the murder of the woman he loveswhile in the other he works tirelessly to protect her. The magic systems and how Seo Do-won’s mysterious abilities work are less of a concern for Train than what he does with the opportunity to live two different lives in multiple realities. How different the two universes are is as fascinating as what they have in common.

It’s difficult to know who is alive in which universe, but it’s never difficult to detect when Seo Do-won is taking down an enemy because of the considerable time and attention the show gives to the incredible action sequences. Part thriller, part mystery and definitely in the realm of fantasy, the series has also proven to fascinate international audiences. There is a British remake of the show in development.

5

Hounds (2023)

Boxing, bloodlust and fighting for the weak come together in a brilliant story of friendship

In Hunting dogsthe bonds of friendship are on full display between Kim Geon-woo (Woo Do-hwan) and Hong Woo-jin (Lee Sang-yi), who use their talents as boxers to help those in need. Money lending is the root of the conflict in the series, as the men work to take down a man who uses his power as a loan shark to prey on those who don’t have money or resources. Most of the action takes place under the guise of boxing.

Even though the boxing is brutal and the men pull no punches, the show is surprisingly nuanced and takes care to represent issues of class and financial hardship with empathy. As much as the series revels in action, it’s also a crime drama and offers plenty of social commentary.

Although the series didn’t see much awards love in South Korea, Lee Sang-yi received the Actor Excellence Award at the Korea Drama Awards for his work on the series. Time also named it one of the best Korean dramas of 2023.

4

Vincent (2021)

A look at the inner workings of the mafia in Italy and South Korea

Vincenzo is one of the best revenge K-dramas because it weaves a complex web of lies and betrayals. There are so many twists and turns that you have to see to believe. Vincenzo Cassano, also known as Park Joo-hyung (Song Joong-ki), is adopted by an Italian family linked to the mafia.

However when his brother tries to kill him Vincenzo flees back to South Korea to get revenge and start building his empire. Each character is brutal and demanding in their relentless climb to the top and desire for money and power, but no one is who they say they are.

The series combines elements of a crime thriller with an action series, legal drama and even a romance. The show manages to weave elements from all of these genres into an intense and entertaining narrative. He’s also creative in his fight scenes, even using tape in one of them.

3

Mister Sunbeam (2018)

Class divisions and political intrigue come to a head in this depiction of Korean history

Just before the turn of the 19th century, Lord Sun unveils the experience of Eugene Choi (Lee Byung-hun), a young man who returns to Korea after living for many years in the United States. He falls in love with an upper-class woman, but their love has much more to transcend than economic differences. Much of the conflict in Lord Sun stems from tensions between Korea, Japan and the United States during this period.

Hand-to-hand combat and samurai skills are shown throughout the show. Fans may have loved the drama and fight scenes, making it one of the highest-rated shows in South Korea at the time, but the historical inaccuracy and use of the American savior trope did not sit well with many. Although some parts of the show are polarizing, there’s no doubt that the strong characters and well-choreographed action make it worth watching.

2

The Worst of Evil (2023)

The criminal underworld is unmasked by two detectives

Thrillers are known for their slow-paced narratives that maintain a commitment to suspense in many overtly violent scenes. However, this means that in programs like The worst of evilwhen the tension boils over, the payoff of a fight sequence is even more satisfying.

The series is a 1990s period piece that follows two detectives trying to break up a drug trafficking ring.prompting one of them to go undercover. It soon becomes clear that criminals are not the only dangerous ones, and most characters will do anything to get ahead.

Weapons in the series range from fists to buckets of water, making some interesting variety in the more action-packed scenes. The series was well received the year of its debut, earning three nominations at the Baeksang Awards and winning one for Best Director for Han Dong-wook.

1

We’re All Dead (2021 -)

The end of the world from the perspective of a group of students

High school is already filled with violence, drama, and intrigue, but combining that with zombies makes it impossible to turn away. We are all dead. In a compelling twist, it’s a human teacher who creates the zombie virus and effectively ends the world, and it’s the children who decide to band together and survive.

Although the outbreak begins inside the school, the outside world doesn’t have to wait long to fall victim to the virus. We are all dead is at its best in the way it creates tension throughout its episodes and punctuates the action sequences with the complex development and organization of social groups.

The themes of the apocalypse are played out on the small scale of a school, which raises the stakes and increases the pace of the action. Each character has a unique set of skills and a variety of abilities, and watching the students learn to fight keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.Sweet Home (2020 -)

An exciting new twist on the monster and apocalyptic genres

Sweet home has gained massive popularity on Netflix and around the world, and with the green light for season three, a lot of things need to happen in Sweet home before the show ends. The premise of the series revolves around a post-apocalyptic world where humans begin to transform into monsters, and the series’ heroes are trapped inside an apartment building, trying to fight to escape and survive.

What makes the show so successful is how well it uses the environment and circumstances to its advantage. This limited setting gives the audience the feeling of being trapped alongside the characters and increases the likelihood that each encounter with a monster will be violent.

Not only is the action, blood, and violence top-notch, but the series builds on the characters’ development and relationships, making them the quiet moments are just as compelling as the high-octane fights. Combining horror, interpersonal drama and the best of the action genre, Sweet home stands out among its competitors.