K-dramas are known for their romantic, historical and revenge-based stories, but hidden among the most popular genres are detective stories. The best K-dramas contain a well-written mystery that even the most attentive viewers won’t be able to solve right away. Many detective series follow a similar formula, in which their protagonists are required to return to solving crimes. after leaving their jobs due to traumatic events. This is the case with K-dramas like Hello monster and Tell me what you saw.
Others of the kind, including He is psychometric and Inspector Kooshake things up and include more hints of comedy and romance than you’d normally expect from a crime series. Regardless of how tightly a series lives up to genre expectations, one thing is certain: the best K-dramas keep audiences questioning their instincts until the very last episode.
10
Rat (2021)
A detective tries to capture a dangerous serial killer.
Just like some other crime thriller K-dramas, Mouse is inspired by real-life events. Screenwriter Choi Ran found inspiration in a 2017 South Korean murder case in which the killer showed no sign of remorse when appearing in court. Ran was fascinated by the killer’s response and decided to create a show where the killers reflected on their actions.for such an accomplishment would be a form of punishment in itself.
Mouse is centered on killers with psychopathic tendencies who are investigated by detective Ko Moo-chi (Lee Hee-joon) and his partner Jeong Ba-reum (Lee Seung-gi). Mouse provides K-drama fans with an absorbing mystery, but some complex themes are also explored. While hunting the killer, Ko Moo-chi and Jeong Ba-reum take a deep dive into psychopathic behaviors and how these traits arise.
9
He’s Psychometric (2019)
A man uses his ability to access the past to solve a criminal case.
He is psychometric is a procedural series that fuses a few different genres, including romance, comedy, and fantasy. The K-drama revolves around Lee Ahn, played by Got7 member Park Jin-young, in his first leading role. Lee has the ability to read a person or object through physical contact – known as psychometry – and uses his gift to solve a case that weighs heavily on him and his friends.
Unlike other detective K-dramas mentioned, He is psychometric has a parallel romance. One of Lee’s friends, Yoon Jae-in (Shin Ye-eun), is a bit closed off, but Lee uses his ability to help her heal from her hidden past. However, the emerging romantic connection between some of the He is psychometricThe characters don’t take away from the central mystery of the series.
8
Tell Me What You Saw (2020)
A profiler works with a team of detectives to capture his fiancée’s killer.
Jang Hyuk leads Tell me what you saw as Oh Hyun-jae, an esteemed profiler who isolates himself from others after his fiancee tragically dies. However, Hyun-jae is back at work a few years later after a crime similar to the one that killed his fiancée was committed. Hyuk is supported by several actors such as Choi Soo-young, Jang Hyun-sung, and Jin Seo-yeon, who play a variety of detectives who help Hyun-jae catch the serial killer.
Tell me what you saw There are some narrative errors and certain episodes make it clear that the series was starting to lose steam. Yet, Tell me what you saw gifts a strong mystery where each person involved in solving the case has their own motives. For Hyun-jae, his motives are personal and Hyuk does a great job of capturing the impact such an investigation has on his character.
7
Hello Monster (2015)
Two detectives are caught in a game of cat and mouse.
Despite earning less than impressive ratings Hello monster still managed to receive praise from critics and audiences alike, as the gripping police procedural has a compelling narrative and stellar performances. Hello monster begins with profiler Lee Hyun (Seo In-guk), who returns home to investigate his father’s death. Meanwhile, her colleague Detective Cha Ji-an (Jang Na-ra) has begun her own investigation into Lee Hyun.
The two eventually cross paths and discover a truth that is more twisted than either of them could have predicted. Due to the writing and structure of the series, audiences will be completely enchanted by Hello monsterthe mystery and as shocked as its characters by the series’ revelations. Seo and Jang are strong leads in the series, each earning a few award nominations for their performances, but it was Park Bo-gum’s performance that captivated audiences and won Hello monster its two wins during awards season.
6
Class of Lies (2019)
A former lawyer goes undercover at a school.
Instead of taking place on the streets of a crowded city in South Korea, Class of Lies is predominantly set in a private high school. Class of Lies follows Gi Moo-hyeok (Yoon Kyun-sang), a respected lawyer who has his license to practice suspended after being surrounded by bribery accusations. Gi then adopts a false name, Gi Kang-jae, and takes a job as a teacher at a school plagued by the mystery of a student’s murder.
During his secret work, Gi Kang-jae discovers a secret about the school’s privileged students. Despite their rich education, high school students in Class of Lies they are never presented as superficial stereotypes of rich kids. Instead of, Class of Lies it will certainly include commentary on the outcomes arising from an uncontrolled, highly connected environment. Still, the audience is rooting for Gi Kang-jae to break the school connections and find the real killer.
5
Inspector Koo (2021)
An insurance investigator uses her prior detective knowledge to solve a case.
Once a talented police officer, Inspector KooThe titular character turns to alcohol and gambling after the death of her husband. However, Koo Kyung-yi (Lee Young-ae), now an insurance investigator, returns to her crime-solving days after suspecting that a serial killer is orchestrating murders to look like accidents. Lee Young-ae, best known for her role in the historical K-drama Jewel in the Palacecompletely transforms into his portrayal of Koo Kyung-yi.
Although there is an intriguing mystery at the heart of the series, Inspector Koo it’s not as intense as other detective series. There are many suspenseful moments throughout, but Inspector Koo Acts more like a mix between suspenseful K-dramas and slice-of-life scenes. The latter genre is made clear by the variety of eccentric characters that surround Kyung-yi, such as the titular character’s friend, Han Kwang-wook.
4
Partners for Justice (2018-2019)
A forensic doctor and a prosecutor team up to solve cases.
In Partners for JusticeBaek Beom (Jung Jae-young) is a forensic doctor who teams up with prosecutor Eun Sol (Jeong Yu-mi). Together, the two solve a series of cases. The two have mismatched personalities at first, which makes for some fun interactions between them. However, they end up being a strong team, as seen throughout Partners for Justicethere are two seasons.
What it does Partners for Justice A solid crime series is its sharp writing and well-crafted twists. These factors not only draw audiences in and keep them invested, but also allow for more varied cases as the series progresses. Each case has a varying level of stakes, with some cases being resolved sooner than others, which ensures that the audience is rarely able to predict how and when Baek Beom and Eun Sol will solve a case.
3
Tramp (2019)
Two people come together to uncover a government conspiracy.
It appears that a government conspiracy is linked to a mysterious plane crash and Tramp sees an ordinary stuntman approaching to discover the truth. Cha Dal-gun (Lee Seung-gi) is a stuntman whose nephew died in a plane crash that he is not sure was an accident. So Dal-gun teams up with secret agent Go Hae-ri (Bae Suzy) to find out what really happened.
Tramp ends on a cliffhanger that has yet to be resolved, as no news about season 2 has been announced. Yet, Tramp season 1 is full of exceptional action sequences and a number of unexpected plot twists that keep the audience engaged until the end. Dal-gun and Hae-ri are attractive characters in their own right, but the latter has a determined attitude that makes her a likable character and one of the toughest K-drama female leads.
2
Flower of Evil (2020)
A wife is suspicious of her secretive husband.
In the center of Flower of Evil is a seemingly perfect couple, Baek Hee-sung (Lee Joon-gi) and Cha Ji-won (Moon Chae-won). From the start, neither party fully trusts the other, but Ji-won becomes increasingly suspicious of her reserved husband after his detective work sends her down a rabbit hole of unexplained murders. As exciting as a shocking ending to a crime series can be, there’s always a risk of losing the audience’s attention before the big reveal is made.
However, Flower of Evil ensures this never happens. With each episode, Subtle clues are scattered throughout this tip to the series’ biggest reveal. Beyond the mystery, Flower of Evil’The protagonists do a brilliant job of engaging the audience. Joon-gi effectively portrays the enigmatic Hee-sung and Chae-won strikes the ideal balance as a wife who acts calmly so as not to interfere with his outside investigation.
1
Signal (2016–present)
Two detectives from different decades solve cold cases.
Signal is recognized as one of the highest-rated K-dramas in cable television history, and it’s easy to see why. The exciting series has elements of time travel K-dramas like its narrative intertwines two timelines, one taking place in 2015 and the other in 1989. This is explained by a mysterious walkie-talkie discovered by criminal profiler Park Hae-young (Lee Je-hoon). The discarded device allows him to communicate with Detective Jae-han (Cho Jin-woong), who lives in the past.
Together, the two work effectively to solve a series of cold cases. Signal is inspired by the 2000 film Frequencyas well as a series of murders in South Korea that occurred between 1986 and 1994. However, Signal it doesn’t aim to replicate the events of its inspirations piece by piece, leaving plenty of room for unpredictable plot twists that keep the audience guessing.