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KajoPicks: 10 Korean thriller dramas from OCN you should watch

Orion Cinema Network (OCN) is a movie channel on basic cable in South Korea. It is one of the cable channels in the country besides Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company (jTBC), Channel A and Total Variety Network (TvN).

Among Korean drama fans, OCN channel is known to air the best thriller dramas.

If you are looking for thriller dramas, here are 10 of them you should watch from OCN:

1.Voice (2017)

After his wife is murdered while he is at work, Moo Jin-hyuk (Jang Hyuk) is crippled with guilt. The successful detective’s life spirals out of control after her death.

In the meantime, Kang Kwon-joo (Lee Ha-na) is a driven rookie officer working at the emergency 112 call center.

While working there, a brutal murder takes place and her police father was the first to arrive. Unfortunately, her father is killed by the killer and Kwon-joo hears everything over the phone.

After the incident, she goes to the US to further her studies and returns to Korea as a voice profiler.

Together with Jin-hyuk, the duo go on a hunt for the serial killer who is responsible for the deaths of their loved ones.

All thanks to its popularity, OCN renewed the series for the second season in 2018 and the third season in 2019.

Watch the trailer here.

2.Tunnel (2017)

We listed this drama as one of our favourite Korean time-travel series as well as series inspired by the Hwaseong serial murders.

Starring Choi Jin-hyuk, Yoon Hyun-min and Lee Yoo-young, the drama first sets in 1986.

Park Gwang-ho is a successful detective assigned to a series of killings. One day, something mysterious happens when he passes through a tunnel while pursuing a suspect. He finds himself time-travelling 30 years into the future.

There he meet Kim Seon-jae, an elite but eccentric detective. As it turns out, the serial murders in the 80s continue to happen in the present.

The duo works with psychology professor Shin Jae-yi to solve these unsolved murders.

Watch the trailer here.

3.Missing Noir M (2015)

In this police procedural-thriller drama, Missing Noir M circles around the special missing persons task force.

This task force only takes 1 per cent of the toughest unsolved cases. Its leader Gil Soo-hyun (Kim Kang-woo) is a genius who worked for the FBI.

His partner is Oh Dae-young (Park Hee-soon), a senior detective with a strong sense of justice.

Soo-hyun goes by the book and is very analytical while Dae-young is the I-have-a-hunch kind of detective.

Can they put aside their different working styles and solve cases together?

Watch the trailer here.

4.Save Me (2017)

Based on the webtoon Out of the World by Jo Geum-san, this drama airs on OCN from Aug 5 to Sept 24 in 2017.

After her father’s business fails, Sang-mi and her family move from Seoul to the suburb of Muji County.

On the surface, there is peaceful church in the county. Behind closed doors, the church is the religious cult Goseonwon.

In their new school, Sang-mi’s brother Sang-jin is being bullied. Due to this, he commits suicide, leaving his family falling apart.

The cult leader then takes this chance to lure Sang-mi’s parents into Goseonwon.

Trapped by the cult, Sang-mi has nowhere to go and her parents are completely brainwashed.

Three years later, her classmate Han Sang-hwan, the son of the county chief who is now a law student, and his two friends Jung-hoon and Man-hee have a chance encounter with Sang-mi.

She whispers to them, “Save me.”

Watch the trailer here.

5.Trap (2019)

Kang Woo-hyun (Lee Seo-jin) is a respected anchor at a broadcasting station. He has a lovely family and his life seems perfect.

One day, he goes on a trip with his family and a tragic situation occurs.

Meanwhile, Ko Dong-kook (Sung Dong-il) is a veteran detective with uncanny instinct.

He takes Kang Woo-hyun’s case and starts to investigate about his family.

Watch the trailer here.

6.Hell is Other People (2019)

Yoon Jong-woo is a handsome writer who comes from the countryside. After landing a new job in a new city, he moves in room 303 at Eden Dormitory.

His next door neighbour in room 304 is Seo Moon-jo, a mysterious dentist.

At first, Jong-woo is willing to cope with the almost rundown place until he saves enough money to move out.

Then mysterious things start to happen around the dormitory, making him wanting to stay in order to investigate these occurrences.

Watch the trailer here.

7.Watcher (2019)

Fifteen years ago, a murder took place which turned the lives of three people upside down. Perhaps by fate (or Korean drama logic), these three people were brought together to search for answers.

Do Chi-Gwang (Han Suk-kyu) is an elite detective. But after awhile working in the force, he realises that all the important tasks are handed to the corrupt police. Hence, he decides to join the internal affairs investigation team.

In the meantime, Kim Young-koon (Seo Kang-joon) is another police officer who is affected by the murder case 15 years ago. At first glance, he seems to be uncaring and have a cold personality .

Actually, it is just a facade to hide himself and his struggle with the past. He too, joins Chi-gwang and his internal affairs investigation team.

The final member of the group is Han Tae-joo (Kim Hyun-joo). She used to be a prosecutor before quitting to become a lawyer. Together, they slowly begin to unravel what actually happened 15 years ago.

With 16 episodes, the drama manages to keep the suspense throughout the series. Many viewers praised it for being able to keep them in its grips until the very end.

Watcher (2019) is directed by Ahn Gil-ho who is known for his works Stranger (2017) and Memories of the Alhambra (2018).

Watch the trailer here.

8.The Lies Within (2019)

Dead body? Check. Missing person? Check. A conspiracy theory? Check. The Lies Within (2019) has all the above components which make the basics of a thriller drama.

It circles around Jo Tae-sik (Lee Min-ki), a detective who moved to a police station in a small country village.

Thinking that he could get away from the nasty crimes of big city, a dead body shows up in his area.

It belongs to Lawmaker Kim Seung-cheol. At first, his death looks like a car accident but his hunch tells Tae-sik there is more than meets the eye.

His suspicion grows when he finds out that Seung-cheol’s son in-law goes missing.

In the mean time Kim Seo-hui (Lee Yoo-young) is the youngest daughter of Seung-cheol. Together with Tae-sik, she aims to find out what happen to her father and missing husband.

Developed and produced by Studio Dragon for OCN, this thriller drama is based on a novel by Joo Won-gyu.

Watch the trailer here.

9.Bad Guys (2014)

This answers the question, what if the Suicide Squad was made up of a bunch of South Korean inmates.

Detective Oh Gu-tak (Kim Sang-joong) comes up with a brilliant plan; to use criminals to investigates and hunt down other criminals. Who know the minds of criminals than the criminals themselves right?

So he releases three convicts from jail to form his team.

Lee Jung-moon (Park Hae-jin) is a psychopath serial killer. Putting that aside, he is the youngest member of Mensa with an IQ of 165 and doctorate degrees in Math and Philosophy. (Of course.)

The second convict is a mob boss, Park Un-cheol (Ma Dong-seok).

Lastly, Jung Tae-soo (Jo Dong-hyuk) a professional killer who never been caught but suddenly turned himself in one day.

10.Tell Me What You Saw (2020)

OCN Thriller Drama

Oh Hyun-jae (Jang Hyuk) was once a top criminal profiler. Everything crumbles around him when he loses his fiance in an explosion caused by a serial killer. The serial killer is never caught.

Since then, he gave up his career and live in seclusion.

Five years later, a new murder case happens using the same method as that serial killer.

This prompts Hyun-jae to return to his field in order to catch the killer. He is joined by Cha Soo-young (Soo-young), a rookie detective who has a photographic memory.

Produced by Studio Dragon, this drama is one of the high-rated series from OCN in 2020.

KajoPicks: 10 South Korean dramas about reincarnation to watch

Korean dramas love playing with the ideas ‘I will love you even in my next life’. With Buddhists accounting for 46 per cent of the South Korean population, the idea of reincarnation is not a foreign concept for the viewers there.

The idea of reincarnation in a Korean drama usually offers one common question, who was the character in their past life?

Here are 10 South Korean dramas about reincarnation you should watch:

1.Goblin (2016)

Kicking off the list is Goblin, a high-rated Korean drama written by Kim Eun-sook.

Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), is a decorated military general from the Goryeo Dynasty.

After all he has done for the country, he is framed as a traitor and killed by the young king.

Years after his death, he is cursed to be the immortal goblin as punishment for the kills he committed in the wars to protect his country.

The only way to put an end to his immortality is the Goblin’s bride. She is the only one who can see the sword in his body and pull it out to end his painful immortality.

In the meantime, Ji Eun-tak (Kim Go-eun) is a bubbly high school student who summons the goblin by chance.

Their story starts to unfold after the Goblin’s nephew Yoo Deok-hwa (Yook Sung-jae) leaves the Goblin’s house to a Grim Reaper (Lee Dong-wook) and the two end up living under the same roof.

Meanwhile, Eun-tak works as a part-timer for Sunny (Yoo In-na) who runs a chicken shop.

What are the connections among the four of them and how do their fates overlap?

The drama is entertaining to watch for those who want to escape from a reality for awhile.

2.Chicago Typewriter (2017)

Han Se-joo (Yoo Ah-in) is a famous writer who is in a slump struggling with writer’s block.

As he continues to struggle, he comes across a fan of his work, Jeon Seol (Im Soo-jung) and Yoo Jin-oh (Go Kyung-pyo), a mysterious ghost writer.

What the trio do not know is that they all have connections which date backs during the 1930s Japanese occupation of Korea.

Are there any reasons why they meet up again in this present life?

Watch the trailer here.

3.Black Knight: The Man Who Guards Me (2017)

If a love story transcends 200 years in a Korean drama, there must be reincarnations in it. How about an obsession that lasts for two centuries? Must it take 200 years to accept the fact that your love is not accepted?

Jung Hae-ra (Shin Se-kyung) works for a travel agency but never travelled abroad herself. Her life was turned upside down, after the death of her parents and her family went bankrupt.

After reaching a breaking point of her life, she tries to kill herself. Then she remembers she ordered a wine-coloured coat she had ordered at Sharon’s Boutique as a child.

Due to her family’s sudden bankrupt, she never had the chance to pick the coat.

After picking up the coat from the mysterious owner, good things start to happen to her. Why?

Besides the love and immortality themes, the story touches on gentrification happening in Seoul.

Like any other big cities in the world, Seoul is struggling on embracing the new development and keeping the old in the same time.

Black Knight manages to highlight some of the problems and ways to work around gentrification.

Watch the trailer here.

4.Legend of the Blue Sea (2016)

This Korean drama about reincarnation is inspired by Korean folklore written by Joseon scholar Yu Mong-in. It tells the story about country magistrate Kim Dam-ryung who released mermaids into the ocean after they were caught by the fishermen.

The drama first sets sometime at 1598. A newly appointed governor Dam-ryung (Lee Min-ho) stays for a night at an inn run by Yang (Sung Dong-il).

That evening, Yang shows Dam-ryung a captured mermaid named Se-hwa (Gianna Jun). The mermaid is actually his childhood friend who saved him from drowning when he was a child.

Later that night, Dam-ryung releases her into the ocean.

In the same time, Dam-ryung has premonition that in the far future dangers will afflict on himself and Se-hwa.

Thus, he commissions a time capsule containing a portrait of himself with a message to his future reincarnation.

Fast forward in the present day, Joon-jae (also played by Lee Min-ho) is a smooth talking conman who swindles money from rich women.

Using the money from his scams, he escapes to Spain for a vacation. There, he meets a mysterious woman.

However, when he returns to Seoul, Joon-jae realises there are gaps in his memories.

What happen to him and who is the mysterious woman? Plus, will Dam-ryung get the message across to his future self?

5.Abyss (2019)

If you are reincarnated into someone else’s body immediately after being murdered, it is natural to find the murderer of your past body.

Go Se-yeon is a beautiful prosecutor and his friend Cha Min is an unattractive but a rich heir.

After their deaths in separate incidents, they are both revived into different bodies by an unknown being using an ‘Abyss’.

While Se-yeon takes on a plainer look than before, Cha Min is reincarnated into a very attractive looking person.

Together, they work to find out why did they reincarnated and the nature of their deaths.

Watch the trailer here.

6.49 Days (2011)

The concept behind this drama is inspired by Korean shamanism ‘bardo’ in which a soul usually wanders the earth for 49 days before moving on to the next life.

The drama focuses on Ji-hyun (Nam Gyu-ri), a pampered yet kind bride-to-be. She seems to have everything in life, parents who adore her, friends who admire her and fiance who loves her.

One day, she is caught in an accident. When she wakes up, she sees her own body being carted into an ambulance and nobody notices her existence except for a man on a bike.

He is the Scheduler (Jung Il-woo), a death reaper of sorts who takes souls to their final destinations.

The Scheduler tells Ji-hyun that if there are three people (besides her own family) who genuinely shed tears over her comatose condition, she can wake up from her coma.

She is so confident, thinking that her two best friends and fiance would definitely cry for her.

Little does she know that not everything seems like she thought it would be.

7.My Love from the Star (2014)

This is a love story between an alien and a celebrity. When an alien arrives in Korea during the Josean period, he falls for a young girl named Yi-hwa.

She dies while saving him, and the alien Do Min-joon (Kim Soo-hyun) waits for his time to return to his home planet.

During his 400 years of a lonely and isolated life, he meets a celebrity named Cheon Song-yi who looks exactly like Yi-hwa when she was younger.

Soon, Do Min-joon’s quiet, private world is shaken by Song-yi’s chaotic celebrity life as they slowly fall for each other.

Overall, the series turned out to be one of the most famous and influential Korean dramas of all time.

All of clothes, accessories and make-up products worn by Jun Ji-hyun were a craze among fashionista.

As Kim So-hyun’s character keeps on quoting from The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, the book became top of the bestseller lists in Korean bookstores that year.

8.Mystic Pop Up Bar (2020)

Based on popular webtoon Twin Tops Bar by Bae Hye-soo, the drama stars Hwang Jung-eum, Yook Sung-jae and Choi Won-young.

It tells the story of Weol-ju who is the hot-tempered owner of Mystic Pop-up Bar. Her customers do not know that she is in fact of 500 years-old, cursed to settle the grudges of 100,000 souls in atonement for her sins.

One day, she meets Han Kang-bae who has the ability to make people confess the truth by making physical contact with them.

In order to get rid of this unique ability, he is willing to work for Weol-ju.

Who is Kang-bae in his past life and why his fate with Weol-ju is intertwined again in this present day?

Watch the trailer here.

9.Hotel Del Luna (2019)

Hotel Del Luna

Speaking of an ill-tempered immortal woman in K-drama-land, one cannot not mention Jang Man-wol in Hotel Del Luna (2019).

Starring Lee Ji-eun and Yeo Jin-goo as the owner and manager of a hotel respectively, the drama is one of the highest rated Korean drama in cable television history.

It follows the story of a supernatural hotel which caters only to ghosts who have unfinished business in their past lives.

Moreover, the hotel serves as a stopover before they move on to the afterlife and get ready for reincarnation.

The owner, Jang Man-wol has been stuck to serve the hotel for the past 1000 years due to her past sins.

Hence, what happen when she comes across with the reincarnations of people she knew centuries ago?

10.Born Again (2020)

By the title of this drama, you already have a clue that it is a drama about reincarnation.

Honestly, the reincarnation method and concept in this drama is ridiculous. There is no head or tail on how it happened and why. Lovers are simply reincarnated and remember their past lives.

Putting these aside, the drama is entertaining to watch as it is full of suspense and thriller.

It is the 1980s and Detective Cha Hyung-bin (Lee Soo-hyuk) is in love with Ha-eun (Jin Se-yun), a bookshop owner suffering from heart disease.

At the same time, serial killer Gong Ji-chul (Jang Ki-yong) has also fallen in love with her.

One thing after another, their paths collide and three of them die. In the present time, the three of them are reincarnated.

And the murders commited in the 80s are happening all over again. Is it because Gong Ji-chul is reincarnated or was he not the real killer in the first place?

Watch the trailer here.

KajoPicks: 10 South Korean revenge dramas you need to watch

On KajoMag.com, we have covered Korean revenge movies so here are our favourite Korean revenge dramas you need to watch:

1.Doctor Prisoner (2019)

Korean revenge drama

What would you do if you were fired unfairly from your job? Normal people would file a complaint with the labour department, but in this Korean revenge drama, the main character goes as far as applying for a job at the prison.

Doctor Prisoner (2019) centers around an ace doctor named Na Yi-je (Min Nam-gung) who works at a university hospital’s emergency care center.

However, his medical license gets suspended as a result of a medical malpractice incident which he did not cause.

He then gets his certificate as a medical internist and applies to work at a prison.

His plot is to cozy up to all the big-shots in the prison such as business tycoons, celebrities, sports stars to win allies.

Using his connections, he is planning to get revenge against the hospital that ousted him.

2.The Innocent Man (2012)

Song Joong-ki as Kang Ma-ru, is a smart but poor medical student who has to singlehandedly look after his little sister.

He was in love with Jae-hee (Park Si-yeon) who left him for a rich CEO, as she always dreamt of being rich. (Cuz, who doesn’t?)

Six years after Jae-hee leaves, he becomes an arrogant playboy who works as a bartender. Now, he is no longer the ‘innocent man’.

He then meets Seo Eun-gi (Moon Chae-won) as part of his revenge plan against Jae-hee.

Slowly, Ma-ru starts to care for her and eventually falls in love with her. In the end, can he really see through with his revenge onJae-hee?

3.Secret Love (2013)

How much do you love someone? Are you willing to sacrifice your future by going to prison for your boyfriend?

When Do-hoon (Bae Soo-bin) kills a woman in a hit-and-run accident, he asks his girlfriend Kang Yoo-jung (Hwang Jung-eum) to admit she was the one who drove.

Yoo-jung agrees and ends up in prison. Then Do-hoon dumps her when she is in prison.

In the meantime, Jo Min-hyuk (Ji Sung) is burning with revenge after the death of his girlfriend who was killed in the hit-and-run accident.

After realising the truth that Yoo-jung was not the one behind the wheel, Min-hyuk begins to help her making a fresh start in life.

4.Monster (2016)

When you lose all your family wealth, causing you to fall from being a rich, spoilt heir to blind beggar, it is natural for you to seek for revenge.

Born Lee Guk-cheol (Kang Ji-hwan), he was the heir to Sudo Hospital, until the deaths of his parents and aunt.

While he survived several murder attempts against him, he lost everything and became a beggar.

Blinded by the car accident that killed his parents, Guk-cheol’s sense of hearing is heightened to superhuman level, an ability he would continue to possess as an adult.

Years later, he undergoes surgery to cure his blindness and change his appearance.

He obtains a new identity – Kang Ki-tan, using it to take revenge on those responsible for his misfortune.

5.I Hear You Voice (2013)

KajoMag picked this drama as one of our favourite ‘noona’ drama since the main characters are in love with each other and six years apart.

Revenge-wise, it offers viewers a slice of thriller and suspense with a murderer running around trying to kill the main characters.

Lawyer Jang Hye-sung (Lee Bo-young) is a public defender who doesn’t care about her clients and only does her job for the salary.

When she was a teenager, she testified on the witness stand causing the murderer of Park Soo-ha’s father to be convicted and imprisoned.

Meanwhile, Soo-ha has the supernatural ability to read people’s minds by looking into their eyes. He gains it after witnessing his father killed.

Ten years later, the murderer has been released from prison. Now, he is getting revenge on Hye-sung and Soo-ha as well as their loved ones.

6.City Hunter (2011)

Dive South Korean officials plan a covert operation, codenamed “Operation Cleansweep”, to enter North Korea and kill several top members of the North’s high command.

Lee Jin-pyo (Kim Sang-joong) and Park Moo-yeol (Park Sang-min), two Presidential Security Service bodyguards and best friends organised a 21-man team for the mission.

The operation is successful, but as the troops swim out to return, the Navy submarine assigned for their extraction, snipers aboard the submarine open fire on them.

An already injured Moo-yeol sacrifices his life to save Jin-pyo. Jin-pyo then swims back to shore and returns to South Korea.

There he finds out that the assault team’s service and personal records have been erased.

Promising to avenge his fallen comrades, Jin-pyo kidnaps Mu-yeol’s infant son, and names him Lee Yoon-sung (Lee Min-ho).

He flees to the Golden Triangle to raise the child as his own and trains the boy intensively in combat.

Yoon-sung returns to South Korea to avenge his father’s killers.

7.Iris (2009)

Two elite National Security System (NSS) agents and best friends, Hyeong-jun (Lee Byung-hun) and Sa-woo (Jeong Jun-ho) both are in love with fellow agent Seung-hee (Kim Tae-hee).

However for the sake of his friend, Sa-Woo suppresses his feelings for Seung-Hee.

Hyeon-Jun is then sent off on a solo mission to Hungary.

In Hungary, Hyeon-jun accomplishes his mission but wounded while making his escape.

Shortly after that, he finds out that he was betrayed by his friend Sa-woo.

At that time, Seung-hee steps in to help Hyeon-jun escape, but a car explosion separates the two and both are misled to believe that the other person are dead.

Hyeon-jun is then saved by an unknown organisation and learns of the secret society “IRIS”.

One year later, Hyeon-jun returns to Korea to seek revenge. During this time, the two Koreas are set to reunify, while the group “IRIS” are intent on stopping the reunification.

Full of action and suspense, Iris (2009) is one of the most expensive Korean series ever make.

8.Golden Cross (2014)

Speaking of secret societies here is a drama about a secret society known as ‘Golden Cross’.

It secretly controls the Korean economy and marketplace using its deep connections and financial power.

In the midst of it, prosecutor Kang Do-yoon (Kim Kang-woo) gets entangled in the society when his sister is murdered and his father gets framed for it.

Due to this, Do-yoon is set to get his revenge against the powerful man behind the organisation, Seo Dong-ha (Jeong Bo-seok).

Things gets complicated when Seo happens to be the father of the woman he loves. So do you seek vengeance on your potential father in-law?

Watch the trailer here.

9.Defendant (2017)

How do you prove your innocence when you have amnesia? Park Jung-woo (Ji Sung) is a renowned prosecutor at the Seoul Central Prosecution Office.

One day, he wakes up in a prison cell and is told that he has killed his wife and that his daughter is currently missing.

To make things worse, he suffers from temporary amnesia not remembering what happened.

Can Jung-woo proves his innocence as well as find the real culprit behind it?

The drama also stars Um Ki-joon, Kwon Yu-ri, Oh Chang-seok and Uhm Hyun-kyung.

Watch the trailer here.

10.Pinocchio (2014)

This Korean revenge drama showcases how irresponsible media organisations could ruin families and affect public perception.

It also shows how the rich and powerful could control the media by deverting the public’s attention to juicy, but ultimately unimportant news.

After a misleading news report destroys his family, Ha-myung (Lee Jong-suk) begins to live a new life as Dal-po.

He hides his intelligence and past memories behind a facade.

After years of being a taxi driver, he decides to become a reporter to prove his family’s innocence.

However, not everybody is like him who takes the high ground in taking revenge. Some people who just take the violent and bloody way to seek vengeance.

KajoPicks: 10 Chinese detective dramas you need to watch

If you are interested in Chinese detective dramas, here are KajoMag’s suggestions:

1.Love Me if You Dare (2015)

Impressive acting, diverse character and intriguing storyline; these are just some of the phrases to describe Love Me if You Dare (2015).

The lead of the drama is Bo Jinyan or Simon (Wallace Huo), a brilliant criminal psychologist. He works as an analyst and adviser of the police department.

Meanwhile, his assistant Jenny or Jian Yao (Sandra Ma) is an observant and analytical whose eyes on details always comes in handy in solving cases.

Together, they are hunting a serial killer who eventually turns his target on the duo.

The drama is full of suspense, especially in hunting down the real criminal mastermind behind all the cases they encountered.

Love Me if You Dare (2015) won the Innovative Themed Drama of the Year award in the first China Quality Television Drama Ceremony.

If you love the male lead as a genius detective but slightly quirky and eccentric, this is the drama for you.

It is originally adapted from Ding Mo’s novel of the same name published in July 2014.

2.When a Snail Falls in Love (2016)

Do not be fooled by the title of this Chinese detective drama, it is barely a romantic story. It is based on the novel of the same title written by the same author of Love Me if You Dare, Ding Mo.

Just like Love Me if You Dare, this drama offers amazing storytelling, plot twists and full of suspense along the way.

It circles around Ji Bai (Wang Kai), the leader of the Violent Crime Unit and the new intern Xu Xu (Wang Ziwen) who specialises in criminal profiling.

As a hobby, Xu Xu draws comic panels of the life of their department, portraying herself as a snail and Jin as a lion.

They have plenty of clashes between them in the beginning but eventually they overcome their difference and work well together as a team.

Watch this drama here on Youtube.

3.Medical Examiner Dr. Qin

If you love watching CSI, then you will love this Chinese detective drama.

It is one of those police procedural dramas focuses on the forensic aspect of a criminal investigation.

The drama follows an investigation team consisting of medical examiner Qin Ming (Zhang Ruoyun), his assistant Li Dabao (Jiao Junyan) and police officer Lin Tao (Li Xian).

The criminal cases featured in this drama are unpredictable, intriguing and full of suspense.

However, save yourself from disappointment and do not watch the second season of Medical Examiner Dr. Qin.

4.Detective L (2019)

Detective L 2

Set in 1930s Shanghai, this Chinese detective drama definitely worth watching. It has fascinating cinematography, unpredictable story line and impressive acting.

This story centers around detective Luo Fei (Johnny Bai) and a new recruit Qin Xiao Man (Una You).

Unlike other Chinese detective dramas, Detective L focuses on crimes that could happen in 1930s Shanghai and how detectives would solve them using whatever they had in those days.

And that usually involved a lot of observation and analytical skills.

If you loved Sherlock Holmes, you might enjoy this drama too.

5.Young Blood Agency (2019)

Chinese detective drama 1

Here is another Chinese detective drama set during the Republican era of Shanghai.

Young Blood Agency is an investigative agency dedicated to solving mysterious cases. The crimes are mostly unpredictable and intriguing enough to keep viewers watching.

Starring Jerry Yu, Tonny Liou, Li Xing and Zhang Wei Hang, this drama is also another youth drama.

If you are into handsome young men as the lead actors and old school kungfu scenes, this drama is for you.

You can watch this drama on YoYo English Channel on Youtube here.

6.Visible Lie (2018)

This Chinese detective drama is almost similar to American crime drama Lie to Me starring Tim Roth.

It centers around a genius student Xu Lang (Juck Zhang) who graduated in Criminal Psychology.

He joins the public security bureau after his graduation. While solving a cases, he got severely injured and ended up losing his younger brother.

The drama continues seven years later with Xu Lang now working as a professor.

Then, his friend Tang Sen invites him to join the newly established “Criminal Psychology Team X”.

Together with two other, the team focuses on solving unsolved cases using criminal psychology.

7.Cold Case (2019)

Speaking of unsolved cases, here is a Chinese detective drama which centers around them.

The best part is this drama is all about girl power as it the story focuses on four female detectives in reopening cold cases.

The team is made of Luo Ying Wei, Cai Wen Xin, Xia Luo Yang and Feng Yi.

Each of them has her own quirk and gift to bring to the table.

As they continue to solve cases, little that they know that they are up against a massive drug syndicate.

Watch this drama legally here for free.

8.Guardian (2018)

Based on web novel of the same name, here is a Chinese detective drama with a dose of fantasy.

It is set on the Earth-like planet of Haixing, populated by a native human population and two alien races.

The Yashou who are able to shape-shift into plants and animals and Dixing, super-powered beings who live deep underground.

Bai Yu plays Zhao Yunlan who leads the Special Investigation Department (SID).

Unlike other investigation team, it is a secret group that works with crimes committed by the Dixing people.

Zhao Yunlan works together with Shen Wei (Zhu Yilong), a university professor to investigate supernatural cases around them.

While the novel depicts the pair has a romantic relationship, the drama depicts their relationship to be just friends because it is prohibited to depict same-sex relationships on television.

9.Burning Ice (2017)

Based on the novel The Untouched Crime by Chen Zijin, Burning Ice (2017) circles around Detective Liang Yan (Hao Qin).

After being demoted due to his aggressive behaviour, he tries to redeem himself.

That is when he comes across a cold case which he believed caused by a killer he has been chasing.

The killer, known as The Snowman, becomes the centre of investigation throughout the series.

10.Memory Lost (2016)

Memory Lost (2016) is another Chinese detective drama starred by Bai Yu. In this drama, he plays Han Chen the vice-chief of the civic police team.

He loses his memory but is haunted by mysterious memories of his fiancee. Han Chen gets confused because everyone denies her existence.

Meanwhile, another member of the civic police team Bai Jingxi (Yang Rong) also lose her memory. Is there something happened in their pasts?

KajoPicks: 10 Korean series to watch if you love ‘chaebol’ dramas

If you are not familiar with the term chaebol, in South Korea, it means a large industrial conglomerate which is run by a family.

In some cases, they have been criticised for itheir monopolistic behaviour such as favour controlling shareholders and government corruption.

Outside their high-rise offices, their antics have often made headlines around the world. The perfect example is the ‘nut rage’ incident.

It took place on Dec 5, 2014 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York city.

The daughter of Cho Yang-ho, the Korean Air chairman, Cho Hyun-ah was so unhappy that the flight attendant served nuts on a plate that she ordered the aircraft to return to the gate before takeoff.

Hyun-ah was also the airline’s vice president. In 2018, Hyun-ah’s younger sister Cho Hyun-min allegedly did a classic K-drama move by hurling a cup of water at the face of a manager of an advertising agency during a business meeting.

Meanwhile their brother, Cho Won-tae made headlines in 2005 for assaulting a 77-year-old woman in the street. She was reportedly scolding him over his reckless driving.

In another case of chaebol tantrum, there was a case of then 10-year-old daughter of Bang Jung-oh who is the president of the cable channel TV Chosun in 2018.

She was caught on camera verbally abusing her driver. Some of the things she said included, “You are crippled. You are crippled without arms, face, legs, ears and mouth”.

Another time, the daughter said, “Your parents raised you wrong. Your parents taught all of your family members wrong. Because they were too poor, they didn’t even take you to hospital or dental clinic.”

No wonder the Korean entertainment scene loves to depict lives of chaebol families in their dramas.

If you are into Korean series depiction of chaebol dramas; from sibling rivalry, inheritance dispute to good-old water-splashing scenes, here are ten series you should watch:

1.Elegant/Graceful Family (2019)

How rich is the chaebol family in this drama? They are so rich that they even have a funeral for their pet fish. If you don’t think that is not wild and juicy enough for you? There is a scene where a violinist is hired to play while standing barefoot in the ice so that she could “express her music better”.

Overall, this drama has it all when it comes to chaebol dramas. Secret love child? Mysterious murder case? Fighting over company shares? Check, check and check. Manipulation over the media, loveless marriage and embezzlement? It has them all.

The storyline circles around Mo Seok-hee (Im Soo-hyang), the only daughter of the MC Group.

After her mother was mysteriously murdered, she was forced to go to the US.

15 years later, she returns to South Korea vowing to find her mother’s killer.

Besides her own family, another thing that stands in her way is the TOP Team of MC Group. It is a team which manages the Mo family affair. Their job includes covering up illegal activities committed by the family.

It is fun to watch especially because the protagonist, Seok-hee is feisty and definitely not a damsel in distress.

2.Secret Garden (2010)

What happens when Cinderella and Prince Charming switch bodies? Written by Kim Eun-sook, in this modern-day Cinderella story, Gil Ra-im (Ha Ji-won) is a poor stuntwoman. Through a misunderstanding, she comes across Kim Joo-won (Hyun Bin), a high-end department store CEO.

As their fates continuously collide, they find themselves in a mysterious secret garden where they are offered mysterious drinks. (I guess they never heard about Snow White and what happens to her after accepting an apple from a stranger in the woods.)

Anyhoo, they take the drinks and wake up in each other’s bodies the next morning.

It is amusing and interesting to watch as they navigate their lives after the body swaps.

As expected when a rich boy falls in love with a poor girl, the boy’s family is not entirely happy with it. So expect scenes like “I’ll pay you to leave my son alone!” kind of thing.

This drama was so famous when it first came out it created ‘Hyun Bin Syndrome’. After recorded its highest viewership ratings of 35 per cent, Hyun Bin was seen everywhere through advertisement, from newspaper to television.

3.Boys over Flowers (2009)

This drama is based on manga series “Hana Yori Dango” by Yoko Kamio. Most people do not know that the original Japanese title “Hana Yori Dango” (Boys over flowers) is actually a pun on the Japanese old saying ‘Dumplings over flowers’.

It refers to people who attend Hanami (flower festival) who focus on the materialistic side of the event such as buying food instead of enjoying the flowers.

As for the drama, it is set at a school for the super famous, centering on a poor girl and the richest boy in campus.

Gu Jun-pyo (Lee Min-ho) is the leader of a group called F4, the most popular gang in school of four good looking, who also happen to be the richest, boys in school.

He is also the spoilt heir to a wealthy conglomerate Shinhwa who owns the school.

Meanwhile, Gu Hye-seon (Guem Jan-di) is the daughter of a dry cleaner who attend the Shinhwa High School on a scholarship.

Is it fun to watch? Yes. Is it realistic? Of course not! There is no way that your rich teenage boyfriend will whisk you away to a tropical island on a private jet along with your best friend and brand new wardrobe of outfits right? Commoners like us will never know.

4.Cheongdam-dong Alice (2012)

Don’t you hate it when you work hard so in life but in the end the day you get surpassed by someone who has less talent and does nothing but using their money and connections?

This drama follows Han Se-kyung (Moon Geun-young) who at first believes she can achieve anything in life with the belief that ‘hard work is my strength’.

After numerous job interviews, she finally gets hired by an apparel company. Although she is a talented designer, she is hired as an errand girl for the president’s wife. The wife turns out to be Se-kyung’s her high school classmate and rival Seo Yoon-joo (So Yi-hyun).

Believing that the only way for her to succeed is to marry rich, she embarks on a quest to become a “Cheongdam-dong daughter in-law”.

It is a term referring to young married women who live in that wealthy neighbourhood. Cheongdam-dong refers to Cheongdam neighbourhood in Gangnam, Seoul which is famous for its high-end fashion shops.

5.The Heirs (2013)

After starring as the heir of Korean conglomerate Shinhwa in Boys Over Flowers, Lee Min-ho becomes the wealthy heir of another chaebol called Jeguk Group in The Heirs.

Similarly, The Heirs is set in a high school populated by the privileged and rich. Then comes another poor girl Cha Eun-sang (Park Shin-hye) who is on scholarship to the school.

Choi Young-do (Kim Woo-bin), Kim Tan’s former best friend turned enemy begins bullying Eun-Sang just to irritate Tan. Thing gets hotter when Young-do also falls in love with Eun-sang.

Underneath the rich boy-poor girl romance storyline, the drama also addresses important issues such mental health among high school students, the impact of parents’ divorce on children and pressure from parents to achieve excellency in school.

6.Monster (2016)

What would a greedy person do to the only heir to a chaebol cooperation who happens to be blind? In a classic story of a Korean drama-land, you would try to kill him and take away his inheritance.

In Monster (2016) Lee Guk-cheol (Kang Ji-hwan) lost his wealth and inheritance to his greedy uncle.

From being a spoilt rich heir with an army of maids serving him, he become a poor, blind beggar overnight.

One day, he is given an opportunity to use a new identity, Kang Ki-tan. Using his new connection and identity, Guk-cheol slowly plans for his revenge and trying to earn back what is truly his in the first place.

With 50 episodes, brace yourself for a lot of corporate drama with buying and selling stock company just to gain control.

7.Crash Landing on You (2019)

chaebol drama

Not all chaebol heirs or heiress are incompetent, some (unfairly) beautiful, successful and intelligent like Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin) in Crash Landing On You (2019).

While she is a chaebol heiress, she is also an illegitimate daughter to her wealthy father. Despite being the target of resentment from her stepmother, half-brothers and their wives, Se-ri run her own successful fashion company, Seri’s Choice.

She is also known for her publicity stunts that she pulled just to publicise her brand. During one of her stunt, she accidentally crash-landing in North Korea when paragliding.

With her family and company all assuming her to be dead, the most satisfying part is to watch their reactions when Se-ri returns to South Korea.

To date, it is the highest rate tvN drama and the third highest-rated South Korean TV drama in cable television history.

The drama also features Hyun Bin who charms viewers in his North Korean accent portraying a captain in the Korean People’s Army.

Watch the trailer here.

8.High Society (2015)

Jang Yoon-ha (Uee) is the youngest daughter of a chaebol family. Instead of living the life of a typical upper class, she takes part-time job in a supermarket to run away from her family problem.

It is also a chance for her to live a normal, ordinary life. While hiding her identity, she makes friends with poor girl Lee Ji-yi (Lim Ji-yeon) and dates Choi Joon-ki (Sung Joon).

Things change when her brother dies in a flight crash and friend as well as boyfriend find out her true identity. She finds herself joining the family business handling the cosmetic department. Meanwhile, Yoon-ha’s sister her sister who wanted to kick her out from the company.

When rich siblings fight, they don’t fight over the last piece of pizza or what to watch on TV, they fight over who owns the company.

9.My Fair Lady (2009)

Kang Hye-na (Yoon Eun-hye) is a rich heiress who lost her parents in a plane crash.

Due to her lonely upbringing while living under her strict grandfather, Hye-na becomes a self-centred and indifferent as an adult.

She finally meets her match when she comes across Seo Dang-chan (Yoon Sang-hyun), a former gigolo.

Ultimately, Hye-na’s life turns upside down when Dang-chan shows up at her home as her new household manager.

10.Secret Love (2013)

When a second-generation chaebol heir Jo Min-hyuk (Ji Sung) lost his girlfriend in a hit and run accident, he vows for revenge.

He believed that Kang Yoo-jung (Hwang Jung-eum) who was responsible for her girlfriend’s death.

Little does she know that Yoo-jung sacrifices her future by going to prison in place of her then-boyfriend Ahn Do-hoon (Bae Soo-bin).

Do-hoon is the jerk in the story, a prosecutor who is hungry for power.

The story circles around revenge, family dramas, and toxic relationships.

KajoPicks: 5 variety shows you must watch on KBS World

KBS World is a South Korean channel operated by Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) aimed at international audiences.

It is available in 117 countries including US, European countries and most Asian countries such as China, Japan as well as Malaysia.

Viewers can also watch KBS World through its Youtube channel.

Every Korean broadcasting company has its own distinct style when it comes to their drama production. For example, OCN is known for its thriller and crime drama.

Meanwhile, viewers can expect heartwarming stories circling on family and love from KBS World.

Even their variety shows manage to combine both humour and life lessons while entertaining the audience.

Here are KajoMag’s top five favourite variety shows you must watch on KBS World:

1.Boss in the Mirror

KBS World
Watch how Boss Yang Chi-seung coping with his business due to Covid-19 here.

This variety show focuses on Korean celebrity bosses going through self-examinations to create better working environment for their employees.

Every episode features inspiring bosses, all of whom have their own flaws.

Meanwhile, each company featured on this show has different kinds of working environments. Moreover, it is interesting to watch the interaction between the bosses and their employees

During this digital age, for instance, business owners should know how to re-strategise their business in order to survive.

Born in 1956, Korean designer and hanbok store owner Park Sul-nyeo is a strong believer in the power of social media.

She even teaches one of her younger employees how to write an Instagram caption and use hashtags to promote her business.

Another inspiring boss on the show is Jini, a Korean Youtuber who has at least 2.35 million subscribers on her channel.

She runs a startup company to handle her Youtube channels.

2.Battle Trip

KBS World 2
Watch this episode of Battle Trip at Kota Kinabalu here.

Even if you are not able to travel, it is always fun to watch a travel show.

Battle Trip is known to be helpful for travellers, giving useful tips on food to eat and things to do.

Viewers can easily get a rough idea of what to plan for their itinerary as well as budget.

Apart from that, viewers can take note of what to watch out for if you are planning to go to the same destinations.

If you are watching KBS World on Youtube, the channel now features snippets of Battle Trip’s episode focusing only on their eating sessions.

3.Star’s Top Fun-Staurant

KBS World 3
This is the moment when dalgona coffee was made famous

If you have ever heard or tried the internet-famous dalgona coffee, you have to thank this show called Stars’ Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant.

In one of the episodes, actor Jung Il-woo went to Macau and had its local coffee. He gave it the nickname dalgona for its resemblance to the traditional Korean sponge candy of the same name. Since then, the internet has gone wild, making it the most famous beverage in 2020.

The outline of this show is to have celebrities competing to make new products for the convenience stores.

In South Korea, the convenience stores are more than just a place for you to grab things. It is also a place to have a proper meal.

Patrons can buy these frozen meals and pop them in the microwave oven then enjoy their meal right there at the convenience store.

The aim of this show is to promote Korean agricultural produce such as wheat, pork or chicken.

In every round of the competition, the celebrities have to create a recipe using the designated agricultural produce.

Before that, these celebrities will go on food hunts not only around South Korea but sometimes other countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and Macau where Il-woo had his dalgona coffee.

One of the celebrities Lee Kyung-kyu had a bowl of Sarawak laksa in Taiwan and did not like it.

If the celebrity won, his or her recipe will be produced into a frozen or instant food made available in all the convenience stores in South Korea.

The best part is that the profits are given to help undernourished children.

Besides watching these celebrities having ups and down in creating their recipes, it is also helpful to take note of the places they eat at in the shows.

4.The Return of The Superman

What happens when fathers are left to care for their kids alone for 48 hours without any help while wives get to have some time off?

This show showcases multiple celebrity dads spending alone time with their children when their mothers are not around.

As you can expect, the first part of the show usually shows the wife leaving home before the 48 hours begin and ends at the 48-hour mark.

During this time, the fathers and their children sometimes caery out a task left by their wives.

Sometimes, they just explore new activities with their kids.

What makes this show amazing is how well-behaved these children can be. Professional football player Park Joo-ho’s five-year-old daughter Na-eun for instance knows how to take care of her younger brother three-year-old son Geon-hoo. She even knows how to prepare a simple breakfast for her brother.

The Park family is currently on hiatus from the show right now due to the birth of Na-eun and Geon-hoo’s younger sibling. We will miss watching Nae-eun speaking fluently in four languages (Korean, English, German and Spanish) on the show.

Nonetheless, other children especially Gary’s son Haoh and Moon Hee-jun’s daughter JamJam are so cute to watch.

5.2 Days 1 Night

The Burning Sun Scandal really marred the Korean entertainment industry like never before.

The 2019 entertainment and sex scandal which involved K-pop idols and even police officials started with a prominent nightclub in Seoul, Burning Sun. It was later investigated for prostitution, drug trafficking and police corruption.

From there, the scandal erupted to allegations of rape and spy cam. Singer and entertainer Jung Joon-young confessed to secretly filming having sex with women and sharing the videos in a chatroom.

Following the scandal, Joon-young announced his resignation from the entertainment industry, quitting all the shows which he starred in.

The production team of 2 Days & 1 Night also announced that Joon-young was permanently removed from the show.

This move resulted in KBS halting all production and broadcast of 2 Days & 1 Night. The chatroom also exposed another two members of the show Cha Tae-hyun and Kim Jun-ho’s involvement in illegal gambling. With this, the third season of 2 Days & 1 Night ended abruptly.

Thankfully, the fourth season of the show returned in December 8, 2019 with only one original cast member, Kim Jong-min.

Together with Yeon Jung-hoon, Moon Se-yeon, Kim Seon-ho, DinDin and Ravi, the new members give a breath of fresh air to the show.

Most of them are relatively new in variety shows. It is fun to see these actors Kim Seon-ho and Yeon Jung-hoon as well as K-pop idol Ravi shedding their public images and let loose on the show.

The concept of the show is to recommend various places of interest that viewers can visit in South Korea. Along this trip, the members of the show would play games and compete against each other.

KajoPicks: 8 Korean ‘noona’ romance drama you should watch

Usually, it is not a big deal when a man dates a younger woman. However when a woman dates a younger man, it is suddenly a big deal.

In South Korea, ‘noona’ (elder sister) is term used by a younger man to address an older woman.

Recently, there has been a rise of dramas depicting relationships between an older woman with a younger man. K-drama fans call it noona romance.

Some of these dramas portray the real prejudice and stereotypes against women who are in May-December relationships with younger men. At the same time, it also depicts the struggle of men who are in love with older women.

If you are into noona romance, here are 8 South Korean drama you should watch:

1.Encounter (2018)

Noona 1
Watch the trailer here.

In most Korean dramas, it is okay when a male CEO dates his employee but when a female CEO dates a younger male employee, suddenly the world goes crazy in Encounter (2018).

The drama follows Cha Soo-hyun (Song Hye-kyo) the daughter of a politician and the CEO of a hotel.

She married the son of a conglomerate family out of convenience for her father’s political career.

Her marriage is breaking apart because her husband is cheating on her.

During a trip to Cuba, she comes across Kim Jin-hyeok (Park Bo-gum), an ordinary young man looking for adventure in life.

They have a brief encounter in the foreign country and make memories together.

When he returns to South Korea, he finds out he is hired for a job in a hotel and Soo-hyun is his boss.

This couple has so many ups and downs, from dealing with Soo-hyun’s former in-laws to office gossips and paparazzi.

It ranks at 17th spot of the highest rated dramas in Korean cable television history.

2.A Witch’s Love (2014)

Noona 2
Watch the trailer here.

When a man is aggressive with his career, people mostly would say he is just being passionate. But when a women is aggressive with her job, some might say she is being a ‘b*tch’.

In this drama, Ban Ji-yeon (Uhm Jung-hwa) is so passionate about her job as an investigative news reporter that her colleagues call her a ‘witch’ behind her back.

After her last boyfriend disappeared right before their wedding day, Ji-yeon focuses all her attention on her career.

Meanwhile, Yoon Dong-ha (Park Seo-joon) is a 25-year-old guy who runs an errand center with his friends.

Despite looking happy, he is actually still mourning after losing his girlfriend to a fatal heart problem.

At first glance, Ji-yeon and Dong-ha seem like has nothing in common. They even have 14 years difference in age.

As they spend time with each other, they realise they have a lot in common with each other, including their grief over lost loves.

3.I Can Hear Your Voice (2013)

Rather than focusing on the noona romance, this drama centers around a couple trying to catch a killer.

The ‘noona’ here is public defender Jang Hye-sung (Lee Bo-young) who does not care about her clients.

Meanwhile, the younger man is Park Soo-ha (Lee Jong-suk) who after witnessing his father being killed, , gains the supernatural ability of reading people’s minds by looking into their eyes.

When they were younger, 15-year-old Hye-sung testified during Soo-ha’s father murder trial. This caused the murderer to be convicted and imprisoned.

Since then, the 9-year-old Soo-ha has harboured a crush on her.

When he meets her again 10 years later, she turns out nothing like he expects to be as the murder has affected them both one way or another.

4.When the Camellia Blooms (2019)

Noona 3 1
Watch the trailer here.

Here is another drama which combines ‘noona’ romance and thriller perfectly.

The story starts with Oh Dong-baek, a single mother who opens a bar named Camellia in the fictional town of Ongsan.

Six years later, a younger man working as a policeman Yong-sik falls in love with her.

She rejects him but he persists despite his mother’s opposition.

Then, Dong-baek’s former lover and the father of her child comes to town trying to win her back.

It is all love and romance until a serial killer shows up in town aiming at Dong-baek as his next victim.

The drama stars Gong Hyo-jin, Kang Ha-neul, Kim Ji-seok, Son Dam-bi and Kim Kang-hoon.

5.Romance is a Bonus Book (2019)

Noona 6
Watch the trailer here.

“Noona, can I sleep here?” is perhaps one memorable lines of Cha Eun-ho (Lee Jong-suk) in this drama.

Eun-ho is a successful writer and the youngest editor-in-chief of a publishing company.

He has romantic feelings for his long-time friend Kang Dan-i. Meanwhile, Dan-I (Lee Na-young) is an unemployed divorcee who later joins the publishing company as a temporary task support team member.

As they begin to work together in the same company, they become more involved in each others’ lives.

Romance is a Bonus Book is Lee Jong-suk’s first romantic comedy drama since his breakout role in School 2013 (2012).

6.High School King of Savvy (2014)

Lee Min-suk (Seo In-guk) is a high school student and varsity ice hockey player.

He and his older brother Hyung-suk look very much alike, despite their nine-year age gap.

When he gets a mysterious phone call from Hyung-suk telling him to impersonate his brother at the latter’s new job, Min-suk is forced to pretend to be a high-ranking executive at an IT conglomerate.

Living a double life, Min-suk learns how to navigate his way in the world of adults while balancing his high school life

With the help of Jung Soo-young (Lee Ha-na), a temp with an odd personality whom he eventually falls in love with, he manages to pull out even from the stickiest situation.

In terms of romance, the drama highlights a stereotypical mindset that man has to pay for everything especially on dates. Since Min-suk is still a student, what happen when he goes out for a sudden double dates Soo-young and is expected to pay for dinner?

7.Secret Love Affair (2014)

Noona 5
Watch snippet of the drama here.

Before Kim Hee-ae got cheated on in World of the Married (2020), she was the cheater in Secret Love Affair (2014).

Here, she plays Oh Hye-won, a 40-year-old married woman working as the director of planning for the Seohan Arts Foundation.

She is composed, elegant and seems like leading a fulfilling life. Her scandalous rendezvous starts when she meets Lee Sun-jae (Yoo Ah-in), a poor genius pianist.

Can they keep their scandalous romance a secret?

This romance melodrama explores the struggle between attraction and the expectations from people around you.

8.Something in the Rain (2018)

Noona 4
Watch the teaser for the first episode here.

There are so many underlying themes in this drama which resonate to women especially those who are living in a conservative Asian society.

Also known as Pretty Noona Who Buys Me Food, the drama highlights more than just the stigma surrounding a woman dating a younger man.

The love story circles around Jin-ah (Son Ye-jin), a 30-something district supervisor at a cafe franchise and Joon-hee (Jung Hae-in), a 20-something animator for video games.

Joon-hee is the younger brother of Jin-ah’s best friend, Jang So-yeon. Moreover, Jin-ah’s younger brother is best friend with Joon-hee.

Perhaps the most infuriating character in the drama is none other than Jin-ah’s mother Kim Mi-yeon (Gil Hae-yeon).

She blames her daughter when her ex-boyfriend cheated on her during their relationship. Besides that, she asks her son to not hang out with Joon-hee because he grows up without his parents and not of a wealthy status. She even pushes her daughter to marriage just because she is already in her 30s.

Additionally, the drama follows the struggles of female employees in the company who usually have to suffer through sexual harassment from male superiors in order to climb the corporate ladder.

As the drama touches so many raw nerves in Asian society, no wonder Something in the Rain is one of the most highest-rated Korean dramas in 2018.

You can watch Something in the Rain on Netflix.

KajoPicks: 15 webtoon adaptations into Korean dramas you should watch

A webtoon is a type of digital comic that originated in South Korea. Just like how J-dramas are often inspired by manga or anime, there are more South Korean dramas based on webtoons these days.

So here are KajoMag’s pick of 15 webtoon adaptations into dramas you should watch:

1.Orange Marmalade (2015)

Korean webtoon 10
Watch the trailer here.

This Korean drama is based on the Naver webtoon of the same name published from 2011 to 2013.

It stars Yeo Jin-goo, Kim Seol-hyun, Lee Jong-hyun and Gil Eun-hye.

The story goes that 300 years ago, humans and vampires signed a peace treaty.

Nonetheless, they still do not get along well with each other. Even though the vampires no longer rely on human blood as food, they are still discriminated on by humans.

This causes many vampires to hide their identities including Baek Ma-ri (Kim Seol-hyun). She falls in love with Jung Jae-min (Yeo Jin-goo), the most popular boy at her high school (of course). What happens when Jae-min finds out Ma-ri’s true identity?

Orange Marmalade won the Best New Actor (Yeo Jin-Goo) and Popularity Actress Award (Seol-hyun) during the 2015 KBS Drama Awards.

2.Hey Ghost, Let’s Fight (2016)

Korean Webtoon 11
Watch the trailer here.

How do you get rid of a ghost? Use holy water, crucifix or long chanting? In this drama, the male lead character gets rid of ghosts using nothing but his fist.

Park Bong-pal (Ok Taec-yeon) uses his ability to see ghosts to banish ghosts.

When he is tasked to get rid of a ghost at a haunted high school, he comes across Kim Hyun-ji (Kim So-hyun) who became a wandering spirit due to a traffic accident.

With Hyun-ji, Bong-pal finds that he can fight even stronger ghosts. Together with two other Bong-pal’s collegemates, they form a ghost fighting team.

Sometimes scary, sometimes funny, the drama is overall entertaining to watch.

3.The Tale of Nokdu (2019)

Korean webtoon 9
Watch the trailer here.

Jeon Nok-du (Jang Dong-yoon) lives on an island with his father and older brother.

Since he was young, his father would never allow him to go to the mainland. He grows up becoming a good swordsman.

One day, his father and older brother are attacked by a group of female assassins.

To find out who and why his family was attached, Nok-du has to disguise himself as a woman to enter a mysterious women-only village.

There, he meets Dong Dong-ju (Kim So-hyun), a woman who refuses to become a kisaeng.

Based on the webtoon by Hye Jin-yang published in 2014, the drama was one of the most talked about Korean dramas in 2019.

4.What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018)

Whats Wrong With Secretary Kim

What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim started first as a novel of the same title. Written by Jung Kyung-yoon, the novel was published in 2013.

Then in 2015, it was serialized into a webtoon via KakaoPage.

The drama adaptation of the webtoon takes place in 2016 with Park Seo-joon and Park Min-young in the starring roles.

What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim marks Min-young’s first romantic comedy role since her debut in 2005.

Meanwhile, Seo-joon’s performance in the drama gained positive reviews among the critics being dubbed the ‘master of romantic comedy’ by the Korean press.

The plot revolves around the ambitious and self-absorbed vice-chairman of a major corporation Lee Young-joon (Seo-joon). One day, his highly capable secretary of nine years Kim Mi-soo (Min-young) decides to resign from her job.

Will Young-joon let her go or will Mi-soo have a change of heart?

The drama is one of the highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television history.

5.Gangnam Beauty (2018)

Korean webtoon 8
Watch the trailer here.

At first glance, the drama is a basic campus romance story. Boy likes girl, girl keeps on rejecting boy and the girl finally realises that she likes the boy too.

However, its underlying theme of superficial beauty standards not only resonates in Korean society but the rest of the world.

The title of the webtoon and television series, Gangnam Beauty is actually a derogatory term in South Korea. It refers to those who are attractive but look as if they went through plastic surgery.

Im Soo-hyang’s portrayal of Kang Mi-rae, who decides to get plastic surgery after years of being bullied for her looks, is praise-worthy.

She starts being insecure even after her plastic surgery and slowly recovers her self-esteem throughout the drama.

Mi-rae also receives help from her collegemate, Do Kyung-seok (Cha Eun-woo) who look beyond her look.

Furthermore, the drama is able to portray rare themes in Korean series such as bulimia and discrimination based on physical looks in South Korea.

6.Save Me (2017)

Cults, violence, secret society, torture and even murder; this drama has them all.

Based on the popular Daum webtoon Out of the World by Jo Geum-san, the drama stars Ok Taec-yeon, Seo Ye-ji, Jo Sung-ha and Woo Do-hwan.

It centres around Im Sang-mi who moves from Seoul to Muji-gun, a suburban town with her family.

Sangmi’s brother, Sang-jin is bullied mercilessly at school pushing him to suicide.

The incident causes Sangmi’s to fall apart. Taking advantage of their state, the leader of a church called Goseonwon lures Sangmi’s into their community. Disguised as a peaceful church, Goseonwon is actually a religious cult.

Sang-mi becomes trapped until three years later, Sang-mi’s previous classmate Han Sang-hwan comes back to town.

Together with three friends, the group tries to expose the dark reality of the cult.

Watch Save Me’s trailer here.

7.Love Alarm (2019)

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Watch Love Alarm’s trailer here.

What if we have an app that tells us there is someone we like within our vicinity? Would our love life be easier then?

The drama revolves around the story of a disruptive technology that enables users to discover love through an application. It notifies whether someone within the vicinity of a 10-meter radius has romantic feelings for them.

Based on the Daum webtoon of the same name, it stars Kim So-hyun, Jung Ga-ram and Song Kang.

Chon Kye-young, the webtoon author, is one of South Korea’s most popular graphic novelists.

The plot circles around Kim Jo-jo, a high school student who is having a hard life after the deaths of her parents.

Her high school life gets complicated when two boys, popular kid in school Hwang Sun-oh and his best friend Lee Hye-young start to pay attention to her.

A commercial success, Love Alarm (2019) was one of Netflix’s top releases in 2019.

8.Extraordinary You (2019)

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Speaking of high school drama, Extraordinary You has almost all the things a high school drama needs; humour, romance, suspense and a little dose of fantasy.

The series follows high school girl Eun Dan-oh (Kim Hye-yoon) who is a student at a prestigious academy.

Things turn upside down for her when she find out that the world she lives in is a fantasy world of comics.

Dan-oh and everyone around her are just characters in a comic book entitled ‘Secret’.

She later finds out that she is just a supporting character in the comic and is expected to die soon.

What happen when Dan-oh decide to go against the writer’s storyline and create her own destiny? Will it work or will the plan backfires?

On top of that, who else beside Dan-oh are aware of that they are just characters in a comic book?

Based on the webtoon July Found by Chance, the drama stars Kim Hye-yoon, Rowoon, Lee Jae-wook and Lee Na-eun.

9.Tale of Fairy (2018)

Tale of Fairy is a popular webtoon by Dol Bae published via Naver Webtoon in 2017.

In 2018, it was adapted into a drama starring Moon Chae-won, Yoon Hyun-min, Seo Ji-hoon, Jeon Soo-jin and Kang Mi-na.

It revolves around a 669-year-old who has lived since the Goryeo dynasty. In this modern time, she works as a barista and has a special ability to talk to plants.

The plot starts to climax when she meets two potential reincarnations of her former husband.

Watch the trailer here.

10.A Girl Who Sees Smells (2015)

After the murder of his sister by the ‘Barcode’ serial killer, Choi Moo-gak (Park Yoo-chun) is determined to become a police inspector and solve her case.

Meanwhile, Oh Cho-rim (Shin Se-kyung) witnesses the murder of her parents,becoming the sole witness of the Barcode serial murders.

However, both of them are traumatised in their own ways after the murders.

Moo-gak becomes unable to smell or taste while Cho-rim acquires a strange ability of being able to see smells as patterns in the air.

Together, they both work to solve the series of the Barcode murders.
It is adapted from the KTOON webtoon of the same title by Seo Soo-kyung.

11.Itaewon Class (2020)

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This webtoon adaptation tells the story of ex-convict Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Seo-joon) whose life has been turned upside down after he gets expelled from school for punching a bully and his father is killed in an accident.

Following his father’s steps, he opens his bar-restaurant DanBam (Sweet Night) in Itaewon.

Alongside his manager, Jo Yi-seo (Kim Da-Mi) and his staff, he aims for success while battling against a food conglomerate, Jangga Group.

Currently, Itaewon Class is the seventh highest rated drama in Korean cable television history.

It is based on the webtoon of the same name published on Daum.

Watch the trailer here.

12.Strangers from Hell (2019)

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If it is broadcast on OCN, you know it would be a good, chilling thriller.

Also known as Hell is Other People, it follows Yoon Jong-woo (Im Si-wan) who moves to Seoul after landing an internship.

While looking for accommodation, he stumbles upon Eden Studio. It looks ominous but it is a cheap dormitory.

Jong-woo decides to stay because he is low in money.

What happen when things start to get weird in the dormitory?

It adapted from the Naver webtoon of the same name by Kim Yong-ki.

Watch the trailer here.

13.Memorist (2020)

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Based on the Daum webtoon of the same name by Jae Hoo published on 2016-2018, this crime drama stars Yoo Seung-ho, Lee Se-young and Jo Sung-ha.

It follows Dong Baek who uses his power to read people’s memories to solve crimes as a detective.

Together with criminal profiler Han Sun-mi, they team up to stop a serial killer. In a classic Korean drama’s turn of events, their pasts begins to unravel as the murders start to escalate.

Watch Memorist’ trailer here.

14.Pegasus Market (2019)

Moon Suk-goo (Lee Dong-hwi) works as a manager at Cheonrima Mart, which belongs to the Daema Group.

Cheonrima Mart’s future looks bleak as they don’t have many customers.

One day, Jung Bok-dong (Kim Byung-chul), who was an executive at Cheonrima Group, is demoted to the CEO position at Cheonrima Mart.

Suk-Goo begins to have hope that the store will experience a turnaround with the new CEO.

However, Bok-dong wants to destroy Cheonrima Mart to take revenge on the parent company for his demotion.

Unexpectedly, Bok-dong’s actions soon causes the store to attract customers.

It is based on Kim Gyu-sam’s webtoon of the same name.

15.Method to Hate You (2019)

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Watch this drama here.

If a campus romance drama is your thing, this is the drama for you.

Also known as How to Hate You, this web drama follows the dating adventure of a college freshman Oh Mi-ri.

It also stars Na Jae-min, Lee Jong-won and Kim Ji-in as Oh Mi-ri.

KajoPicks: 8 Korean dramas set during the Goryeo dynasty to watch

The Goryeo dynasty was a Korean kingdom which spanned the years 918 to 1392.

In the beginning, the once prosperous kingdom of Later Silla (one of the three kingdoms of Korea) ruled much of the Korean Peninsula since the late 7th century. Then the kingdom began to crumble in the late 9th century due to internal turmoil.

This caused the revival of ancient states of Baekje and Goguryeo which also known as Later Baekje and Later Goguryeo respectively.

From Later Goguryeo (also known as Taebong) came out a general named Wang Geon. In 918, four other top-ranked generals of Taebong; Hong Yu, Bae Hyeongyeong, Shin Sung-gyeom and Bok Ji-gyeom overthrew Taebong’s ruling king Gung Ye.

The generals then crowned Wang Geon as the king. After taking the name King Taejo, the new king renamed the kingdom Goryeo and begun the new Goryeo dynasty.

Subsequently, King Taejo peacefully annexed Later Silla in 935 and military conquered Later Baekje in 936. Hence, he successfully unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula under one ruling.

According to history, the Goryeo dynasty was a period of intense religious fervour. It was when everyone from the kings to the lowest subjects all were Buddhist.

The name “Korea” is derived from the name “Goryeo” which also spelled Koryo.

If you are looking for Korean dramas based on Goryeo dynasty, here are KajoMag’s suggestions:

1.Empress Cheonchu (2009)

This Korean period drama series is based on the granddaughter of Goryeo dynasty founder Taejo Wanggeon.

Known as Queen Heonae, she was the third Queen consort of King Gyeongjong of Goryeo who is also her first cousin.

The story plot circles around her desire to win back her son Mokjong from her brother Seongjong when he decides to have his nephew succeed him as ruler.

Seongjong believes she is not capable of raising him to become an Emperor. Plus, Seongjong and his wife do not have a child of their own.

Despite the conflict, Seongjong and his sister continue to work together to protect their country from invasion and internal power struggles.

Directed by Shin Chang-suk and Hwang In-hyuk, the drama stars Chae Shi-ra, Kim Suk-hoon and Choi Jae-sung.

2.Empress Ki (2013)

From 1270 to 1356, the Goryeo kingdom came under the Yuan dynasty of Mongol Empire. During this time, there were many intermarriages between Goryeo and Yuan dynasties.

Empress Ki was one of the primary empresses of Toghon Temur of the Yuan dynasty. She later became the mother of Emperor Zhaozong of Yuan.

Originally from an aristocratic family of Goryeo dynasty, she came to Yuan as an imperial concubine of Toghon Temur.

The drama Empress Ki (2013) revolves around a woman named Ki Seung Nyang (Ha Ji-won). It showcases how she slowly rises to power from a consort to Toghon Temur (Emperor of Mongol Empire) to become an empress of the Yuan dynasty.

If you love political dramas in the royal court with all the betrayal and framing, Empress Ki (2013) is definitely worth-watching.

It also stars Ji Chang-wook as Toghon Temur and Joo Jin-mo as Wang Yoo, the King of Goryeo.

The drama was a domestic and international hit, winning the Golden Bird Prize for Serial Drama at the 9th Seoul International Drama Awards.

Watch the trailer here.

3.God of War (2012)

The Goryeosa (History of Goryeo) is the main surviving history record of Korea’s Goryeo dynasty.

It was composed nearly a century after the fall of Goryeo, during the reign of King Sejong.

One of the historical figures written in it is Kim Jun. What makes Kim Jun interesting and different from other historical figures from Goryeo dynasty is that he is not of royal blood.

He is the son of an escaped palace slave who was raised by monks.

During the Mongol invasions of Korea, Kim Jun rises in the ranks to become the top military official.

He eventually becomes the ruler of Goryeo dynasty for 60 years in place of its king.

The drama God of War (2012) is based on the story of Kim Jun. It stars Kim Joo-hyuk as the real-life historical figure.

4.The Great Seer (2012)

Mok Ji-sang (Ji Sung) is a gifted seer who was born with the ability to see into people’s pasts and futures.

However, there are those who believe him to possess dark supernatural powers, thinking him possessed by ghosts.

As he grows up into adulthood in the late Goryeo era, he becomes a scholar of divination and fortune telling.

He eventually becomes a ‘king-maker’ who holds the key to a major political shift in the overthrow of Goryeo and the rise of Joseon dynasty.

The Great Seer (2012) is set during the turbulent decline of Goryeo when divination practitioners hold powers over the fate of the country.

5.Jeong Do-jeon (2014)

Jeong Do-jeon (1342-1398) is a real-life historical figure. He was a prominent Korean scholar-official during the late Goryeo to the early Joseon dynasty.

The drama focuses on the crucial role Do-jeon had in the planning and founding of Joseon dynasty.

Many critics hailed it as one of the most “authentic” and “realistic” Korean historical dramas.

The plot begins in 1374 during the final year of King Gongmin of Goryeo. At the time, the dynasty is marked with corruption and political chaos.

Then comes Do-jeon, a politician and aristocrat who helps Yi Seong-gye (later King Taejo) to establish a new dynasty, Joseon.

Starring Cho Jae-hyun and Yoo Dong-geun, the series won the Grand Prize (Daesang), Best Director and Best Writer at 41st Korea Broadcasting Awards.

Watch the trailer here.

6.The King in Love (2017)

Here is a fictional romance story based during the Goryeo dynasty. It tells the story of a young and ambitious monarch Won (Im Si-wan) and his childhood friend Wang Rin (Hong Jong-hyun) and a beautiful young woman named Eun San (Im Yoon-ah).

The three become best friends. Things start to change when both men fall in love with Eun San.

Even though Wang Rin is in love with Eun San, due to his duty to Won as his personal bodyguard and their friendship, he hides his feelings for her.

It is a romance melodrama stories about friendship, brotherhood and love.

The character Won is inspired by King Chungseon of Goryeo (1275-1325). He was the 28th king of the Goryeo dynasty. He was the eldest son of King Chungryeol and his queen from the Yuan royal family.

Watch the trailer here.

7.Shine or Go Crazy (2015)

Based on the novel of the same name by Hyun Go-woon, this is a drama about romance between Goryeo prince and a Balhae princess.

The Goryeo prince is a real-life prince named Wang So. In this drama, he is exiled from the palace and shunned by the royal family because there is a prophecy which foretells that he will turn the country into a river of blood. After his loses his right to the throne, he lives an isolated life.

Meanwhile, Shin Yool is the princess of Later Balhae (927-1030/1064). This ancient state in Manchuria emerged after Balhae was destroyed by the Liao Empire.

In the series, she narrowly escaped death as child at the hand of her own people because of a prophecy. The prophecy states that she will become “the light of another nation.”

Somehow, Wang So and Shin Yool are married and begin to fall in love with each other. How do they cope with their marriage and will Wang So claim his place on the throne?

Watch the trailer here.

8.Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016)

Here is another drama based on Wang So who later became Gwanjong the fourth King of Goryeo.

A 25-year-old 21st-century woman, Go Ha-jin (Lee Ji-eun), is transported back in time to the Goryeo dynasty.

She wakes up in the year of 941 in the body of Hae Soo, among the many royal princes of the ruling Wang family. She initially falls in love with the gentle and warm-hearted eighth Prince Wang Wook (Kang Ha-neul).

Then, her heart turns to Wang So (Lee Joon-gi), the fearsome fourth Prince who hides his face behind a mask and is given the derogatory label of “wolf dog.”

As the plots unfolds, Hae Soo finds herself unwittingly caught between the rivalry and politics among the princes over the fight for the throne.

In the midst of the political struggle among the princes to fight for the throne, it is about family, love and brotherhood.

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Scarlet Heart Ryeo promotional poster. Watch the trailer here.

KajoPicks: 10 South Korean police procedural dramas you need to watch

Also known as police crime drama, a police procedural series focuses on the investigative procedure of crimes.

The protagonist of this type of drama is usually a police officer or the whole team from a department.

Instead of focusing only on the crime itself, this genre of drama draws the viewers’ attention to the effort goes into solving the crime.

There are different angles of a police procedural drama. For examples, the CSI franchise, Bones, and Body of Proof focus on solving crimes using forensic.

If this is your cup of tea, here are 10 South Korean police procedural dramas you need to watch:

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Did watching any police procedural dramas inspired you to be a police as a child? Credits: Pixabay.

1.Stranger (2017)

When Hwang Shi-mok (Cho Seung-woo) had brain surgery as a child, it caused him to lack in emotion.

He grows up to be a rational but cold prosecutor who is never involved in corruption. One day, he comes across a murder case. Together with police lieutenant Han Yeo-jin (Bae Doo-na), they work together to solve the homicide case and eradicate the corruption cases plaguing the prosecutor’s office.

Stranger (2017) is one of the highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television history. It was even featured in New York Times’ list of Best TV Shows of 2017.

The show will be returning for a second season in 2020.

Watch the trailer here.

2.Special Affairs Team TEN (2011)

The background story of most main characters in these Korean police procedural dramas is that they have to live with the death of their spouses.

From the story build-up on how they handle the guilt and grief to become a badass cop again.

This drama follows Yeo Ji-hoon (Joo Sang-wook), a former ace detective who now works as a police academy instructor.

After his wife was brutally murdered, he gives up teaching to get back to the field. Ji-hoon is tasked to be the lead investigator of the special task force TEN.

The team includes a criminal profiler Nam Ye-ri (Jo An), a veteran cop Baek Do-shik (Kim Sang-ho) and Park Min-ho (Choi Woo-shik), who is the runner doing all the ground work.

TEN is specialised to tackle the most violent, hardcore crimes which usually have less than a 10 per cent success rate of arrests.

Watch the trailer here.

3.Criminal Minds (2017)

Based on the American television Criminal Minds, this drama stars Lee Joon-gi, Son Hyun-joo, Moon Chae-won, Lee Sun-bin, Go Yoon and Kim Yeong-cheol.

It follows a group of highly trained profilers in the fictional National Criminal Investigation (NCI).

Unlike the American drama where the team travels in a jet, this Korean remake has its team travel around in a bus.

With only 20 episodes, the drama features the crimes and storyline from the first season of the American version.

Watch the trailer here.

4.Children of a Lesser God (2018)

Cheon Jae-in (Kang Ji-hwan) is an elite and genius detective. He can only sees facts, logic and numbers.

Meanwhile, Kim Dan (Kim Ok-bin) is a warm-hearted rookie detective who has a supernatural ability to see death.

Together, the two detectives work together to expose the corruption within a powerful organisation.

While Kang Ji-hwan was fighting crime in this drama, he found himself on the other side of the law in real life. On Dec 5, 2019, Ji-hwan was found guilty for the sexual assault of two of his agency’s female employees.

5.Phantom (2012)

With so many cyber-crimes happening around the world, it is necessary to have a team specifically tackling them.

Phantom (2012) follows Detective Kim Woo-hyun (So Ji-sub) from the cyber investigations unit who finds himself in a cat-and-mouse game with faceless criminals in the cyber world.

This Korean police procedural drama takes on the criminal aspect of the cyber world which filled with mysteries, conspiracy and not forgetting the good old corruption.

6.Pied Piper (2016)

One of the most crucial part of a police investigation is the negotiation. Communicating especially with criminals requires skills and experiences even in real-life.

Pied Piper (2016) focuses on a police negotiation task force which specialises in tense, worst-case scenarios.

Their cases range from suicide, hostage situation to terrorist attacks.

The drama stars Shin Ha-kyun as lead negotiator Joo Sung-chan and Jo Yoon-hee as Inspector Yeo Myung-ha. Meanwhile, Yoon Hee-sung (Yoo Jun-sang) is the anchor of TNN Night News channel.

Watch the trailer here.

7.Voice (2017)

Here is another Korean police procedural drama about a detective whose spouse was killed by a serial killer.

Jang Hyuk plays Moo Jin-hyuk who was a popular detective with an impressive record of solving major cases. Things in his life spiralled downwards after his wife was murdered by a serial killer.

Meanwhile, Kang Kwon-joo (Lee Ha-na) is a policewoman gifted with perfect psycho-acoustic skills.

She was working at the emergency call centre when a murder case takes place and her policeman father was called to the scene.

At the scene, her father gets killed and Kwon-joo was listening in over the phone.

Three years later, both detectives come together to form a team to solve crimes. Both detectives have one thing in common; to catch the serial killer who took their loved ones.

Unlike most Korean police procedural dramas which end in one season, Voice was continued with another two seasons in 2018 and 2019.

8.H.I.T (2007)

In this drama, it is the female detective who is haunted by the death of a spouse.

Cha Soo-kyung (Go Hyun-jung) is the leader of Investigation Team 1 at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.

Years ago, a serial killer killed her fiance and got away with it. When a new murder case pops up resembling the old killer’s crime, Soo-kyung is appointed as the first female detective to head HIT or the Homicide Investigation Team.

Her work ethic often comes in conflict with the carefree, playboy district attorney Kim Jae-yoon (Ha Jung-woo).

Despite their differences, the duo makes a great crime-fighting team.

9.The Missing (2015)

One of the commonly seen character in any Korean police procedural dramas is a genius character.

There must be a character – be it the main or supporting character – that is a genius or a graduate from an Ivy League college.

In The Missing (2015), the genius in the drama is Gil Soo-hyun (Kim Kang-woo) who entered Harvard at the age of 10.

After working for the FBI for a decade, he return to South Korea. There, he is assigned to lead a special missing persons task force.

He is assigned to a partner, Oh Dae-young (Park Hee-son) who is an experienced detective. Unlike Soo-hyun who is analytical, Dae-young is more into his gut feeling kind of a guy.

What happen if these two opposite characters collide when solving cases of missing persons?

10.Signal (2016)

This television series is definitely one of the must-watch Korean dramas of all time. It received widespread acclaim not only for its storyline, but also for its performances.

On top of that, it is one of the highest-rated dramas in Korean cable television history.

What makes the drama so intriguing to watch is that the crimes were inspired by real-life cases in South Korea.

For example, its first episode featured a kidnapping case was inspired by the 1997 Park Chorong Bitnari Kidnapping Murder Case.

Speaking of real-life cases, the drama, of course, could not leave out the infamous Hwaseong Serial Murders. The case inspired the second episode of Signal (2016).

Unlike most of the Korean police procedural dramas on this list, Signal has a dose of fantasy in it.

The plot circles around a mysterious walkie talkie which allows a detective in the year 1986 to communicate with a cold case profiler from 2015.

It stars Lee Je-hoon, Kim Hye-soo and Cho Jin-woong.

Watch the trailer here.

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