It is true that it is not easy to choose a K-drama with the best twist, and fans of Korean dramas would agree with that. Indeed, there are several instances and dialogues that lead to an intriguing K-drama plot. Among the most important revelations in K-drama history that startled viewers were “Because you and I share the same blood” in “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay”; » The Bodhisattva said to avoid people who have the letter ‘o’ in their name. Didn’t you listen? » from “The Glory”. If you’re curious about which other K-dramas have the best and most memorable twists and turns, we’ve got you covered.
The first place on our list is taken by Ahn Gil-ho’s “The Glory” series (2022), a psychological thriller full of mind games and a huge twist. This K-drama is in fifth position in the top 10 non-English television series on Netflix, with more than 436,90 million hours watched during the first 28 days of its broadcast. Additionally, protagonist Song Hye-kyo won her first Best Actress award for her performance at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2023. The Glory also won Best Drama on the same day, beating other popular series like “My Liberation Notes”, “Our Blues” and “Extraordinary Attorney Woo”.
As for “Squid Game”, with over 1,65 billion hours watched in the first 28 days of broadcast, it is another one of the best K-dramas with plot twists. This 2021 series, which takes on a series of games that test human morality, won six Primetime Emmy Awards in 2022, including Best Directing for a Drama for Hwang Dong-hyuk and Best Actor Most Outstanding Lead in a Drama for Lee Jung-jae.
Netflix’s global hit in 2024, namely “Queen of Tears”, with popular actors Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won in the lead roles, is also not to be overlooked. “Queen Of Tears” is indeed one of the most popular K-dramas of 2024, offering some of the biggest twists and turns in K-drama history. Depicting the tumultuous relationship of a wealthy couple after marriage, the series was applauded by critics for its plot, its direction and its necessary representation of the reversal of roles between men and women.
14 K-dramas with the most unexpected twists and turns
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Queen of Tears (2024)
As couple Hong Hae-in (Ji-won), heiress to the Queens Group, and Baek Hyun-woo (Soo-hyun), her legal director, are on the verge of divorce, a family crisis forces them to cope together to the situation. The question then is whether this will bring Hyun-woo and Hae-in closer together or whether the duo will fall apart?
In addition to playing the character Hyun-woo, Kim Soo-hyun also lent his voice to the OST of Queen of Tears’ K-drama “Way Home.”
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The Whirlwind (2024)
Determined to eradicate corruption from the system, South Korean Prime Minister Park Dang-ho (Sol) vows to expose the scams of his country’s president. However, he faces a fierce political battle when Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Jung Soo-jin (Kim) stands in his way.
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Celebrities (2023)
Having always been passionate about fashion and wishing to become an influencer on social networks, Seo A-ri (Park), a cosmetics seller, stands out on her Instagram for her inexpensive clothing creations, and gains many followers. A-ri’s success, however, is not unanimous among some powerful influencers, so much so that the young woman soon finds herself involved in a murder case. Will fame destroy A-ri?
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The Glory (2022)
After years of being mistreated in high school, Moon Dong-eun (Song) hatches a deadly plan to take revenge on her tormentors, particularly the group’s leader, Park Yeon-jin (Lim). Her mission, however, turns out to be difficult. because Yeon-jin attacks those close to him.
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Squid Game (2021)
As debt-ridden people are invited to participate in a series of games held in a mysterious location in Korea, 456 players risk their lives to play several levels of children’s games that end in a fatal twist. The last survivor then wins a reward of around $38 million or around INR 312.
By the way, Netflix announced that Squid Game season 2 will premiere globally in the second half of 2024.
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Vincenzo (2021)
To avoid the mafia wars, Vincenzo Cassano (Song) leaves Italy and returns to his hometown in South Korea. Upon his arrival, he is drawn into the illicit affairs of the Babel pharmaceutical group and must face their dangerous godfather Jang Joon-woo, aka Jang Han-seok (Taecyeon).
According to Forbes, this crime thriller is based on the classic The Godfather trilogy (1972-1990) by Francis Ford Coppola.
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Beyond Evil (2021)
Grieving for his sister Yu-yeon, Inspector Lee Dong-sik (Shin) is also haunted by his past and fails to carry out his duties. It is then upon discovering a series of new murders linked to Yu-Yeon’s death that Dong-sik teams up with his colleague Joo-won (Yeo) to elucidate the truth.
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Flower of Evil (2020)
While Inspector Cha Ji-won (Moon) leads a peaceful married life with her husband Baek Hee-sung (Lee) while raising a beautiful daughter together, things take a turn when he is assigned a 15-year-old murder case. years old, which leads her to uncover dark secrets about her husband.
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It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020)
If the paths of the impulsive and asocial writer Ko Moon-young (Son) and the altruistic caregiver of the psychiatric unit Moon Kang-tae (Kim) cross, it is because the latter’s brother is a fan of Moon-young. As the trio embarks on a journey of self-discovery, Moon-young and Sang-tae realize that they knew each other as children and share traumatic childhood memories.
Written by Jo Yong, this K-drama not only received eight nominations at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards in South Korea, but was also nominated at the 49th International Emmy Awards in the “Best TV Movie” category. or mini-series.
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Memorist (2020)
While Dong Baek (Yoo) is a hot-tempered detective who has the supernatural ability to know people’s memories, Ha Sun-mi (Lee) is his complete opposite, the easy-tempered police commissioner. Then a mysterious serial murder case forces the duo to work together, and they end up discovering dark secrets that will change their lives forever.
Based on a 2016 webcomic of the same name, “Memorist” is one of the most popular fantasy romance K-dramas.
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SKY Castle (2018)
While wealthy Han Seo-jin (Yum) lives in Korea’s most popular neighborhood, SKY Castle, her only goal is to be better than her friends Lee Soo-im (Lee), No Seung-hye (Yoon) and Jin Jin-hee (Oh). She also wants above all else to send her eldest daughter Kang Ye-seo (Kim) to Seoul National University, even if it means taking other people’s lives.
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What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018)
If CEO Lee Young-joon (Seo-joon) tries to prevent his secretary Kim Mi-so (Min-young) from leaving his company, Mi-so tries to reconnect with a boy with whom she was kidnapped when she was a child. That’s when fragments of her memory lead her to Young-joon.
Here We Have a romantic K-drama is based on the 2013 novel Kimbiseoga Wae Geureolgga by writer Jung Kyung-yoo.
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Prison Playbook (2017)
Before his debut in major league baseball, star pitcher Je-hyeok (Park) is sent to prison on trumped-up charges, where he is relieved to reunite with his old friend Joon-Ho (Jung), who works there as a prison officer. It is then with Joon-Ho’s support that Je-hyeok discovers dark truths about his wrongful imprisonment.
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signals (2016)
It is thanks to a walkie-talkie capable of crossing time that criminal profiler Park Hae-yeong (Lee), who is in 2015, and inspector Lee Jae-han (Kim), who is in 1989, are interconnected. They will then have to elucidate mysteries of the past and present to solve the case of the kidnapping of a young schoolgirl.
One of the most popular Korean sci-fi dramas, Signal won the Best Drama award at the 2016 Baeksang Art Awards.
Which K-drama do you think has the best twist?