10 Best Revenge K-Dramas, Ranked
From acclaimed shows like The Glory to action thrillers like Taxi Driver, there are plenty of amazing K-dramas, but one stands out from the rest.
- K-dramas about revenge offer thrilling storylines filled with lies, deception, and intense confrontations.
- Shows like Marry My Husband and Vincenzo showcase unique blends of genres, making them fascinating and captivating to watch.
- K-dramas like Rugal and My Name provide gripping and dark revenge stories with impressive production quality and great performances.
From critically acclaimed dramas like The Glory to heart-pumping action thrillers like Taxi Driver, there are plenty of brilliant K-dramas about revenge. The theme of revenge is a popular and perfect subject for many amazing K-dramas. By nature, it provides so much potential for creating drama through lies, deception, and complex issues like psychological trauma and bullying. The burning desire of the characters to get what they want, drives the pace of the story forward at a thrilling speed, leading to exciting fight sequences, dramatic confrontations, and dark and intense tones.
Prime Video's newest successful revenge K-drama, Marry My Husband, proves just how popular these stories are. Shows like Vincenzo showcases a unique blend of mafia drama and dark comedy, featuring a protagonist who battles corporate greed and corruption with his cunning and resources. Meanwhile, Itaewon Class tells a more gripping story of personal and professional revenge, pulling at the heartstrings and focusing on the journey of a young entrepreneur fighting against the odds to make his mark in the competitive world of Itaewon. Each one of these shows, with their unique exploration of revenge, makes them fascinating and captivating K-dramas.
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10. Rugal
A former South Korean police officer embarks on a quest for revenge after being framed.
Rugal is a sci-fi action thriller following a former South Korean elite police officer who, after being framed for his wife's murder, joins an organization armed with biotechnological enhancements to fight against a national crime syndicate in his quest for vengeance. The show is extremely bloody, featuring very realistic execution-style murders. Rugal also features impressive production quality and visuals, but being a webtoon adaptation, it encounters some pitfalls common to adaptations, with forced musical montages and network TV quality.
9. Revenge of Others
A high school student sets out to avenge the mysterious death of her sister.
Revenge of Others follows Ok Chan-mi (Shin Ye-eun), a high schooler seeking revenge after her twin's mysterious death. Teaming up with the morally upright but troubled Ji Soo-heon (Lomon), they navigate a creepy, gothic school filled with suspects, including school bullies and a repeat senior with a shady medical history. The show's excessive use of dramatic plot twists can be overwhelming. Yet, the engaging lead performances and the show's stylish execution that blends in early 2000s teen horror still make it worth the watch.
8. The Innocent Man / Nice Guy
Years after having his heart broken, a gigolo takes revenge on his ex-lover by pursuing her stepdaughter.
The Innocent Man, on Netflix as Nice Guy, follows the story of Kang Maru (Song Joong-ki), who seeks revenge against the woman who betrayed him. Once a promising medical student, Kang Ma-ru's life spirals when his love, Han Jae-hee, lets him take the blame for a crime he didn't commit. Years later, Ma-ru, now a bartender and gigolo, plots against Jae-hee using Seo Eun-gi, a chaebol heiress and the woman he once loved's step-daughter, only to genuinely fall for her. Despite criticisms due to a particular amnesia plotline, the show is full of some emotional moments that tug at the heartstrings.
7. Vincenzo
An Italian mafia-raised Lawyer plans to dismantle a powerful corporation.
Adopted into an Italian mafia family, Vincenzo follows Vincenzo Cassano (Song Joong-ki), a skilled lawyer and mafia consigliere. When a power struggle forces him to flee to Seoul, he tries to recover hidden gold stashed in a plaza now claimed by the Babel Group. Teaming up with fierce attorney Hong Cha-young (Jeon Yeo-been), whose father was murdered for exposing Babel's criminal activities, Vincenzo uses his mafia tactics to dismantle the corporation. Despite a sluggish start, Vincenzo maintains its momentum with tight plotting, compelling character arcs including one of K-drama's most menacing villains, and a satisfying amount of vengeful undercurrents.
6. My Name
An undercover cop infiltrates a drug gang in revenge for her father's death.
In My Name, after her father's sudden death, Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee), an undercover cop, seeks revenge by infiltrating the drug crime gang Dongcheon, led by Choi Mu-jin (Park Hee-soon). Alongside her partner Detective Jeon Pil-do (Ahn Bo-hyun), she delves deep into the underworld to uncover the truth behind her father's demise. The show's realistic depiction of the challenges within the criminal and legal realms make it a standout dark and gritty revenge story. It's a tense thriller jam-packed with some great action sequences and great performances by the cast.
5. Taxi Driver
A former KMA graduate becomes a taxi driver for a company that serves revenge-call services.
Taxi Driver follows Kim Do-gi (Lee Je-hoon), a former Korea Military Academy (KMA) graduate turned taxi driver for a company that offers vengeance services to victims of injustice. Motivated by his past inability to avenge his mother's murder, the show brilliantly intertwines thrilling revenge missions with commentary on broader social issues. The show has fantastic, fast-paced action and deep dives into societal themes, highlighting corruption, privilege, and legal system failures. Watching Kim Do-gi take justice into his own hands is cathartic, as those wronged often don't see justice.
4. Secret Love
After going to prison for the crimes of her ex-boyfriend, a young woman is determined to get her revenge.
Secret Love tells the story of Kang Yoo-jung (Hwang Jung-eum), who takes the blame and goes to jail for a hit-and-run caused by her boyfriend, Ahn Do-hoon (Bae Soo-bin), who then dumps her. After her release, she's determined to get vengeance, crossing paths with Min-Hyuk (Ji Sung), a wealthy bad boy mourning the loss of his girlfriend from the same accident. As they work together, they start falling for each other, finding love while trying to settle their past. It's a must-watch for fans of romantic dramas that explore themes of betrayal, retribution, and second chances.
3. Graceful Family
15 years after her mother's murder, a chaebol heiress returns to South Korea to claim back her rightful place.
Graceful Family follows Mo Seok-hee (Im Soo-hyang), the heiress of the vast MC Group empire, whose life is upended by her mother's murder. 15 years later, she returns to South Korea to confront her family's dysfunction and the mystery of her mother's murder, teaming up with a lawyer, Heo Yoon-do (Lee Jang-woo), to uncover the truth and claim her rightful place. The series explores the dark underbelly of a wealthy, dysfunctional family, including power struggles, hidden secrets, betrayals, and deep-seated corporate corruption. It became the highest-rated drama in MBN network history at the time of its run.
2. Itaewon Class
After his father's death and jail time served for beating up his rival, a vengeful man opens up a restaurant in Itaewon, Seoul.
After being jailed for attempting to kill his rival, whose actions led to his father's death, Park Sae-ro-yi (Park Seo-joon) opens DanBam, a restaurant, in Itaewon upon release, seeking success and revenge against the Jangga Group. Itaewon Class wonderfully emphasizes the importance of community as Sae-ro-yi gains resilience through the support of his tight-knit friends. Coupled with great performances, the series is visually striking, set against the backdrop of Seoul's vibrant Itaewon district. The show won Best Drama Series at the 25th Asian Television Awards, a testament to its fantastic storytelling and why it is one of the best K-dramas of all time.
1. The Glory
A woman seeks vengeance against her childhood bullies.
Transitioning between Dong-eun's (Song Hye-Kyo) harrowing high school experience and her meticulous plans for vengeance as an adult, The Glory delves into the depths of abuse and its long-lasting impacts. Beyond the plot's intensity, The Glory's true story shines a spotlight on bullying, a pervasive issue with devastating consequences, as K-drama is rooted in the real-life bullying problem in South Korea. The Glory received both critical acclaim and viewership success, receiving eight nominations at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards, and winning three – Best Drama, Best Actress for Song Hye-kyo, and Best Supporting Actress for Lim Ji-yeon.
Keywords: Best Revenge series | Kdrama | Korean dramas | Cinema | Aisa | Asian cinema | Amazing K-dramas