Fans turn to crime and some of the best mafia K-dramas when they get done with romance, affection, and charming love. The criminal genre is renowned for blending several genres, including mystery, romance, and action. Here is a list of the Top 10 Korean Gangster Dramas with Compelling Stories to Watch
1. Gangnam Blues
The story begins with two orphans who, while living a difficult life, both rely on one another like brothers. One day, local criminals destroy their homes, and in an attempt to extract money, they get involved in violent political conflicts. Later, they part ways and get involved in a high-stakes land dispute in Gangnam.
2. The Merciless
Jae Ho desires to be the gang's top man, while Hyun Su is a fearless newcomer. After meeting in jail, the two form a close friendship and work to increase their combined strength once they get released. Their bond is eventually apart, and a game of trust and betrayal begins after finding new secrets about one another.
3. The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil
Jang Dong-Soo is the leader of a large gang. By coincidence, he runs into a serial killer who stabbed him multiple times. He tries to kill him but fails to do so. Jang Dong-Soo starts looking for the person who attempted to kill him in a rage for revenge. A police officer, Jung Tae-Seok, is connecting the dots between the various killings. To track out the serial killer, he teams up with Dong Soo.
4. Inside Men
Ahn Sang-Koo develops and implements a plan to reveal the sponsor's sludge fund's records when he gets caught. When prosecutor Woo Jang-Hoon finds something fishy regarding the upcoming elections, he starts to investigate the background of the candidate, chairman, and editor. Woo encounters Ahn, who has been deliberately planning his revenge. The battle against those blinded by power and greed for success gets started.
5. A Dirty Carnival
Kim Byung Doo is a lovely low-level mobster getting close to 30 years old. His charismatic personality has gained him the respect of his peers, but a cunning boss and a series of tragic incidents have kept him firmly rooted in his lowly position. Kim realizes his long-awaited chance to grow when a wealthy industrialist asks Kim's boss to kill a troublesome criminal prosecutor. However, every gain has a consequence.
6. The Outlaws
In 2004, Jang Chan, the ruthless leader of a brand-new criminal organization, decides to invade Seoul from Harbin and takes down the old gangs. The aggressive cop Ma Suk-Do and his crew create a plan to overthrow the freshly formed organization to capture the future criminal.
7. A Bittersweet Life
Mr. Kang succeeds in earning the complete trust of his boss and being given control of a hotel sky lounge after dedicating his life to working for him. Mr. Kang, suspecting that his girlfriend is cheating, assigns Sun Woo to kill if he finds them. After three days of keeping an eye on her, he finds Hee Soo with another man but decides to let them go at the last minute. His sympathetic action has turned the target against him and started an impossible battle with the gang.
8. Friend
Sang Taek, Dong Soo, Sang Taek, and Joong Ho were four youngsters who were inseparable best friends who did everything together. Dong Soo betrays Jon Suk and joins a rival gang, SangTaek gets ready to fly to the US, and Joong Ho marries and opens a restaurant. Jon Suk also becomes the boss of a group. When Jon Suk and Dong Soo fail to show up as Sang Taek prepares to go to America, he knows something is wrong and predicts what will happen.
9. New World
The sudden death of "Gold Moon's" president leaves the top two directors, Jung Chung and Joon Gu, as potential candidates to take over the presidency. The police saw this as a chance and launched an operation New World using a weapon they had installed years earlier than Jung Chung's right-hand guy. Ja Sung is an undercover police officer working under Chief Kang's supervision and has been keeping a careful check on Gold Moon from the inside for eight years. Ja Sung struggles with deciding between the highly devoted organizational members and his duty and honor as a police officer.
10. Nameless Gangster Rules Of Time
When Choi In Hyun teams up with the head of the wealthiest criminal organization in the port city, his life completely changes. They soon learn that Choi Hyung-Bae is related to a dissident. With the money earned from drug trafficking, Choi Hyung-Bae supports Ik Hyun in starting a business. They work together to take complete control of Busan. However, when collaboration breaks out over business with a rival organization, things suddenly become worse.