When you think about South Korean dramas, you'll mostly conjure up the image of unbelievable love stories or tear-jerking breakups. People usually roam around the heart-fluttering, warm, intense romance shown in dramas, but the non-romance genre has a different fan base. This "love is 'not' in the air" drama can be so interesting that the fans might forget that those appealing kisses in theaters exist.
Romance is not for everyone, but a little change can be nice for the fans of romantic dramas. If you think there are things beyond rom-com dramas, you came to the right place. Here are some non-romantic dramas that will change your mindset and are worth binge-watching.
1. The Uncanny Counter
"The Uncanny Counter," developed by Studio Dragon, is a South Korean television series starring Kim Se-Jeong as Do Ha-na, Jo Byung-Gyu as So Mun, Yoo Jun-sang as Ga Mo-tak, Ahn Suk-hwan as Choi Jang-mool and Yeom Hye-ran as Choo Mae-ok. Based on the webtoon "Amazing Rumor" tells the story of demon hunters or paranormal hunters called Counters who come to earth under the disguise of noodle shop employees to catch the evil spirit or soul that escaped from the afterlife to attack humans.
Among the characters: Do Ha-na has the ability to sense the location of the spirits; Choi Jang-mool is the oldest and is in charge of the Counter's expenses; Chu Mae-ok is a Counter with healing abilities; so Mun is the youngest, and his special ability is his physical strength & Ga Mo-tak is a Counter who was a former police officer and has lost his memories seven years ago but with incredible power.
2. Little Women
"Little Women'' is a South Korean television series based on Louisa May Alcott's novel, starring Kim Go-Eun as Oh In-joo, Nam Ji-Hyun as Oh In-Kyung, and Park Ji-hu as Oh In-hye. Studio Dragon developed it and tells the story of three sisters with close bonds who grew up in poverty. They all get involved in a case that leads them to fight against the richest and the most influential family in South Korea.
Among the characters: Oh In-joo is the oldest and wants to protect her family with money at any cost, Oh In-Kyung is the second sister and is a reporter who always does what's right and never bows to the wrong & Oh In-hye is the youngest sister who is loved the most by her elder sisters and is a great artist but never got to use decent supplies for her art.
3. Sky Castle
"Sky Castle," directed by Jo Hyun-Tak, is a South Korean television series starring Yum Jang-ah as Han Seo-jin, Lee Tae-ran as Lee Soo-Im, Yoon Se-ah as Noh Seung-hye, Oh Na-ra as Jin Jin-hee and Kim Seo-hyung. It was aired on JTBC. It tells the story of Han Seo-jin, Jin Jin-hee, Noh Seung-hye, and Lee Myung-Joo, who live in a luxurious neighborhood named SKY Castle, hosting wealthy doctors and professors with all their children entering prestigious universities. But soon, Myung-joo's family faces an incident, and they move out, which comes with the move-in of Lee Soo-im and her inferior family. She challenges the other women of SKY Castle and later on uncovers the truth of what happened to Myung-joo's family.
4. Taxi Driver
"Taxi Driver" is an ongoing South Korean television series developed by Studio S and Wavve starring Lee Je-hoon as Kim Do-gi, Kim Eui-sung as Jang Sung-Chul, Pyo Ye-jin as Ahn Go-eun, Jang Hyuk-jin as Choi Kyung-goo, Bae Yoo-ram as Park Jin-eon with Esom in the first season and Shin Jae-ha as Oh Ha-jun in the second season which is based on the webtoon The Deluxe Taxi (Red cage). Kim Do-gi, an Underwater Demolition Team officer who graduated from Naval Academy, has lived more honestly than any other officer. But a serial killer killed his mother, and his life changed. To take revenge starts working as a taxi driver in a company that offers a "revenge-call service" to people who have been wronged and helps them take revenge.
5. Signal
"Signal" is a fantasy South Korean drama based on the film Frequency and real-life criminal incidents taking place in Korea, starring Lee Je-hoon as Park Hae-young, Kim Hye-soo as Cha Soo-Hyun and Cho Jin-Woong as Lee Jae-Han.
Fifteen years ago, when Hae-young was young, he witnessed his friend's kidnapping and later found him dead. Even after fifteen years, the case remains unsolved. Now in the present time, he is a police officer and starts to solve the issue with the help of a reporter Cha Soo-Hyun. One day, he finds a walkie-talkie that enables him to contact a detective from the past, Lee Jae-Han. The three of them help each other in solving the mystery.
6. D.P.
"D.P." is a South Korean television series streaming on Netflix starring Jung Hae-in as Ahn Joon-ho, Koo Kyo-hwan as Han Ho-yeol, Kim Sung-Kyun as Park Beom-gu and Son Suk-ky as Lim Ji-sob. The story tells about Ahn Joon-ho, a private soldier who gets transferred by Sergeant Park Beom-gu to the Deserter Pursuit Team. Their mission is to catch deserters. Ahn Joon-Ho, Park Beom-Gu, and Corporal Han Ho-Yeol work together for this mission. Meanwhile, First Lieutenant Lim Ji-Seob is selfish and only cares about his success. It was confirmed that season 2 of "D.P." will be released in 2023.
7. Children of Nobody
"Children of Nobody" is a South Korean television series directed by Choi Jung-kyu and Kang Hee-joo starring Kim Sun-a as Cha Woo-Kyung, Lee Yi-Kyung as Kang Ji-hun, Nam Gyu-ri as Jeon Soo-young and Cha Hak-yeon as Lee Eun-ho. The story is about Cha Woo-Kyung, a child counselor with a perfect life since she was married and pregnant with her second child. But soon, an accident changes her life, and she starts digging for the truth with the help of a detective Kang Ji-hun who is strict towards the law and firmly believes that criminals should be punished to the full extent of the law.
8. Beyond Evil
"Beyond Evil" is a TV series created by JBTC, directed by Shim Na-yeon, and written by Kim Su-Jin, starring Shin Ha-Kyun as Lee Dong-sik and Yeo Jin-goo as Han Joo-won. This is the story of two fearless men from Manyang Police Substation in a small city who work together to catch and uncover the identity of a serial killer that has shaken up their quiet city. Lee Dong-sik is a capable detective who now works as a police officer, and Han Joo-won is a detective who was transferred to Manyang Police Station and was assigned to work with Dong-Sik. The case is the same serial murder that occurred 20 years ago and changed Lee Dong-sik's life.
9. Mine
"Mine" is a 2021 South Korean TV series streaming on Netflix which was created by Kim Jae-Hyun (tvN) and Kim Young-gyu (Studio Dragon) starring Lee Bo-young as Seo Hee-soo, Kim Seo-hyung as Jung Seo-hyun and Ok Ja-yeon as Kang Ja-Kyung. This series glimpses into the women of high society's lifestyle who try to find their true selves by overcoming their prejudices in the world. Seo Hee-soo was a top actress who gave up her career to marry the second son of the Hyo Won Group, led by the Chaebol family. She tries to fit in with the family and not lose her true self. On the other hand, Jung Seo-hyun is the daughter-in-law of the same Chaebol family and is the wife of the first son of the family, who is rational and elegant.
10. Kingdom
"Kingdom" is a horror South Korean TV series based on the webtoon 'The Kingdom of Gods.' It was created and written by Kim Eun-hee & directed by Kim Seong-hun (season 1) and Park In-je (season 2). It stars ] It stars Ju Ji-hoon, Ryu Seung-ryong, Bae Doo-na, Kim Sang-ho, Kim Sung-kyu and Kim Hye-jun. The story is about a dead King who collapsed from an illness. Queen Jo (Kim Hye-Jun) and her father, Chief State Councilor Jo Hak-Joo (Ryoo Seung-Ryon), have forbidden anyone else to see the King, including his son, Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-Hoon). But somehow, the rumor spread that the king died, so the son sneaked into the king's palace and saw a shadowy monster through a door, but he was discovered and escorted back, and soon he has declared a traitor. Crown Prince Lee Chang and Moo-Young try to find the truth and learn that medical staff member Seo-Bi is the only person to have survived the clinic.
