[Ishani's Picks] Top 10 Entertaining K-Dramas That Are Actually Quite Traumatic

Too tired of sunshine, rainbows, and fluffy romantic comedies? Take a shot at traumatic, albeit entertaining, thrillers and melodramas that will chill you to the bone and make your rethink your choices but will keep you on your toes nonetheless.

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Here are my picks for 10 K-Dramas that are thoroughly unhinged and dark but you'll love!

"Save Me"

Any list about traumatic K-Dramas will place "Save Me" first and foremost and for good reason too! The drama deals with abusive cults, life-threatening situations, and suffocating predicaments. It will leave you paralysed in fear for the characters but you'll enjoy it nonetheless.

"The King of Pigs"

Terribly underrated, in my opinion, "The King of Pigs" is a modern dark masterpiece. Based on the animated film "King of Pigs" by Yeon Sang-ho, this drama takes us into the deepest darkest recesses of the mind of a killer. The gore in the drama is worth a content warning so viewer's discretion is advised.

"Through the Darkness"

"Through the Darkness" follows a charismatic criminal profiler Song  Ha-yeong, played by Kim Nam-gil who, per his job description, looks into the minds of criminals to solve cases. As you'd expect from a drama like this, every episode brings out a new evil, and you'll be left stunned each time.

"Hellbound"

"Hellbound" is one of the finest psychological/philosophical thrillers to come out of South Korea. With its stunning cast of actors, including Yoo Ah-in, Park Jung-min, Kim Hyun-joo, and Won Jin-ah, the drama explores themes of retribution and sin through the eyes of a cult. What's more is that "Hellbound" is slated for a second season so now is a great time to catch up.

"One Ordinary Day"

"One Ordinary Day" is one of those dramas that you watch with bated breath until the very last scene of the last episode. It is a whodunnit legal thriller that takes "innocent until proven guilty" to a whole new level, as viewers try to figure out if our protagonist Kim  Hyeon-soo, played by Kim Soo-hyun, is really the killer as he is posed. You're going to love every second of this.

"Mouse"

"Mouse" posits a central question in its plot: "Is a psychopath born a psychopath?" and runs with it to create the most intricate web of mystery. If you enjoy being part of the chase when it comes to thrillers, "Mouse" is going to keep you thoroughly entertained. Twists, turns, misleading clues, and unreliable narrators, this drama has it all.

"Little Women"

The recently concluded star-studded drama "Little Women" is well worth being on this list, more for the emotionally harrowing nature of the plot than anything else. The original novel by Louisa May Alcott is turned on its head to give us a quick-paced thriller that challenges core human values. You'll keep asking yourself, "how far is too far?" as you watch this drama, and the answer will amuse you, to say the least.

"Juvenile Justice"

Led by Kim Hye-soo, "Juvenile Justice" highlights the issue of juvenile crime in a more realistic way than it is presented in most K-Dramas, and for that, it has received much appreciation. The cast delivers an exceptional performance, and the message hits right where it hurts. You do not want to miss this one.

"Taxi Driver"

If you're looking for some good old catharsis, "Taxi Driver" is going to be right up your alley. It is a revenge thriller starring Lee Je-hoon that adopts an omnibus approach alongside a running storyline to give us episodic satisfaction as well as a coherent plot. The concept of the dark hero is fleshed out wonderfully and hooks the viewer from the very first episode.

"Reflection of You"

Finally, I conclude with an emotional whirlwind of love, betrayal, grudges, and revenge - "Reflection of You". This is dark makjang at its purest, featuring morally grey characters that make it extremely hard to pick a side. Still, it is incredibly entertaining to watch the knots of vindication untangle, and you're not going to be able to stop once you start. Enjoy!

By Ishani Sarkar.