Whether you’re looking for spooky, apocalyptic, ghostly, supernatural, or progressive horror stories, now that Halloween season is in full swing, it’s the perfect time of year to have a scary series marathon.
So why not treat yourself to some of the best horror K-dramas of all time? Contrary to popular belief, K-dramas aren’t just about romance. South Korea also excels in horror and suspense content, ideal for both seasoned fans and newcomers to the genre.
Let’s face it: Korean horror has experienced an unprecedented surge in global popularity, and after the resounding success of dramas like Kingdom, Hellbound, Somebody and Sweet Home we’ve got the bug to settle down to a marathon of some of the creepiest and most electrifying series from this fascinating country.
Transcending language barriers and geographical borders, horror K-dramas offer alternative experiences to those who consume content primarily from Western media.
And as streaming platforms expand their libraries and invest in original K-drama content, audiences can expect a more diverse range of genres, storytelling styles and production techniques.
Whether you’re drawn to psychological thrillers, supernatural dramas, or spooky comedies, here are the best K-dramas available to stream this Halloween. We promise the following selection will give you goosebumps and keep you on the edge of your seat.
We’ll give you the titles and you’re in charge of the costume and treats. Trick or treat?
Hellbound, 2021 (지옥)
Directed by: Yeon Sang-ho
Genre: Mystery, Horror, Drama, Supernatural
Where to Watch: Netflix
Based on Yeon Sang-ho’s webtoon of the same name, Hellbound was the first Korean drama to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, sparking massive interest in the project.
In the world of Hellbound, there are “angels of death” who condemn people to death and hell. Once the angels announce a random prophetic “decree,” people labeled as “sinners” are hunted down by a trio of merciless monsters who torture them into charred remains.
To make matters worse, as these supernatural executions emerge into public view and become more and more common, the social contract begins to dissolve and malicious cults and new religions emerge.
Over the course of six episodes, director Yeon Sang-ho (also author of the webtoon) explores the intersection between the supernatural and human society, raising questions about justice, religion, free will, the rise of extremism, and the afterlife.
After its broadcast, Hellbound won several awards for its cast at various Korean TV competitions and broke Squid Game’s viewing record on Netflix.
Kingdom, 2019 (킹덤)
Directed by: Kim Seong-hun
Genre: Historical, Political, Horror, Thriller
Where to Watch: Netflix
If you’re a zombie fan but want a different kind of story, this is the show for you. Based on the webtoon series The Kingdom of the Gods by Kim Eun-hee and Yang Kyung-il, the series is set in the Joseon Dynasty era and follows Crown Prince Lee Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) as he embarks on a challenging mission to investigate a mysterious plague that has been devastating his country.
Directed by Kim Seong-hun and written by Kim Eun-hee, this fiction is inspired by a historical plague that swept through Korea during the Joseon dynasty (1392-1897) and killed thousands of people within days. But, in this story, the disease is not only medical, it’s also metaphorical.
Kingdom delves into the effects of official corruption and incompetence, and is a portrait of how the powerful trample on the helpless in times of crisis.
Kingdom is a magnificent, terrifying and politically intriguing series that has two seasons and several spin-offs.
Goedam, 2020 (도시괴담)
Director: Hong Won-ki and others
Genre: Horror, mystery
Where to Watch: Netflix
Goedam is a horror anthology series, and as such offers a collection of short stories (between 5 and 10 minutes in length), each with a unique premise and a different cast.
Under the direction of various filmmakers, each episode of Goedam explores various ghost stories and South Korean urban folklore. Goedam means, roughly, ghost story or horror story.
“When night falls on the city, shadows and spirits come alive in this horror anthology series centered on urban legends,” describes the official Netflix synopsis.
One of the enduring truths of horror anthologies is that they usually have at least one weak link or a couple of segments that feel like filler.
Surprisingly, this is not the case with Goedam, as each of the eight episodes are very efficient and don’t give the viewer much time to catch their breath.
Tale of the Nine Tailed, 2020 (구미호뎐)
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Romance, Drama, Thriller, Horror
Directed by: Kang Shin-hyo
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Written by Han Woo-ri, The Tale of the Nine Tailed revolves around one of the most popular creatures in South Korean mythology, the “gumiho”, a mythical nine-tailed fox. Normally, it is a very beautiful woman who seduces men in order to eat their liver or heart.
However, this program breaks with previous conventions.
The Tale of the Nine Tailed follows Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-wook), a 1,000-year-old fox and ancient guardian spirit of Baekdu-daegan Mountain, who for many centuries has eradicated supernatural beings that threaten the mortal world.
Now, Lee Yeon is living incognito in Seoul when he meets Nam Ji-ah (Jo Bo-ah), a TV producer who investigates urban myths, and who could also be the reincarnation of his beloved. Connected by fate, the mythical fox helps Nam Ji-ah uncover the truth about her parents’ disappearance, as they battle a common enemy.
One of the highlights of this dark fantasy is that it intricately weaves ancient folklore with modern urban life; while the dark tone of The Tale of the Nine Tailed gives it an air of mystery and suspense, the sense of humor and irreverence keep it from seeming too heavy-handed.
Sweet Home, 2020 (스위트 홈)
Genre: Horror, Drama
Directed by: Lee Eung-bok, Jang Young-woo, Park So-hyun
Where to Watch: Netflix
Contrary to the title, there are few sweet things in this series.
Adapted from the webtoon written by Kim Kan-bi and illustrated by Hwang Young-cha, the story follows the residents of the Green Home apartment complex after the outbreak of a monstrous apocalypse.
In Sweet Home, the unexpected catastrophe results in the transformation of ordinary humans into various creatures, each of whom becomes a monster based on their deepest and most desperate desires. While not inherently evil, these monsters are often dangerous to each other and to the surviving humans.
At the start, Cha Hyun-soo (Song Kang) is a severely depressed teenage orphan whose suicide plans are cut short by the outbreak of the apocalypse. Amidst the chaos and in the face of countless human losses, Cha Hyun-soo decides to help the other residents of Green Home survive.
Curiously, as Hyun-su devotes himself to helping others, he also begins his own transformation into a monster-human hybrid.
Beyond the façade of an apocalyptic thriller, Sweet Home focuses heavily on each individual’s stories of loss, grief and restoration.
The Guest, 2018 (손)
Genre: Supernatural, Horror, Thriller, Drama, Mystery
Directed by: Kim Hong-seon
Where to Watch: Netflix
If you like gore, demonic possession and crime, this is the K-drama for you. The Guest is a supernatural drama about exorcism and shamanism, and in it we see the main protagonists clashing with centuries-old evil spirits.
This horror story revolves around a psychic born to a family of shamans (Kim Dong Wook), a Catholic priest (Kim Jae Wook), and a police officer (Jung Eun Chae), whose families have been torn apart by a demon named ‘Sohn’ or Park Il Do. This peculiar trio has to join forces to stop the powerful demon, which in turn is connected to their personal tragedies and an ever-growing series of brutal crimes.
Directed by Kim Hong Seon, The Guest explores the fine line between good and evil, and stands out in the landscape of Korean dramas for its unique blend of crime, horror and the supernatural.
Warning: definitely not for the faint of heart.
Save Me, 2017 (구해줘)
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Directed by: Kim Sung-soo
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Directed by Kim Sung-Su, this drama series is based on the popular webcomic Out of the World (세상 밖으로) by Jo Geum-san. Save Me tells the story of a family desperate to start a new life after some significant failures.
Save Me centers on young Im Sang-mi (Seo Yeah-ji), who moves her life from Seoul to a village in Muji County following a business setback involving her father. Forced to make peace with her situation and seeking to adapt to the changes, Im Sang-mi and her family become involved with the community church and give themselves to their faith.
The problem is that the family gets caught up in a violent religious cult that does its best to manipulate and tear them apart.
To break free from the cult to which her family is blindly devoted, Im Sang-mi relies on her former classmates to help her, and essentially “save” her.
While not horror per se, the plot of Save Me exhibits a kind of “terror” you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. There are secrets, torture, violence and countless murders.
This macabre story explores cults and pseudo-religion, identity and the fragility of the self, and throughout the season, the validity of truth and perception is keenly questioned.
Hotel del Luna, 2019 (호텔 델루나)
Genre: Dark fantasy, Romantic comedy, Tragicomedy
Directed by: Oh Chung-hwan
Where to Watch: Kocowa, Vicky
If you like dark fantasy, horror and thriller, Hotel del Luna is your kind of K-drama. This program revolves around the hotel, Guest House of the Moon, a place where the supernatural exists. Its staff and guests are ghosts dealing with unfinished business before passing on to the afterlife and the cycle of reincarnation.
The story revolves around Jang Man-wol (IU), the owner of Guest House of the Moon, and Goo Chan-sung (Yeo Jin Goo), an ambitious young hotelier, as they navigate love, redemption and the consequences of their past actions.
One notable aspect of this series is that its visual effects and aesthetics are so compelling that it’s hard to take your eyes off the screen.
Somebody, 2022 (썸바디)
Genre: Thriller, Drama
Directed by: Jung Ji-woo
Where to Watch: Netflix
This eight-episode psychological thriller surprised K-drama fans around the world with its R-rated content and terrifying premise.
Somebody, from director Jung Ji-Woo and writer Han Ji-Wan, is a mix of eroticism, violence and mystery. The series centers on young computer scientist Kim Sum (Kang Hae-Lim) and her friends who get caught up in a murder ring involving the dating app “Somebody”, which she built.
“When a software developer creates a dating app that a serial killer uses to find his next targets, she’s drawn into a dark world of romance and murder,” reads the official synopsis.
This show is very dark, so use discretion and good judgment before watching.