10 Best Revenge K-Dramas, Ranked (2024)

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 story's pace 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 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 of these shows, with their unique exploration of revenge, makes them fascinating and captivating K-dramas.

10 Rugal (2020)

A Former South Korean Police Officer Embarks On A Quest For Revenge After Being Framed

Rugal (2020)

TV-MA

Rugal is a South Korean television series based on the webtoon of the same name. The show follows Ki Geum-cheol, a police officer who is expelled from the force and Framed for a crime he did not commit. He joins a special task force called Rugal, which is made up of people who have been revived from death and given new bodies with enhanced abilities.

Cast

Choi Jin-hyuk , Park Sung-woong , Cho Dong-hyuk , Jung Hye-in , Kim Min-sang

Release Date

March 28, 2020

Seasons

1

Creator(s)

Do Hyun-joo , Rilmae

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, so it's not for the faint of heart.

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. The series is a bloody revenge tale, with Kang Gi-beom not only seeking revenge for his wife's brutal murder but also for framing him for her murder. It also has tinges of sci-fi, as he is blinded in the attack on his wife and receives two artificial eyeballs to regain and enhance his sight, a sort of superpower.

9 Revenge Of Others (2022)

A High School Student Sets Out To Avenge The Death Of Her Sister

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Revenge of Others (2022)

TV-MA

The story of Ok Chan-mi as he seeks revenge for the death of his twin brother.

Cast

Shin Ye-eun , Park Solomon , Seo Ji-hoon , Chae Sang-woo , Lee Soo-min , Chung Su-bin , Kim Joo-ryung , Kang Yul

Release Date

November 9, 2022

Seasons

1

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 executionthat blends in early 2000s teen horror still make it worth the watch. The series is all about revenge, as Ok Chan-mi is looking for the person she believes is responsible for her brother's apparent suicide, and she won't stop until they find those responsible and make them pay for the death. Since the police deemed it a suicide, she is in this alone, which adds to the stakes of everything she does. The series premiered on Disney+ in the United States.

8 The Innocent Man (2012)

A Having His Heart Broken, A Gigolo Pursues The Stepdaughter Of His Ex

The Innocent Man

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Kang Ma-Ru is a promising medical student who is found guilty of a crime he didn't commit. When he finds an opportunity for revenge, he takes it.

Cast

Song Joong-ki , Moon Chae-Won , Lee Sang-Yeob , Jo Sung-ha , Jin Kyung

Release Date

September 12, 2012

Seasons

1

The Innocent Man, listed 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 fall for her.

Despite criticisms due to a particular amnesia plotline, the show is full of some emotional moments that tug at the heartstrings. This is a very different revenge tale, as it isn't revenge against criminals, but it is revenge against someone who hurt him, and he is targeting a daughter instead of the woman who betrayed him. However, as a romantic story, it hits the right notes and is a fan favorite. It went on to win six honors at the KBS Drama Awards with 13 nominations.

7 Vincenzo (2021)

An Italian Mafia-Raised Lawyer Plans To Dismantle A Powerful Corporation

Vincenzo

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During a visit to his homeland, a Korean-Italian mafia lawyer gives an unrivaled conglomerate a taste of its own medicine with a side of justice.

Cast

Song Joong-ki , Jeon Yeo-been , Kwak Dong-yeon , Taecyeon , Kim Yoon-hye , Kim Yeo-jin

Release Date

February 20, 2021

Seasons

1

Directors

Kim Hee-won

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 arcsincluding one of K-drama's most menacing villains, and a satisfying number of vengeful undercurrents. This series approaches the revenge a little bit differently, as Vincenzo is going after the gold and the Babel family first and foremost. but he still has a grudge to settle against Paolo, Fabio's biological son, who tried to kill him, setting Vincenzo on his path to independence.

6 My Name (2021)

An Undercover Cop Infiltrates A Drug Gang After Her Father's Death

My Name (2021)

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My Name is a South Korean television series starring Han So-hee as Ji-woo, a revenge-driven woman who infiltrates a drug cartel to avenge her father's death. As she rises through the ranks, Ji-woo must navigate the dangerous underworld of organized crime and confront her own morality.

Cast

Han So-hee , Park Hee-soon , Ahn Bo-Hyun , Kim Sang-Ho , Lee Hak-ju

Release Date

October 15, 2021

Seasons

1

Creator(s)

Kim Jin-min , Kim Ba-da

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 series is all about revenge, but it takes a slightly different look since it is a police officer who seeks revenge.

Yoon Ji-woo sets out to get revenge despite being part of the force that upholds the law. 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 strong performances by the cast. The series earned Han So-hee a Best Actress nomination at the Baeksang Arts Awards.

5 Taxi Driver (2021)

A Former KMA Graduate Drives A Taxi 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 own past inability to avenge his mother's murder, the show brilliantly intertwines thrilling revenge missions with commentary on broader social issues. The K-drama series, based on the webtoon The Deluxe Taxi (Red Cage) by Carlos and Lee Jae-jin, is actually influenced by real-life crimes in Korea.

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. The entire concept of revenge is the basis of the story as the company's sole purpose is to seek revenge and right wrongs for those who suffered. It was a huge success, with 15 SBS Drama Awards in 18 nominations.

4 Secret Love (2013)

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), whotakes the blame and goes to jail for a hit-and-run caused by her boyfriend, Ahn Do-hoon (Bae Soo-bin), who dumps her after she does this for him. After her release, she's determined to get revenge, 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 and finding love while trying to settle their pasts. It's a must-watch for fans of romantic dramas that explore themes of betrayal, retribution, and second chances. The series is all about getting revenge both against a person who let his girlfriend take the fall and for a man who lost his girlfriend at that man's hands. The series was critically acclaimed and won seven KBS Drama Awards with 12 nominations.

3 Graceful Family (2019)

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. Fifteen 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. This was a series with revenge in its bones, as Mo Seok-hee wants to make the people responsible for her mother's death pay, but it is also a family drama about who she can and can't trust when she returns home. It became the highest-rated drama in MBN network history at the time of its run (via Soompi), since surpassed by Bossam: Seal the Fate.

2 Itaewon Class (2020)

After His Father's Death & Jail Time Served For Beating Up His Rival, A Vengeful Man Opens Up A Restaurant

Itaewon Class (2020)

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Itaewon Class is a South Korean television series that premiered in 2020. The show revolves around Park Sae-ro-yi, a young entrepreneur who seeks revenge against the corrupt businessman who wronged him and his family. Alongside a group of misfits, Sae-ro-yi establishes a bar in Itaewon, a popular nightlife district in Seoul, and together they navigate love, friendship, and ambition.

Release Date

January 31, 2020

Cast

Park Seo-jun , Kim Da-mi , Kwon Na-ra , Yoo Jae-myung , Ahn Bo-Hyun

Seasons

1

Creator(s)

Gwang Jin

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. There is a lot to unpack in this series, as it is not only about Park Sae-ro-yi seeking revenge against the Jangga Group, but also his unresolved feelings toward Oh Soo-ah, who joins the group he blames for his dad's death. 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 (2022-2023)

A Woman Seeks Vengeance Against Her Childhood Bullies

The Glory (2022)

Years after being the victim of terrible acts of violence at school, a woman puts an elaborate revenge plan into action.

Cast

Song Hye-Kyo , Lee Do-Hyun , Lim Ji-yeon , Park Sung-hoon , Yeom Hye-ran , Jung Sung-il

Seasons

1

Directors

Ahn Gil-ho

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 the K-drama is rooted in the real-life bullying problem in South Korea.

This is a highly controversial K-drama, as the bullying victim targets the children of the people who bullied her, making her almost no better than them when seeking her revenge. 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. It also swept the Asian Academy Creative Awards, with six wins.