7 Satisfying K-Dramas Where Lead Acts Dumb To Win

There is something very satisfying in a TV trope when a protagonist who seems like a simpleton suddenly pulls the rug out from under other people and shows their wit and talents, shocking everyone around them and putting bullies in their place.

If the trope sounds like something up your alley, here are seven K-dramas that use it with their male leads who are underestimated by everyone around them but end up surprising them.

Café Minamdang (2022)

IMDb rating: 7.3/10

Where to stream: Netflix

A highly intelligent criminal profiler is imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. After his release, he poses as a childish, goofy shaman and fortune teller to investigate the crime that changed his life.

My Secret Terrius (2018)

IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

Where to stream: Prime Video, Viki, kocowa+

In his quest to find the killer of the woman he loved, a rogue NIS agent ends up as the nanny of his recently widowed neighbor. To make his cover story believable, the rookie nanny must get close to the neighborhood group, all of whom consider him inept at best.

One Dollar Lawyer (2022)

IMDb Rating: 7.9/10

Where to stream: Disney+, Hulu

Can a defense lawyer whose services cost 1000 won ($1) be any good? That's what Chun Ji-hoon's opponents think when they meet him in court. But with his extraordinary skills and charming personality, he keeps sweeping them off their feet.

Good Manager (2017)

IMDb Rating: 7.9/10

Where to stream: Netflix, Prime Video, Viki, Roku

Kim Sung-ryong is a small-time accountant who is secretly a fraud genius. When a large corporation hires him, he plans to clean them out, but suddenly finds himself attached to his co-workers and office life.

Live Up to Your Name (2017)

IMDb Rating: 8.0/10

Where to stream: HiTV

A Joseon-era doctor who practices traditional medicine, specializing in acupuncture, travels to modern times and meets a cardiothoracic surgeon. While the woman and other doctors initially look down on him, he proves to be a surprisingly good professional.

Reborn Rich (2022)

IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

Where to stream: Netflix, Disney+, Viki

Yoon Hyun-woo was a loyal employee of a chaebol family until its members decided to kill him to cover up a crime. After his death, he is reborn in the past as the youngest son of the same family that wronged him and sets out to show them what revenge is.

Misaeng: Incomplete Life (2014)

IMDb Rating: 8.5/10

Where to stream: Netflix, Disney+, Viki, Tubi

After failing to become a professional baduk player, Jang Geu-rae has to settle for an internship at a large trading company. There, with the help of his ingenious knowledge of baduk, Geu-rae learns to navigate corporate life and impresses his colleagues and bosses.