7 Thrilling K-Dramas Featuring Underbelly Of Korean Society

With Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen dominating the Netflix charts, the demand for gangster crime stories with humanized, morally ambiguous protagonists is at an all-time high.

While there is nothing glamorous about illegal activity, these stories have a way with suspense and drama like no other. After all, their characters live on the edge and face near-death situations all the time.

If you are a fan of the genre, K-dramaland has some top-notch projects to offer.

Extracurricular (2020)

IMDb rating: 7.6/10

Where to stream: Netflix

Oh Ji-soo is a model high school student who earns his living by participating in an illegal prostitution business. His classmates accidentally get involved in Ji-soo's activities and find themselves in danger.

My Name (2021)

IMDb rating: 7.8/10

Where to stream: Netflix

Yoon Ji-woo's main motivation is revenge for the death of her father. To find out who killed him, she first joins the biggest drug cartel in Korea and then becomes their mole in the local police department.

Evilive (2023)

IMDb rating: 7.8

Where to stream: Netflix, iflix, Viu, Hotstar

Han Dong-soo is a struggling lawyer who visits prisons in search of clients. One day he meets a high-ranking member of the local mafia and gets caught up in a syndicate power struggle, which brings out his dark side more and more as the show progresses.

Cruel City (2013)

IMDb rating: 7.8

Where to stream: Prime Video, Viki

This noir drama is older than others on the list, but still holds up well. It revolves around the members of the Busan drug ring, the undercover agents trying to bring the organization down, the revenge, and the murder mystery. Everything we love about the genre.

Bloodhounds (2023)

IMDb rating: 8.1/10

Where to stream: Netflix

Kim Geon-woo and Hong Woo-jin feel like Guy Ritchie's characters. They are boxers who decide to try their luck in the private loan business and have to fight off sharks to stay afloat.

A Shop for Killers (2024)

IMDb rating: 8.1/10

Where to stream: Disney+, Hulu

This drama has just recently aired and has been praised by many viewers. It focuses on a college girl whose caretaker suddenly dies under mysterious circumstances, leaving her a legacy that makes elite killers hunt her down. Now the lead must remember what she was taught in the past in order to survive.

The Worst of Evil (2023)

IMDb rating: 8.3/10

Where to stream: Hulu, Disney+

Set in Seoul in the 1990s, this K-drama stars a police officer who infiltrates a massive drug trafficking organization operating in several countries in order to get more information about a new dangerous drug. Once inside, he discovers that his own wife is part of the investigation and has ties to the cartel.