Loved 'Squid Game'? Here are five Korean thrillers you must watch

The intriguing plotlines of these K-dramas will keep you hooked

Indians are consuming more Korean entertainment content than ever before. Fuelled by the international success of the black comedy thriller film "Parasite" by Bong Joon-ho and the global phenomena "Squid Game," Indians are devouring Korean romance dramas, murder mysteries, spy thrillers, dark comedies, and more.

A 2020 Netflix study tracked a 370 per cent increase in the number of Indians watching K-dramas.

"The strength of the narrative in Korean dramas, the pace, and slickness of the telling, coupled with excellent production values result in compelling storytelling," said Rathi Jaffer, Director of the Indo-Korea Cultural and Information Centre. "Even implausible plots and situations are portrayed with an intensity that brings about a willing suspension of disbelief while the commentary on life startles us into awareness."

Speaking to DH Online about the immense popularity of K-dramas, Dae Ryun Chang, Professor of Marketing at Yonsei School of Business, Seoul, said that Korean content is less cliche-driven and offers something fresh. "Though the writers and directors watch other foreign movies and TV series, they don't follow the same formulaic storyline rules. A lead in the movie may suddenly die. This unpredictability keeps the audience on edge," he added.

If you are curious to know more about K-dramas or can't get enough of them, here are five intriguing K-dramas on Netflix that are bound to impress you.

Beyond Evil (2021)

This haunting psychological thriller revolves around two cops who reluctantly form a team to hunt down a serial murderer responsible for tormenting a quiet little Korean town. However, in their investigation, the cops begin to suspect everyone, including each other, as they discover that many of the town residents have dark secrets of their own.

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Forgotten (2017)

The psychological thriller follows the journey of Jin-Seok, who is desperate to find out why his brother—Yoo-Seok—was missing for 19 days. However, when Yook-Seok returns, seemingly a different man with no memory of the past 19 days, Jin-Seok chases after the truth behind the mysterious kidnapping.

My Name (2021)

Ranked in Netflix's global Top 10 shortly after launching, the series revolves around a woman who joins an organized crime ring and infiltrates the police as an undercover agent to find out the truth about her father's death.

Time to Hunt (2020)

The dystopian action thriller film set in South Korea follows a group of friends who plot a heist and find themselves hunted down by a mysterious assassin after accomplishing the mission. It was the first film to be premiered at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival on 22 February 2020.

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Inspector Koo (2021)

For those looking for something less gruesome and intense, this quirky comedy-drama revolves around Koo Kyung-Yi, a former police officer turned insurance investigator and a private detective. With her intelligence and excellent intuition, she tries to catch a serial killer, who is a female university student.

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Kartikeya is a journalist from Delhi who is passionate about covering culture, politics, conflict, food and human interest stories.