A spine-chilling and fearsomeK-dramavillain can turn a mediocre show into a captivating journey. K-dramas tend to be a blend of genres, mixing elements like dark fantasy withheartwarming romances, butthe best K-dramas have incredible villains. While the heroes of K-dramas are central to the show, the villains often steal the spotlight and drive the narrative. Ranging from violent serial killers to corrupt and selfish individuals with power, K-drama villains elevate the show’s tension and keep viewers hooked.
K-drama villainscome in different variations, from fantastical demons and supernatural creatures to shockingly human villains with a vendetta. Strong, well-crafted, and compelling antagonists with complex or relatable motives are captivating to witness and make the perfect villains. While villains challenge their protagonists, cause conflicts, and blur the lines between good and evil,the most terrifying villains are the realistic onesthat people can see in real life. K-dramas with the perfect villains are often the most memorable and captivating shows.
10While You Were Sleeping (2017)
Villain: Lee Yoo-beom
While You Were Sleepingis one of thebest legal K-dramasthat follows three young adults that use their ability to see into the future while dreaming to investigate crimes. Despite the fantasy elements,While You Were Sleeping’svillain isa realistic and grounded antagonistin the form of the corrupt lawyer Lee Yoo-beom (Lee Sang-yeob).
While You Were Sleeping
Cast
In this fantasy drama series, a young woman and two men are burdened with prophetic dreams that reveal future events. Together, they strive to prevent the impending misfortunes they foresee, encountering challenges as they navigate the boundaries between destiny and choice.
The self-centered Lee Yoo-beom is willing to ruin the lives of others and does not consider nor care about how his choices impact others. Yoo-beom’s selfish nature and refusal to feel remorse for his actions in juxtaposition to the protagonists' dedication to do the right thing at their own expense creates an interesting dynamic.
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While Lee Yoo-beom isn’t the most heinous villain in K-dramas,his realistic portrayal makes him a compelling and very human antagonist. Yoo-beom doesn’t often get his hands dirty, but his actions have devastating consequences for the people around him.
9The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)
Villain: Lee Lim
Theromance fantasy K-dramaThe King: Eternal Monarchfollows Emperor Lee Gon (Lee Min-ho) of the Kingdom of Corea after he discovers a portal to another reality. Lee Gon’s half-uncle Lee Lim (Lee Jung-jin) serves as the main antagonist as he fights to get his hands on the Manpasikjeok, the mythical flute which would grant him immortality.
The King: Eternal Monarch
The King: Eternal Monarch is a 2020 film featuring a Korean emperor, Lee Gon, striving to seal the portal to a parallel universe opened by malevolent forces. Alongside him, a detective is devoted to safeguarding her loved ones amidst the unfolding cosmic challenges.
Lee Lim is willing to do anything to get his hands on the flute, including murdering his own half brotherand the previous King in front of his son. Set in two parallel worlds, Lee Lim travels between the two worlds to hide from justice while amassing a large army.
In his mission to gain immortality and unimaginable power, Lee Lim commits atrocities and wreaks havoc across the two worlds. Lee Lim’s selfish behavior and willingness to commit murder for his personal gain makes him a despicable villain that leaves destruction in his wake across two worlds.
8Save Me (2017)
Villain: Baek Jung-ki
Save Meis a mysterythriller K-dramarevolving around Im Sang-mi (Seo Yea-ji) and her family’s move from Seoul to the countryside due to financial difficulties. After tragedy strikes, the grief-stricken family joins the religious cult Goseonwon, which has power over most of Muji County and a large number of followers.
Save Me
Save Me centers on Sang-mi, whose family moves to a rural village and becomes ensnared by a cult masquerading as a religious group. As her parents fall under the cult’s sway, Sang-mi struggles to escape their control. She enlists the help of four local young men, and together they embark on a perilous mission to uncover the cult’s true nature and save her family from its clutches.
Disguising itself as a peaceful church,the religious cult has a dark underbelly of violence and murderlurking beneath the surface. At the helm of the violent cult is Baek Jung-ki (Jo Sung-ha),the charismatic Spiritual Father who enjoys the status and power afforded to him as the cult’s leader.
Jung-ki’s ability to portray himself as a kind and generous soul as he manipulates and brainwashes vulnerable people makes him a terrifyingly realistic villain.
The insidious cult leaderJung-ki uses his charm and power to hide the cult’s evil activities. Jung-ki’s ability to portray himself as a kind and generous soul as he manipulates and brainwashes vulnerable people makes him a terrifyingly realistic villain. Jung-ki’s willingness to manipulate and use desperate and vulnerable people while instilling them with a false sense of hope, makes him the perfect villain to lead the creepy cult.
7Vincenzo (2021)
Villain: Jang Joon-woo/Jang Han-seok
Vincenzofollows theKorean-Italian mafia lawyeron his mission to retrieve his gold and take down the corrupt pharmaceutical corporation, the Babel Group.Vincenzocements itself as a masterpiece K-dramadue to its intriguing plot, plot twists, passionate enemies-to-lovers romance, and terrifying villain.
Vincenzo
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.
With the powerful corporation Babel Group going toe-to-toe with the mafia lawyer Vincenzo (Song Joong-ki), it’s essential that the villain ofVincenzois convincing and formidable. Introduced as an excitable and naive intern at Wusang Law Firm, Jang Han-seok (Ok Taec-yeon) suddenly drops his happy-go-lucky facade and reveals that he’s the mastermind behind Babel Group’s illicit activities.
Han-seok’s sudden shift from pretending to be a dim intern to revealing his true nature asan unpredictable, manipulative, sadistic, and narcissistic leaderwho gleefully tortures his half-brother makes him a chilling villain. Taec-yeon’s portrayal of Jang Han-seok as the entertaining yet horrifying villain cements him as one of the best villains in K-drama history.
6Beyond Evil (2021)
Villain: Kang Jin-mook
Beyond Evilrevolves aroundtwo detectives as they attempt to hunt down the serial killerwho suddenly reappears 20 years after his last murder. Detective Lee Dong-sik is traumatized by his sister’s death at the hands of the serial killer, while Detective Han Joo-won is suspicious of Dong-sik’s role in his sister’s death.
Beyond Evil
In a small town, two policemen with hidden pasts are drawn into a complex web of secrets as they investigate a new killing that mirrors an unresolved cold case. The series delves into themes of trust, deception, and the relentless pursuit of justice.
Despite this, the two detectives learn to trust each other and work to catch the serial killer. The incredibledetective K-dramais filled with plot twists and intrigue as the hunt for the serial killer ensues. The mild-mannered Kang Jin-mook, played by Lee Kyu-hoi, is frantic with worry after his daughter goes missing. However, in a shocking twist, it is revealed that Jin-mook is the monstrous serial killer who murdered his own daughter.
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Jin-mook makes for a bone-chillingly terrifying serial killer, who targets women and leaves behind their severed fingertips as a twisted calling card.Beyond Evil’sserial killer storylineis elevated by Jim-mook’s meek behavior, which becomes alarming to look back upon after the revelation and makes him an incredibly scary villain.
5Hell Is Other People (2019)
Villain: Seo Moon-jo
Thehorror K-dramaHell is Other People,also known asStrangers from Hell,revolves around the writer Yoon Jong-woo (Im Si-wan) who moves into a cheap apartment filled with odd residents. Surrounded by suspicious residents, Jong-woo finds kinship with Seo Moon-jo (Lee Dong-wook), who appears to be a refreshingly normal resident.
Hell Is Other People
Hell Is Other People is a South Korean psychological thriller that centers on Jong-Woo, a young man who relocates to Seoul for a new job and moves into a run-down apartment complex. Directed by Lee Chang-Hee, this series unravels as Jong-Woo encounters unsettling and mysterious neighbors, gradually becoming entangled in the eerie happenings within the building. The show delves into themes of paranoia and the darkness of human nature.
Moon-jo is a seemingly friendly and charming dentist, who is revealed to be a serial killer who enjoys removing his victims' teeth and making bracelets out of their teeth before brutally murdering them.
While Moon-jo is a gruesome murderer and terrifying villain, the most horrifying aspect of the K-dramaHell is Other Peopleis Moon-jo’s seemingly successful attempts at turning Jong-woo into a killerlike him.Moon-jo’s influence over the protagonist and his creepy behavior make him the perfect villainfor the psychological thriller.
4A Bloody Lucky Day (2023)
Villain: Lee Byeong-min
A Bloody Lucky Dayfollows Oh Taek (Lee Sung-min), a jolly taxi driver whose life is turned upside down when he picks up a serial killer. Trapped in a deadly ride, Taek has to use his wits to find an escape and keep himself safe and alive.The young doctor and serial killer Lee Byeong-min(Yoo Yeon-seok), disguised as Geum Hyeok-soo, terrorizes Taek and is unrepentant about his acts of violence and murders.
A Bloody Lucky Day
A Bloody Lucky Day is a 2023 thriller that follows an ordinary taxi driver who becomes unexpectedly entangled with a passenger revealed to be a serial killer, setting off a tense sequence of events in the unfolding narrative.
A Bloody Lucky Dayis abingeable K-dramathat slowly unravels the mystery behind Lee Byeong-min’s backstory and motive for committing the heinous murders, making him a well-constructed and realistic villain. Witnessing the impact of Byeong-min’s crimes heightens the weight of his villainy, and the K-drama becomes more tragic and horrifying by exploring the grief of the loved ones of Byeong-min’s victims.
Byeong-min’s stone-cold demeanor, lack of empathy, and sadistic streak makes him a believable and frightening villain.The serial killers' ability to coerce and threaten Oh Taekinto committing crimes and becoming his accomplice makes him a compelling and terrifying villain.
3The Glory (2022)
Villain: Park Yeon-jin
The Gloryis a hauntingly familiar tale of high school bullying and abuse and its impact. The revenge K-drama revolves around Moon Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) as she plans retribution against her bullies.Park Yeon-jin, played by Lim Ji-jeon,the leader of the bulliesthat harassed and physically abused Dong-eun during school until she dropped out of school.
The Glory
The Glory is a South Korean television series that follows the journey of Moon Dong-eun, a woman who seeks vengeance against those who tormented her during her school years. As she meticulously executes her elaborate plans, the show explores themes of bullying, revenge, and the lasting impact of trauma. Directed by Ahn Gil-ho and written by Kim Eun-sook, the series stars Song Hye-kyo in the lead role.
Park Yeon-jin has no remorse for her past actions and abuse, cementing her asa vicious bully and villain that did not grow and learn from her mistakes.
The Gloryhas a Rotten Tomatoes critics' score of 80%.
Yeon-jin’s resemblance to real-life bullies and her lack of guilt and shame makes her a familiar villain that many people have dealt with in their lives. Certain scenes inThe Gloryare based on true events, making Yeon-jin and her lackeys' treatment of Dong-eun even more horrifying and chilling.
2Voice (2017)
Villain: Mo Tae-goo
Voiceis a police procedural thriller andaction-packed K-dramafollowing a detective and a police officer who combine efforts to find the serial killer that murdered their loved ones.Voiceseason 1’s antagonist, Mo Tae-goo, played by Kim Jae-wook, is the CEO of Sungwoon Express with a murderous streak.
Voice
Voice is a crime thriller series focusing on emergency call center workers who utilize their heightened sense of hearing to solve crimes and save lives. The narrative centers around the detectives’ pursuit of dangerous criminals, emphasizing the urgency and intensity of their mission to protect the vulnerable.
Mo Tae-goo uses his status as the charming CEO to hide his nature as a coldblooded serial killer whose weapon of choice is a kettlebell. Kim Jae-wook perfectly portrays Tae-goo as theviolent mastermind who meticulously plans out his murdersand takes immense joy in watching people die at his hands.
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Mo Tae-goo’s chilling and eerie smile as he commits gruesomely violent murders makes the serial killer a truly horrendous and disturbing villain. Hisunnerving lack of remorse, ability to hide his murderous tendencies, and his joy at causing others harmand distress makes Ma Tae-goo a gruesome and scary villain.
1He Is Psychometric (2019)
Villain: Kang Sung-mo
He Is Psychometricfollows Lee Ahn (Park Jin-young) after he obtains the ability to see a person or an object’s past via physical touch and uses it to solve crimes. The K-drama follows Ahn as he utilizes his gift of psychometry to solve the arson case that killed his parents and changed his life. Ahn and Kang Sung-mo (Kim Kwon), the person who saved Ahn from the fire and became his guardian and adoptive brother, attempt to uncover who caused the deadly fire.
In ashocking plot twist, it is revealed that the protective older brother Kang Sung-mo started the fire and murdered multiple women in an effort to frame his father. While Sung-mo’s father was an evil person who abducted Sung-mo’s mother and kept the mother and son trapped for years,Kang Sung-mo’s thirst for revenge killed people and ruined the lives of families. Sung-mo is a complex person who commited terrible crimes but has redeemable qualities, making him an incredibly compelling villain.
Sung-mo’s heartbreaking betrayal cements him as the perfect villain for the K-drama, as his drive for revenge blurs the lines between right and wrong and making him a complex character.
He is Psychometricdoes an incredible job at humanizing Sung-mo, and his beautiful bond with the other characters in the show makes his shocking betrayal hurt more. Sung-mo’s heartbreaking betrayal cements him as the perfect villain for the K-drama, as his drive for revenge blurs the lines between right and wrong and making him a complex character.
