If You’ve Outgrown Rom-Coms and Now Crave Chaos, Swagger, and Serious Plot Twists

Especially if you are a fan of The Squid Game and Parasite, then these are great options for a binge-watching weekend.

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The Glory

High school life can have its own share of drama with its teenage fantasies, first crushes, and even first heartbreaks. But it’s not so much true for Moon Dong-eun, who has constantly suffered bullying and horrific abuse at the hands of her classmates due to her social and economic status. Her steady progress in academics also fuels a vicious hatred. These incidents have literally scarred her for life and altered its trajectory dramatically. But she rises like a phoenix only to burn those who have wronged her. If you are a fan of someone fighting a good fight, then join Song Hye-kyo and her well-wishers in this kick-ass revenge drama.

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The Frog

You can up the ante of psychological tension, complex storytelling, and gory detailing with this one. This is the story of Jeon Yeong-ha, who is running a holiday rental in a secluded picturesque setting near a forest town. It has taken him and his wife monumental efforts to be this established in the holiday rental business, considering what happened last time when they were supervising a similarly isolated motel. Now he is grieving his deceased wife while nursing conflicting thoughts about continuing this business. All looks humdrum till she arrives. She is Yoo Seong-a, a mysterious woman who arrives with her son but leaves alone the very next day. So, what follows next makes this slow-burn thriller a must-watch.

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The Trunk

What is the connection among a washed-up dead body, a music producer, a contract marriage firm, and a trunk? There are more than one if you look closely and if you have watched this series from the first shot till the very last. Noh In-ji is a contract wife of Han Jeong-won when they entered into a legal agreement to be married for a year. But beyond that, she has her own life with its melodramatic events. Han Jeong-won is also at a difficult juncture in his life, both creatively and emotionally. So, it takes time and effort to bond with this mysterious woman who has arrived with a discreet contract and a large trunk. This slow-growing, atmospheric, and emotionally charged romance takes this thriller series ahead. A good recommendation for lovers of romantic dramas tinged with suspenseful noir detailing.

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The 8 Show

8 desperate individuals walk in a desolate theater and pick up a card numbered from 1 to 8. 8 people, 8 floors, 8 different prizes, and one fateful game. It’s dark, dramatic, gory, and graphic. In that, it very much stays true to its root of webtoon games. Alas, life is no game, especially when financially deprived individuals are putting everything they have on the line for an ultimate payout. These tightly packed 8 episodes move ahead like a punch to the gut with intense psychological drama, satire, and sharp criticism of capitalism cleverly disguised as dark comedy. A recommended show for the fans of survivalist drama.

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And that’s a wrap on a few of the most fantastic lineups of K-dramas worth your time.