10 Most Action-Packed K-Dramas, Ranked

Some of the best K-dramas push the boundaries of the genre and include many action-packed and gory sequences that even the most die-hard action fan would love. Violence is a tricky tool to master in movies and television, as it can be too brutal for some viewers, while others can’t get enough. The key is to balance fast-paced, adrenaline-inducing scenes with compelling character dynamics that make the audience invested in the outcome of fight scenes and battles.

Action is a difficult genre to master and is often secondary to a series’ main thrust, which is closer to the thriller, crime, horror, and drama genres. However, due to this, action is used as an essential element that elevates the other conflicts of a series and creates visually engaging sequences that leave the audience breathless. The best K-dramas hook the audience from the first episode, and those that involve fights, violence, and complicated battles are amazing at maintaining viewership and increasing the notoriety of K-dramas.

10 Descendants Of The Sun (2016)

A fictional war creates real conflict amidst an epic love story

The star-crossed lovers Yoo Si-jin (Song Joong-ki) and Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo) find themselves constantly torn apart because of Yoo Si-jin’s active role in the military and Kang Mo-yeon’s busy professional life as a doctor. Moments of war and conflict are punctuated with a genuine love story between the pair, which elevates both aspects of the narrative.

There’s something for both ends of the K-drama audience spectrum in this series. Audiences who are less interested in romance have great action scenes, but there are plenty of soft and sensual moments between the central couple for romance fans as well. However, Descendants of the Sun should not be overlooked as an action series just because of its love story. For the international audience, it provides an interesting look into the South Korean military.

The series has become an international hit as well, sold for distribution to 32 different countries. It was also broadcast in China and South Korea simultaneously after a Chinese network paid nearly 40% of the production costs for the show to have the broadcast rights. That was the first time for a K-drama to get that treatment.

9 Healer (2014 – 2015)

Journalistic integrity, freedom of speech, and a series of murders are solved by one man

Healer takes down corrupt media outlets and solves murders through the lens of Seo Jung-hoo (Ji Chang-wook), a man known by the moniker Healer, who has a reputation for getting things done. Even though he starts the series thinking only of himself, he soon builds a connection with Chae Young-shin (K-drama romance darling Park Min-young). The two of them quickly get caught up in a case Chae Young-shin is reporting on, and the secrets from her past start resurfacing.

This intrigue is paired well with the excellent fighting skills Seo Jung-hoo shows off and the high stakes of freedom of the press. The action scenes here are actually more like some of the traditional action scenes in modern-day thrillers, like rooftop chase sequences or hand-to-hand combat in close quarters. Fans of the fight scenes in the Bourne movies will likely love this one.

8 My Name (2021)

Vengeance takes many forms in this thriller about a woman with an all-consuming goal

After her father is killed, Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee) aligns herself with a mob boss in the criminal underworld to catch her father’s murderer. Han So-hee is known for some of the best K-dramas, and My Name might be the greatest of all of her shows because of how lightning-fast the pacing is and how much material she has in portraying Yoon Ji-woo.

She grows into a fearsome warrior and trains herself to be a weapon in her single-minded quest. Things heat up beyond belief when she goes undercover within the police force to root out corruption as an agent for her criminal organization.

The show was incredibly well-received when it premiered in South Korea, but also around the world. It was nominated for several awards with Han So-hee in particular racking up nominations, though she, unfortunately, didn’t take home any wins. New Musical Express out of the UK named the series one of the best Korean dramas of the year.

Related

Top 25 Badass Female Leads From K-Dramas

While K-dramas are often enjoyed for their sometimes-saccharine romances and dramatic plots, there are more than a few iconic female leads, as well.

7 Train (2020)

Parallel universes change a man’s perception of justice and the woman he loves

In one universe, Seo Do-won (Yoon Shi-yoon) tries to solve the murder of the woman he loves, while in the other, he works tirelessly to protect her. The magic systems and how Seo Do-won’s mysterious abilities work are of less concern to Train than what he does with the opportunity to live two different lives across multiple realities. The way the two universes are different are just as fascinating as what they have in common.

It’s difficult to keep track of who is alive in what universe, but it’s never hard to spot when Seo Do-won is taking down an enemy because of the considerable time and attention the show gives to the amazing action sequences. Part thriller, part mystery, and definitely in the fantasy realm, the series has proven to fascinate international audiences as well. There is a British remake of the show in development.

6 Bloodhounds (2023)

Boxing, bloodlust, and fighting for the weak come together in a brilliant story of friendship

In Bloodhounds, the bonds of friendship are on full display between Kim Geon-woo (Woo Do-hwan) and Hong Woo-jin (Lee Sang-yi), who use their talents as boxers to help those in need. Moneylending is the root of the conflict in the series as the men work to topple a man who uses his power as a loan shark to prey on those without money or resources. The bulk of the action takes place in the guise of boxing.

Even though the boxing is brutal, and the men don’t pull any punches, the show is surprisingly nuanced and takes care to represent the issues of class and financial difficulties with empathy. As much as the series basks in action, it’s also a crime drama and provides plenty of social commentary.

Though the series didn’t see a lot of award show love in South Korea, Lee Sang-yi was awarded the Actor’s Excellence Award at the Korea Drama Awards for his work in the show. Time also named it as one of the best Korean Dramas of 2023.

5 Vincenzo (2021)

A look into the inner workings of the mafia in Italy and South Korea

Vincenzo is one of the best revenge K-dramas because it weaves a complex web of lies and betrayal. There are so many twists that they must be seen to be believed.

Vincenzo Cassano, AKA Park Joo-hyung (Song Joong-ki), is adopted by an Italian family with ties to the mob. However, when his brother tries to have him killed, Vincenzo escapes back to South Korea to get his vengeance and start building his empire. Each character is brutal and exacting in their ruthless climb to the top and desire for money and power, but no one is who they say they are.

The series combines elements of a crime thriller with that of an action series, legal drama, and even a romance. The show manages to weave elements of all of these genres into an intense and entertaining narrative. It also is creative with its fight scenes, even using tape in one.

4 Mr. Sunshine (2018)

Class divisions and political intrigue come to a head in this depiction of Korean history

Just before the turn of the nineteenth century, Mr. Sunshine unpacks the experience of Eugene Choi (Lee Byung-hun), a young man who returns to Korea after living in the United States for many years. He falls in love with a woman in the upper class, but their love has a lot more to transcend than economic differences. Much of the conflict in Mr. Sunshine stems from the tensions between Korea, Japan, and the United States during this period.

Hand-to-hand-combat and samurai skills are showcased throughout the show. Fans might have loved the drama and the fight scenes, making it one of the highest-rated shows in South Korea at the time, but historical inaccuracy and using the trope of an American savior didn’t sit well with many. While some parts of the show are polarizing, there’s no question that the strong characters and well-choreographed action make it worth watching.

3 The Worst Of Evil (2023)

The criminal underworld is unmasked by a pair of detectives

The Worst of Evil

The Worst of Evil is a South Korean action/crime-thriller television series released in 2023. Set in the 1990s, The Worst of Evil follows a group of police detectives as they attempt to break into a criminal organization that controls the drug trade across China, Japan, and Korea. 

Cast

Ji Chang-Wook , Wi Ha-joon , Im Se-mi , Bibi , Lee Shin-ki , Jung Jae-kwang

Release Date

September 27, 2023

Seasons

1

Showrunner

Gang-in

Thrillers are known for their slow-burn narratives that uphold a commitment to suspense over too many overtly violent scenes. However, that means that in shows like The Worst of Evil, when the tension spills over, the payoff of a fight sequence is all the more satisfying. The series is a 1990s period piece that follows two detectives attempting to disrupt a drug trafficking ring, leading one of them to go undercover. It soon becomes clear that the criminals aren’t the only dangerous ones, and most of the characters will do whatever it takes to get ahead.

Weapons in the series range from fists to buckets of water, making for some interesting variety in the more action-packed scenes. The series was well-received the year of its debut, earning three nominations at the Baeksang Awards and winning one for Best Director for Han Dong-wook.

2 All Of Us Are Dead (2022 – )

The end of the world from the perspective of a group of students

All Of Us Are Dead

All of Us Are Dead is a horror-thriller series based on the webtoon from creator Jeon Bae-soo. Set in a South Korean high school, a scientist father trying to find a way to protect his son from bullies accidentally creates a serum that uses the fear within humans to turn them into zombies. Set loose in the school, the surviving students and staff find themselves cut off from the outside world and must now fight to survive the infected onslaught – and each other.

Cast

Park Solomon , Cho Yi-hyun , Park Ji-hoo , Yoo In-soo , Yoon Chan-young

Release Date

January 28, 2022

Seasons

1

High school is already filled to the brim with violence, drama, and intrigue, but combining that with zombies makes it impossible to turn away from All of Us Are Dead. In a compelling twist, it’s a human teacher who creates the zombie virus and effectively ends the world, and the kids are the ones who decide to join together and survive. Though the outbreak starts in the confines of the school, the outside world doesn’t have to wait long to fall victim to the virus.

All of Us Are Dead is at its best in how it builds tension throughout its episodes and punctuates the action sequences with the complex development and organization of social groups. The themes of the apocalypse are played out on the small scale of one school, which raises the stakes and increases the pacing of the action. Each character has a unique skill set and range of abilities, and watching the students learn to fight keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.

1 Sweet Home (2020 – )

An exciting new twist on the monster and apocalyptic genres

Sweet Home (2020)

Sweet Home follows the story of Hyun-soo, a reclusive high school student who moves into the Green Home apartment complex after losing his family. When a mysterious epidemic turns people into monstrous creatures, Hyun-soo and the residents of Green Home must band together to survive, confronting their inner demons and the horrifying threats outside.

Cast

Song Kang , Lee Jin-Wook , Lee Si-young , Park Gyu-young , Go Min-si , Kim Hee-jung , Kim Gook-hee , Lee Joon-woo

Release Date

December 18, 2020

Seasons

1

Creator(s)

Kim Seol-jin , Kim Carnby , Hwang Young-chan

Sweet Home has garnered enormous popularity through Netflix and around the world, and with season 3 greenlit, many things need to happen in Sweet Home before the show ends. The series’ premise revolves around a post-apocalyptic world where humans start turning into monsters, and the show’s heroes are trapped inside an apartment building, trying to fight their way out and survive. What makes the show so successful is how well it uses the environment and circumstances to its advantage.

This limited setting gives the audience the sense of being trapped alongside the characters and increases the likelihood that every encounter with a monster will be violent. Not only is the action, gore, and violence top-notch, but the series builds character development and relationships, making the quiet moments just as compelling as the high-octane fights. Blending horror, interpersonal drama, and the best of the action genre, Sweet Home stands out among its competitors.