Korean dramas have become a worldwide phenomenon with millions of people watching them daily. They have a vast audience who stream on online platforms.
But why are Kdramas so popular? The reasons behind their popularity are the relatable characters, cheeky romance, unique storyline, and music. You will easily relate to the actors in the dramas.
Korean dramas have numerous genres to choose from such as romance, thriller, comedy, horror, suspense, and a lot more. There’s always a drama available of a specific trope that is your favorite.
Political Thriller Kdramas
One of the most famous genres is political thriller. These dramas are about the power battles and political games that go on in South Korea. They depict things like corruption, ambition, and loyalty.
They have a unique mix of mystery, drama, and political intrigue that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, making them a favorite among people who like exciting and thought-provoking dramas.
If you’re looking for some of the best political thriller Korean dramas, here is a list of some recommended dramas that explore the theme of politics, that you can watch.
1. Designated Survivor: 60 Days
Hangul: 60일 – 지정생존자
Year: 2019
Moo Jin is the environment minister. In a meeting, many government officials are killed in a terrorist attack, but he survives and is forced to serve as acting president for 60 days. He pursues the individual or group responsible for the attack.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Ji Jin Hee as Park Moo Jin
- Son Seok Koo as Cha Young Jin
- Kang Han Na as Han Na Kyung
- Heo Joon Ho as Han Joo Seung
No. Of Episodes: 16 (75 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
2. Memorist
Hangul: 메모리스트
Year: 2020
Dong Baek, a police detective with the ability to read people’s memories, solves murders. When a string of serial murders occurs, Dong Baek joins forces with talented criminal profiler Han Sun Mi to catch the killer and prevent more deaths.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Yoo Seung Ho as Dong Baek
- Lee Se Young as Han Sun Mi
- Jo Sung Ha as Lee Shin Woong
- Ko Chang Seok as Goo Kyung Tan
No. Of Episodes: 16 (65 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
3. Moon Embracing The Sun
Hangul: 해를 품은 달
Year: 2012
A love story between a king and a female shaman. She was born into an aristocratic family and rose to become the crown princess, but she was caught and sentenced to death. She returns as a shaman to reclaim her rightful place as queen.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Han Ga In as Heo Yeon Woo
- Kim Soo Hyun as Lee Hwon
- Jung Il Woo as Yang Myung
- Kim Min Seo as Yoon Bo Kyung
No. Of Episodes: 20 (65 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
4. Nobody Knows
Hangul: 아무도 모른다
Year: 2020
Cha Young Jin works as a detective. She lost a friend to a serial killer 19 years ago. She is still haunted by remorse and trauma from her friend’s death. After 19 years, the serial killer case resumes. Cha Young Jin pursues the murderer.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Kim Seo Hyung as Cha Young Jin
- Ryu Deok Hwan as Lee Sun Woo
- Park Hoon as Baek Sang Ho
- Ahn Ji Ho as Go Eun Ho
No. Of Episodes: 16 (70 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
5. Bridal Mask
Hangul: 각시탈
Year: 2012
In the 1930s, Lee Kang To lives in Korea, which is oppressed by Japanese Imperial rule. Even though he is Korean, he works with the Japanese police to catch “Bridal Mask,” an unknown rebel fighting for Korean independence.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Joo Won as Lee Kang To
- Jin Se Yeon as Oh Mok Dan
- Park Ki Woong as Kimura Shunji
- Han Chae Ah as Ueno Rie
No. Of Episodes: 28 (65 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
6. Chief Of Staff
Hangul: 보좌관
Year: 2019
The drama focuses on Blue House politics and power struggles. The President’s smart political strategist and chief of staff, Tae Joon, handles political drama, rival politicians, and personal issues to protect the President and his plans for the country.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Lee Jung Jae as Jang Tae Joon
- Shin Min Ah as Kang Sun Yeong
- Kim Gab Soo as Song Hee Seop
- Lee Elijah as Yoon Hye Won
No. Of Episodes: 10 (65 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
7. Watcher
Hangul: 왓쳐
Year: 2019
A tragic crime occurs 15 years ago, altering the lives of Do Chi Kwang, a senior investigator, Han Tae Joo, a former prosecutor, and Kim Young Goon, a police officer. They join an internal affairs investigative team to find out the truth.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Seo Kang Joon as Kim Young Goon
- Han Seok Kyu as Do Chi Kwang
- Kim Hyun Joo as Han Tae Joo
- Park Joo Hee as Jo Soo Yeon
No. Of Episodes: 16 (65 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
8. Into The Ring
Hangul: 출사표
Year: 2020
Se Ra, a spirited young woman gets involved in local politics to save her father’s bookstore. Together with a strict civil worker named Gong Myung, they deal with corrupt politicians, bureaucracy, and an unexpected romance in their pursuit of justice.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Nana as Goo Se Ra
- Park Sung Hoon as Seo Gong Myung
- Yoo Da In as Yoon Hee Soo
- Han Joon Woo as Kim Min Jae
No. Of Episodes: 16 (70 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
9. Queenmaker
Hangul: 퀸 메이커
Year: 2023
Do Hee worked in a company’s strategic planning office. She is an expert at making things appear nice. Seung Sook, a human rights lawyer who has lived like a weed and has been compared to a rhinoceros, runs for mayor of Seoul.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Kim Hee Ae as Hwang Do Hee
- Moon So Ri as Oh Kyung Sook
- Ryu Soo Young as Baek Jae Min
- Seo Yi Sook as Son Young Shim
No. Of Episodes: 11 (65 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
10. Argon
Hangul: 아르곤
Year: 2017
Baek Jin is a well-known anchor, reporter, and the host of the investigative reporting show Argon. The team faces numerous challenges as it attempts to tell genuine and significant news stories that the public needs to hear.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Kim Joo Hyuk as Kim Baek Jin
- Chun Woo Hee as Lee Yun Hwa
- Park Won Sang as Shin Chul
- Shin Hyun Bin as Chae Soo Min
No. Of Episodes: 8 (70 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
11. Six Flying Dragons
Hangul: 육룡이 나르샤
Year: 2015
A historical drama that takes place in Korea during the troubled Joseon dynasty. In the drama, six different people, each with their own talents and personalities, work together to fight for justice and change in their country.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Yoo Ah In as Lee Bang Won
- Kim Myung Min as Jung Do Jeon
- Shin Se Kyung as Boon Yi
- Byun Yo Han as Ddang Sae
No. Of Episodes: 50 (60 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
12. Trolley
Hangul: 트롤리
Year: 2022
The drama follows Joong Do, a member of the National Assembly, and his wife, who hides her past. It will depict the dilemmas and difficulties that couples encounter after their secret is known to the world.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Kim Hyun Joo as Kim Hye Joo
- Park Hee Soon as Nam Jung Do
- Kim Mu Yeol as Jang Woo Jae
- Jung Soo Bin as Kim Soo Bin
No. Of Episodes: 16 (60 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
13. The Good Wife
Hangul: 굿 와이프
Year: 2016
Hye Kyung is a devoted wife and mother. When her politician husband gets caught in a corruption scandal, she finds herself in the middle of a high-profile case. As she deals with social & legal problems, she becomes a lawyer to protect her family.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Jeon Do Yeon as Kim Hye Kyung
- Yoo Ji Tae as Lee Tae Joon
- Yoon Kye Sang as Seo Jung Won
- Kim Seo Hyung as Seo Myung Hee
No. Of Episodes: 16 (60 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
14. Kingdom
Hangul: 킹덤
Year: 2019
During the Joseon period, the spirit of a recently dead king comes back, and a mysterious illness starts to spread across the country. To find out what is going on and save his people, the crown prince must deal with a new kind of enemy.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Joo Ji Hoon as Lee Chang
- Ryu Seung Ryong as Jo Hak Joo
- Bae Doo Na as Seo Bi
- Kim Sung Gyu as Young Shin
No. Of Episodes: 6+6 (50 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
15. Chicago Typewriter
Hangul: 시카고 타자기
Year: 2017
The drama features three resistance warriors who lived during Japan’s conquest of Korea in the 1930s and are reincarnated as a best-selling writer, a fan, and a ghostwriter in the present. It is an epic story of friendship, love, and betrayal.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Yoo Ah In as Han Se Joo
- Im Soo Jung as Jun Seol
- Go Kyung Pyo as Yoo Jin Oh
- Kwak Shi Yang as Baek Tae Min
No. Of Episodes: 16 (70 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
16. Punch
Hangul: 펀치
Year: 2014
Jung Hwan is a prosecutor who is diagnosed with a brain tumor. With limited time, he pursues justice and forgiveness, addressing ethical dilemmas and his past while coping with political intrigue and personal challenges.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Kim Rae Won as Park Jeong Hwan
- Kim Ah Joong as Shin Ha Gyeong
- Jo Jae Hyun as Lee Tae Jun
- Seo Ji Hye as Choi Yeon Jin
No. Of Episodes: 19 (60 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
Wrapping Up
So, these were the recommended dramas involving politics that will keep you thrilled with their exciting stories. Put on your seatbelt and get ready to feel your heart racing as you get sucked into the world of political intrigue.
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FAQs
1. Which are the best political Kdramas?
Some of the best political thriller dramas include Queenmaker, Chief Of Staff, Kingdom, Designated Survivor.
2. Where can I watch political Kdramas?
You can watch most of the political series on legal platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, Viu, Viki, Kocowa, etc.
3. What is the best crime thriller Kdrama?
One of the best crime thriller drama is Defendant. Other dramas such as Vagabond, The K2, Healer are also some good thrillers to watch.
