45+ Suspense/Mystery Dramas Of 2023 (K-Drama Masterlist)
For K-drama fans still catching up on dramas from last year, Soompi has prepared masterlists of 2023 K-dramas organized by genre!
Here are K-dramas from 2023 that include suspense or mystery elements (although many of these dramas fit into other genres as well).
Includes dramas that premiered in 2022 and ended in 2023.
“Unlock My Boss”
Cast: Chae Jong Hyeop, Seo Eun Soo, Park Sung Woong
Premiere Date: December 7, 2022
“Unlock My Boss” depicts the story of Park In Sung (Chae Jong Hyeop), an unemployed job-seeker whose life changes after picking up a smartphone that claims that he is the CEO of a big IT corporation whose soul was trapped inside the smartphone after an incident.
Watch “Unlock My Boss”:
“Missing: The Other Side 2”
Cast: Go Soo, Heo Joon Ho, Ahn So Hee, Lee Jung Eun, Kim Dong Hwi, Ha Jun
Premiere Date: December 19, 2022
“Missing: The Other Side” is a mystery fantasy drama about villages inhabited by the souls of people who went missing while they were alive. Season 2 introduces new characters Kang Eun Shil (Lee Jung Eun) and Oh Il Yong (Kim Dong Hwi).
Watch the first season below:
“Big Bet”
Cast: Choi Min Sik, Son Suk Ku, Lee Dong Hwi
Premiere Date: December 21, 2022
“Big Bet” tells the story of Cha Mu Sik (Choi Min Sik), a man who rose to the top and became the legendary king of the casino in the Philippines even without fortune, connections, or other privileges on his hands. After getting entangled in a murder case, he is faced with the ultimate bet with his life on the line.
“Island”
Cast: Kim Nam Gil, Lee Da Hee, Cha Eun Woo, Sung Joon
Premiere Date: December 30, 2022
Based on a hit webtoon, “Island” is a fantasy exorcism drama that takes place on Jeju Island. It depicts the sorrowful and bizarre journey of the characters who are fated to fight evil that is trying to destroy the world.
“The Glory”
Cast: Song Hye Kyo, Lee Do Hyun, Lim Ji Yeon, Park Sung Hoon, Jung Sung Il
Premiere Date: December 30, 2022
“The Glory” tells the story of Moon Dong Eun (Song Hye Kyo), a former victim of brutal school violence who swears revenge on her bullies after becoming the elementary school homeroom teacher of her bully’s kid.
“Brain Works”
Cast: Jung Yong Hwa, Cha Tae Hyun, Kwak Sun Young, Ye Ji Won
Premiere Date: January 2
“Brain Works” is a brain science-themed comedy-mystery drama about two men who can’t stand each other but who must work together to solve a crime case involving a rare brain disease. Shin Ha Ru (Jung Yong Hwa), a brain scientist with a very extraordinary brain, teams up with Geum Myung Se (Cha Tae Hyun), a considerate detective with an altruistic brain.
Watch “Brain Works”:
“Crash Course in Romance”
Cast: Jeon Do Yeon, Jung Kyung Ho, Roh Yoon Seo, Oh Eui Sik, Lee Bong Ryun, Shin Jae Ha, Lee Chae Min
Premiere Date: January 14
“Crash Course in Romance” is a drama about the unlikely love story between Nam Haeng Sun (Jeon Do Yeon), a former national athlete who now runs her own side dish shop, and Choi Chi Yeol (Jung Kyung Ho), a star instructor in Korea’s elite private education sphere.
“Decoy”
Cast: Jang Geun Suk, Heo Sung Tae, Lee Elijah
Premiere Date: January 27
“Decoy” is a crime thriller that follows a lawyer-turned-homicide detective searching for the truth behind unsolved past cases by investigating current crimes. Goo Do Han (Jang Keun Suk) is a detective determined to uncover the truth after Noh Sang Cheon (Heo Sung Tae), the culprit of South Korea’s biggest fraud case, is named as a suspect in a present-day murder case even though he supposedly died eight years ago.
Watch “Decoy: part 1”:
And “Decoy: part 2”:
“Taxi Driver 2”
Cast: Lee Je Hoon, Kim Eui Sung, Pyo Ye Jin, Jang Hyuk Jin, Bae Yoo Ram, Shin Jae Ha
Premiere Date: February 17
Based on a popular webtoon, “Taxi Driver” is a drama about a mysterious taxi service that delivers vengeance on behalf of victims who are unable to get justice through the law. Kim Do Gi (Lee Je Hoon) and the Rainbow Taxi team members return for Season 2 along with new team member Eun Ha Joon (Shin Jae Ha).
Watch the original “Taxi Driver”:
And “Taxi Driver 2”:
“Delivery Man”
Cast: Yoon Chan Young, Minah, Kim Min Seok
Premiere Date: March 1
“Delivery Man” tells the story of Seo Young Min (Yoon Chan Young), a taxi driver who only gives rides to ghosts, and Kang Ji Hyun (Minah), a ghost suffering from memory loss, as they work together to solve crime.
Watch “Delivery Man”:
“Pandora: Beneath the Paradise”
Cast: Lee Ji Ah, Lee Sang Yoon, Jang Hee Jin, Park Ki Woong, Bong Tae Gyu
Premiere Date: March 11
“Pandora: Beneath the Paradise” tells the revenge story of a woman who comes to realize that her picture-perfect life is not what it seems. Lee Ji Ah stars as Hong Tae Ra, a woman who has lost her memories but otherwise seems to have it all. When her wealthy and successful husband Pyo Jae Hyun (Lee Sang Yoon) decides to run for president, Hong Tae Ra also finds herself entering the spotlight.
“Woman in a Veil”
Cast: Choi Yoon Young, Lee Chae Young, Lee Sun Ho, Han Ki Woong, Shin Go Eun, Lee Eun Hyung
Premiere Date: March 14
“Woman in a Veil” is about a woman who is diagnosed with locked-in syndrome and loses her vision as a result of her husband and his mistress. As she gets entangled with an heiress who has everything, she works to reveal the truth and take revenge as she also finds love and justice along the way.
Watch “Woman in a Veil”:
“Pale Moon”
Cast: Kim Seo Hyung, Lee Si Woo
Premiere Date: April 10
Based on the Japanese novel “Kami no Tsuki” by Mitsuyo Kakuta, “Pale Moon” is a suspense thriller drama about a woman named Yoo Yi Hwa (Kim Seo Hyung) who has lived a comfortable life without deprivation and desire. Her ordinary but suffocating daily life becomes irrevocably twisted as she starts working as a contract employee at a bank.
Watch “Pale Moon”:
“The Good Bad Mother”
Cast: Ra Mi Ran, Lee Do Hyun, Ahn Eun Jin, Yoo In Soo
Premiere Date: April 26
“The Good Bad Mother” is a drama about Young Soon (Ra Mi Ran), a woman who must return to his motherly duties after her adult son Kang Ho (Lee Do Hyun), a prominent prosecutor, loses his memory in an accident and unexpectedly reverts to his seven-year-old self.
“My Perfect Stranger”
Cast: Kim Dong Wook, Jin Ki Joo, Seo Ji Hye, Lee Won Jung
Premiere Date: May 1
“My Perfect Stranger” is a fantasy drama about the strange events that unfold when news anchor Yoon Hae Joon (Kim Dong Wook), who wants to uncover the truth behind a serial murder case from the past, meets Baek Yoon Young (Jin Ki Joo), who travels through time to prevent her parents’ wedding. After getting stuck in the year 1987, the two realize that their goals may be connected.
Watch “My Perfect Stranger”:
“Delightfully Deceitful”
Cast: Chun Woo Hee, Kim Dong Wook, Yoon Bak, Sojin, Lee Yeon, Yoo Hee Je, Hong Seung Bum, Lee Tae Ran, Choi Young Joon, etc.
Premiere Date: May 29
Broadcast Details: Mondays and Tuesdays at 8:50 p.m. KST on tvN
“Delightfully Deceitful” is a thrilling revenge drama about genius con artist Lee Ro Um (Chun Woo Hee) who lacks empathy and attorney Han Moo Young (Kim Dong Wook) who is excessively empathetic by nature. In order to battle evil, these two polar opposites team up to form an unlikely alliance.
“Battle for Happiness”
Cast: Lee El, Jin Seo Yeon, Cha Ye Ryun, Park Hyo Joo
Premiere Date: May 31
“Battle for Happiness” is a suspenseful drama about a mysterious death that occurs amidst a “battle for happiness” between mothers on social media and the fight between those trying to hide the secrets and those trying to reveal them.
Watch “Battle for Happiness”:
“BITCH X RICH”
Cast: Lee Eun Saem, Yeri, Lee Jong Hyuk, Yoo Jung Hoo
Premiere Date: May 31
“BITCH X RICH” depicts the events that happen to Kim Hye In (Lee Eun Saem), the only witness to a murder of a high school girl. She eventually transfers to the esteemed Cheongdam International High School, and there, she meets Baek Je Na (Yeri), the queen of Diamond 6, the prime suspect and the most powerful person in the school.
“Lies Hidden in My Garden”
Cast: Kim Tae Hee, Lim Ji Yeon, Kim Sung Oh, Choi Jae Rim
Premiere Date: June 19
Based on a novel, “Lies Hidden in My Garden” is a suspense drama about Joo Ran (Kim Tae Hee), who lives a picture-perfect life until she notices the stench of a dead body emanating from her backyard, and Sang Eun (Lim Ji Yeon), a domestic violence victim who dreams of escaping her hellish reality.
Watch “Lies Hidden in My Garden”:
“Revenant”
Cast: Kim Tae Ri, Oh Jung Se, Hong Kyung
Premiere Date: June 23
“Revenant” is an occult mystery thriller in which Goo San Young (Kim Tae Ri), a woman possessed by an evil spirit, and Yeom Hae Sang (Oh Jung Se), a man who can see those evil spirits inside human bodies, dig into the mysterious deaths surrounding five divine objects.
“Miraculous Brothers”
Cast: Jung Woo, Bae Hyun Sung, Park Yoo Rim, Oh Man Seok, Lee Ki Woo
Premiere Date: June 28
“Miraculous Brothers” is a mystery drama about the miracles made through time and the search for truth by Yook Dong Joo (Jung Woo), an aspiring writer with tons of debt, and a mysterious boy named Kang San (Bae Hyun Sung), who has unique powers.
Watch “Miraculous Brothers”:
“Celebrity”
Cast: Park Gyu Young, Kang Min Hyuk, Lee Chung Ah, Lee Dong Gun, Jun Hyosung
Premiere Date: June 30
“Celebrity” is a drama that depicts the true reality of the glamorous and competitive life of celebrities encountered by Seo Ah Ri (Park Gyu Young), who jumps into a world where fame brings riches and experiences a whirlwind of events.
“Shadow Detective 2”
Cast: Lee Sung Min, Kyung Soo Jin, Lee Hak Joo, Jung Jin Young, Kim Shin Rok
Premiere Date: July 5
“Shadow Detective” is a crime thriller that depicts the story of Kim Taek Rok (Lee Sung Min), a veteran homicide detective who suddenly starts getting calls from someone who calls himself an old friend, frames him for murder, then starts to blackmail him. Season 2 follows the counter-attack of Kim Taek Rok as he returns to hunt down his blackmailer.
“Not Others”
Cast: Jeon Hye Jin, Sooyoung, Ahn Jae Wook, Park Sung Hoon
Premiere Date: July 17
“Not Others” is a comedy drama about a clumsy mother and her coolheaded daughter. Eun Mi (Jeon Hye Jin) is a bubbly physical therapist and single mother while her daughter Jin Hee (Sooyoung) is a 29-year-old police station patrol team leader who needs to crack down on her mother more than on her cases.
Watch “Not Others”:
“Longing For You”
Cast: Na In Woo, Kim Ji Eun, Kwon Yool, Bae Jong Ok, Lee Kyu Han, Jung Sang Hoon
Premiere Date: July 26
“Longing for You” is a mystery crime series following the story of Woojin Police Station detective Oh Jin Sung (Na In Woo) who is working to avenge his younger brother. Oh Jin Sung gets transferred to the Special Investigation team for a serial murder case and embarks on an investigation with prosecutors Ko Young Joo (Kim Ji Eun) and Cha Young Woon (Kwon Yool).
Watch “Longing for You”:
“My Lovely Liar”
Cast: Kim So Hyun, Hwang Minhyun, Yoon Ji On, Seo Ji Hoon, Lee Si Woo
Premiere Date: July 31
“My Lovely Liar” is about Mok Sol Hee (Kim So Hyun) who has a supernatural ability to detect lies which has made her lose faith in other people. However, she finds out that there is one person that her power doesn’t seem to work on—her suspicious next-door neighbor Kim Do Ha (Hwang Minhyun).
Watch “My Lovely Liar”:
“The First Responders 2”
Cast: Kim Rae Won, Son Ho Jun, Gong Seung Yeon, Seo Hyun Chul, Kang Ki Doong
Premiere Date: August 4
“The First Responders” is a drama about members of the fire department, police force, and paramedic team as they come together to help their city in any way they can. Season 2 draws out the upgraded teamwork between the fire department, police force, and the National Forensic Service (NFS) as they face unprecedented events.
“The Elegant Empire”
Cast: Kim Jin Woo, Han Ji Wan, Kang Yul, Son Sung Yoon, Lee Sang Bo, Lee Mi Young, Kim Seo Ra, Nam Kyung Eup, etc.
Premiere Date: August 7
Set within the entertainment industry, “The Elegant Empire” follows the journey of desperate and elegant revenge by a man and woman who work to find their lost lives along with the truth hidden and justice destroyed due to powerful forces.
Watch “The Elegant Empire”:
“The Killing Vote”
Cast: Park Hae Jin, Park Sung Woong, Lim Ji Yeon
Premiere Date: August 10
“The Killing Vote” is a webtoon-based drama about a mysterious figure known as “Dog Mask” who begins holding a nationwide death penalty vote against vicious criminals who deftly manage to escape the law’s blind spots. If more than 50 percent of citizens vote to execute a criminal, Dog Mask carries out an unsanctioned execution in the name of justice.
“Behind Your Touch”
Cast: Han Ji Min, Lee Min Ki, Suho
Premiere Date: August 12
“Behind Your Touch” is about the busybody veterinarian Bong Ye Bun (Han Ji Min) who somehow gains psychometric abilities to be able to see the past of both people and animals in Mujin, a small rural village free of crime, and the ambitious elite detective Moon Jang Yeol (Lee Min Ki) who needs her abilities to return to the criminal investigation team in Seoul.
“Mask Girl”
Cast: Go Hyun Jung, Ahn Jae Hong, Yeom Hye Ran, Nana, Lee Han Byeol
Premiere Date: August 18
Based on a webtoon, “Mask Girl” is about an ordinary employee named Kim Mo Mi who is insecure about her looks. Every night, Kim Mo Mi is active as an internet broadcasting jockey (BJ) who works while covering her face with a mask. “Mask Girl” depicts Kim Mo Mi’s turbulent life story that unfolds when she unintentionally gets swept up in an incident.
“The Kidnapping Day”
Cast: Yoon Kye Sang, Park Sung Hoon, Yoo Na, Kim Shin Rok, Kim Sang Ho
Premiere Date: September 13
Based on a novel, “The Kidnapping Day” is a black comedy about the special collaboration between Kim Myung Joon (Yoon Kye Sang), a first-time kidnapper, and the 11-year-old genius Choi Ro Hee (Yoo Na), who is abducted by Kim Myung Joon to raise money for his daughter’s hospital fees.
“The Escape of the Seven”
Cast: Uhm Ki Joon, Hwang Jung Eum, Lee Joon, Lee Yoo Bi, Shin Eun Kyung, Yoon Jong Hoon, Jo Yoon Hee, Jo Jae Yoon, Lee Deok Hwa
Premiere Date: September 15
“The Escape of the Seven” follows the story of seven villainous characters Matthew Lee (Uhm Ki Joon), Geum Ra Hee (Hwang Jung Eum), Min Do Hyuk (Lee Joon), Han Mo Ne (Lee Yoo Bi), Cha Joo Ran (Shin Eun Kyung), Yang Jin Mo (Yoon Jong Hoon), Go Myung Ji (Jo Yoon Hee), and Nam Chul Woo (Jo Jae Yoon) involved in the disappearance of a young girl, who was tangled in a complicated web of lies and ambition.
Watch “The Escape of the Seven”:
“The Worst of Evil”
Cast: Ji Chang Wook, Wi Ha Joon, Im Se Mi
Premiere Date: September 27
Set in the 1990s, “The Worst of Evil” is a crime action drama that follows policeman Park Joon Mo (Ji Chang Wook) who goes undercover to infiltrate the Gangnam Alliance, a major cartel that is responsible for illegal drug trade between Korea, Japan, and China.
“The Deal”
Cast: Yoo Seung Ho, Kim Dong Hwi, Yoo Su Bin, Lee Joo Young
Premiere Date: October 6
Based on a webtoon, “The Deal” tells the story of three former high school classmates in their twenties who get together for drinks for the first time in a long while. However, things take an unexpected turn when two of them impulsively decide to kidnap the other, and the ensuing complications lead all three of them down a dark and turbulent path.
Watch “The Deal”:
“Evilive”
Cast: Shin Ha Kyun, Kim Young Kwang, Shin Jae Ha
Premiere Date: October 14
“Evilive” is a noir drama that tells the story of poor lawyer Han Dong Soo (Shin Ha Kyun) who crosses the line and transforms into an elite villain after meeting Seo Do Young (Kim Young Kwang), a former baseball player who is the No. 2 man of a gang.
“No Path Back “
Cast: Lee Jae Won, Choi Sung Won, Kim Kang Hyun, Yoon Se Woong
Premiere Date: October 14
Part of KBS’s short drama collection “2023 KBS Drama Special,” “No Path Back” is a suspenseful office drama in which a salesman makes a wrong decision for a better life.
“High Cookie”
Cast: Nam Ji Hyun, Choi Hyun Wook, Kim Moo Yeol, Jung Da Bin
Premiere Date: October 23
“High Cookie” is about an elite high school that gets swallowed up by dangerous handmade cookies that make people’s dreams come true. At the age of 18, Choi Soo Young (Nam Ji Hyun) starts part-time work at a factory to raise her younger sister Choi Min Young (Jung Da Bin) and voluntarily jumps into the swamp created by the cookies to save her sister.
“Castaway Diva”
Cast: Park Eun Bin, Kim Hyo Jin, Chae Jong Hyeop, Cha Hak Yeon
Premiere Date: October 28
“Castaway Diva” is a romantic comedy following the story of a Seo Mok Ha (Park Eun Bin), a girl who drifted out onto a deserted island while on her way to Seoul to partake in an audition to become a singer. She gets rescued from the uninhabited island after 15 years and dreams once more of standing on stage.
“Vigilante”
Cast: Nam Joo Hyuk, Yoo Ji Tae, Lee Joon Hyuk, Kim So Jin
Premiere Date: November 8
“Vigilante” is a webtoon-based drama that follows the story of Kim Ji Yong (Nam Joo Hyuk), an exemplary police university student who upholds the law by day but becomes a vigilante by night, taking matters into his own hands against criminals who escape justice.
“A Bloody Lucky Day”
Cast: Lee Sung Min, Yoo Yeon Seok, Lee Jung Eun
Premiere Date: November 20
“A Bloody Lucky Day” is a webtoon-based thriller drama about taxi driver Oh Taek (Lee Sung Min) who picks up the high-paying customer Geum Hyuk Soo (Yoo Yeon Seok) headed to Mokpo and finds out on the way that he is a serial killer.
“Sweet Home 2”
Cast: Song Kang, Lee Jin Wook, Lee Si Young, Go Min Si, Park Gyu Young, Jung Jinyoung, Yoo Oh Sung, Oh Jung Se, Kim Moo Yeol
Premiere Date: December 1
“Sweet Home” is about Cha Hyun Su (Song Kang), a loner high school student who moves into a new apartment when monsters start breaking out among humanity and the apartment residents are trapped inside the building. Season 2 focuses on how Cha Hyun Su and other survivors struggle to survive after leaving Green Home.
“Night Has Come”
Cast: Lee Jae In, Kim Woo Seok, Choi Ye Bin, Cha Woo Min, Ahn Ji Ho, Jeong So Ri
Premiere Date: December 4
“Night Has Come” is a teen mystery thriller about a group of high school students who are forced to play a deadly real-life version of the mafia game during a class retreat. The drama depicts the intense psychological warfare between the students as they attempt to identify the mystery killer—while also trying to avoid dying a gruesome death.
Watch “Night Has Come”:
“Maestra: Strings of Truth”
Cast: Lee Young Ae, Lee Moo Saeng, Kim Young Jae, Hwang Bo Reum Byeol
Premiere Date: December 9
Based on the French series “Philharmonia,” “Maestra: Strings of Truth” is a drama about Cha Se Eum (Lee Young Ae), a brilliant and legendary conductor who uncovers truths hidden within her orchestra while hiding secrets of her own. As only 5 percent of the world’s conductors are women, Cha Se Eum has fought her way to the top through a combination of hard work and innate genius.
“Death’s Game”
Cast: Seo In Guk, Park So Dam, Kim Ji Hoon, Choi Siwon, Sung Hoon, Kim Kang Hoon, Jang Seung Jo, Lee Jae Wook, Lee Do Hyun, Go Yoon Jung, Kim Jae Wook, Oh Jung Se
Premiere Date: December 15
“Death’s Game” tells the story of Death (Park So Dam), who sentences a man named Choi Yi Jae (Seo In Guk) to 12 cycles of life and death right before his first life is about to end.
“My Happy Ending”
Cast: Jang Nara, Son Ho Jun, So Yi Hyun, Lee Ki Taek
Premiere Date: December 30
“My Happy Ending” is a psychological thriller about a woman who faces a shocking truth after being betrayed by those she trusted. Seo Jae Won (Jang Nara) achieved her dreams after years of hard work stained with blood, sweat, and tears, but her seemingly perfect life begins to fall apart after hidden secrets of those around her—her supportive husband, father, and trusty colleagues—come to light one by one.
Watch “My Happy Ending”:
More masterlists:
- 2023 Romance K-Dramas
- 2023 Rom-Com K-Dramas
- 2023 Fantasy K-Dramas
- 2023 Action/Thriller K-Dramas
- BL K-Dramas Since 2020
Stay tuned for more masterlists on other genres!
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