Lee Dong-wook (left) and Kim Sun-a (right) in a still from ‘Scent of a Woman.’ Photo: courtesy of SBS TV.
From a woman trying to rediscover life after a terminal diagnosis to a doctor time-traveling through centuries, and from a mysterious typewriter unlocking past lives to a desperate scientist seeking to solve the puzzles of the human brain, these shows deserve to be seen. Exploring and providing fresh perspectives on love, loss, and survival, they blend romance, fantasy, sci-fi, suspense and horror in unique ways. Beyond the hits and the popular, here are five underrated K-dramas that should not be missed.
Scent of a Woman (2011)
Life’s too short to play it safe, and for Lee Yeon-jae (Kim Sun-a), that realization hits hard when she’s diagnosed with cancer with just a few months to live. She’s been suffering for years already—professionally stuck in a rut and often criticized as a spinster. And if that wasn’t enough, she’s falsely accused of theft at her job. In frustration, she resigns, deciding to take a leap of faith and live life on her own terms as long as she can. Yeon-jae travels to Okinawa Island, Japan, on a solo trip. There she meets Kang Ji-wook (Lee Dong-wook), a rich and cynical heartthrob who’s lost his way in life. As they cross paths, Yeon-jae’s passion for life starts to rub off on Ji-wook, and they find themselves falling in love with each other. While Yeon-jae’s time is running out, they realize that it’s not about how much time you have, but how much love you pour into every moment and live.
Live Up to Your Name (2017)
During the Joseon period, Heo Im (Kim Nam-gil), a brilliant and resourceful doctor, leads a double life—treating the poor by day and the nobility by night. But after he fails to treat the king’s migraine problem due to severe anxiety, he’s accused of treason and forced to escape. The royal guards chase him, and he narrowly escapes death after being struck by arrows. Strangely, however, he time-travels to modern-day Seoul and meets Choi Yeon-kyung (Kim Ah-joong), a talented surgeon. In the subsequent episodes, they forge an unexpected connection in this distinctive blend of fantasy, romance, and medical drama.
Chicago Typewriter (2017)
In Chicago Typewriter, a bestselling author, his ardent fan, and a ghostwriter discover their lives connected when a cryptic typewriter starts bridging their past as 1930s Korean resistance fighters with their present lives. Through eerie coincidences and unexplained events, their past lives surface, influencing their current relationships and their destinies.
Dr. Brain (2021)
After a mysterious tragedy claims his family, genius brain scientist Koh Se-won (the late Lee Sun-kyun) tries to “sync” with their brains to know the truth. Based on the webtoon of the same name, it’s a gripping sci-fi narrative, where Se-won’s desperate search blurs the lines between his own memories and those of his loved ones, exploring the crushing weight of memories and trauma through Se-won’s haunting journey into the intricacies of the human.
Night Has Come (2023)
Trapped in a remote retreat center while on an excursion, a group of high school students is forced into a deadly game of Mafia. They receive a creepy message on their phones, saying that the only key to staying alive is by eliminating their classmates and revealing the Mafia’s identity. As the game begins, night becomes a nightmare where alliances are tested and trust is broken—a one-of-a-kind horror drama and a thrilling cat-and-mouse game in a battle of survival.
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