30+ Action/Thriller 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 action or thriller elements (although many of these dramas fit into other genres as well).
Includes dramas that premiered in 2022 and ended in 2023.
“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.
“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”:
“Payback”
Cast: Lee Sun Gyun, Moon Chae Won, Kang You Seok, Park Hoon, Kim Hong Fa
Premiere Date: January 6
“Payback” tells the revenge story of those who risk everything to fight a money cartel that has colluded with the law. The drama gives viewers both thrills and catharsis through its portrayal of those who refuse to remain silent as they fight against incompetent and unjust authority in their own way. Lee Sun Gyun stars as reclusive money dealer Eun Yong, and Moon Chae Won stars as Army Major Park Joon Kyung, an elite judicial officer.
“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”:
“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.
“Duty After School”
Cast: Shin Hyun Soo, Lee Soon Won, Im Se Mi, Kwon Eun Bin, Kim Ki Hae, Kim Su Gyeom, Noh Jong Hyun, Moon Sang Min, Lee Yeon
Premiere Date: March 31
“Duty After School” tells the story of high school students who are called upon to join the world’s first war against extraterrestrial forces. When mysterious alien spheres start invading, the Department of Defense offers college admission incentives to get the students to sign up for the reserved forces.
Watch “Duty After School”:
“Stealer: The Treasure Keeper”
Cast: Joo Won, Lee Joo Woo, Kim Jae Won, Jo Han Chul, Choi Hwa Jung, Lee Deok Hwa
Premiere Date: April 12
“Stealer: The Treasure Keeper” is a caper comic action drama in which a mysterious cultural asset thief known as Skunk (Joo Won) and an unofficial heritage redemption team known as Team Karma collaborate to fight against those who cannot be judged by the law.
“Family”
Cast: Jang Hyuk, Jang Nara, Chae Jung An, Kim Nam Hee, Lee Soon Jae
Premiere Date: April 17
“Family” follows the story of Kwon Do Hoon (Jang Hyuk), a secret agent for the National Intelligence Service (NIS) who is undercover as an ordinary office worker, and his wife Kang Yu Ra (Jang Nara), who dreams of having a perfect family—but is hiding a big secret.
“Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938”
Cast: Lee Dong Wook, Kim So Yeon, Kim Bum, Ryu Kyung Soo
Premiere Date: May 6
A sequel to “Tale of the Nine-Tailed,” “Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938” tells the story of the male gumiho (mythical nine-tailed fox) Yi Yeon (Lee Dong Wook) who finds himself back in 1938 and embarks on an eventful adventure in his quest to return to the present.
Watch the original “Tale of the Nine-Tailed”:
“Black Knight”
Cast: Kim Woo Bin, Song Seung Heon, Kang You Seok, Esom
Premiere Date: May 12
“Black Knight” takes place in 2071 when pollution has become so severe that people can’t survive without respirators. Legendary deliveryman 5-8 (Kim Woo Bin) meets refugee Sa Wol (Kang You Seok), who dreams of becoming a deliveryman. Together, they struggle against Cheonmyeong Group, an organization that is eager to rule the world with their vicious cruelty.
“Bloodhounds”
Cast: Woo Do Hwan, Lee Sang Yi, Heo Joon Ho, Park Sung Woong
Premiere Date: June 9
Based on a webtoon, “Bloodhounds” is an action noir about Gun Woo (Woo Do Hwan), once a promising boxer who becomes a bodyguard, and Woo Jin (Lee Sang Yi) as they step into the world of loan sharks in pursuit of money and get caught up in a web of much darker forces.
“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.
“D.P. 2”
Cast: Jung Hae In, Goo Kyo Hwan, Kim Sung Kyun, Son Suk Ku, Ji Jin Hee, Kim Ji Hyun, Choi Hyun Wook
Premiere Date: July 28
Based on a webtoon, “D.P.” (stands for Deserter Pursuit) is a series about a special military squad sent to chase down deserters. Season 2 features the return of the D.P. unit duo An Jun Ho (Jung Hae In) and Han Ho Yeol (Goo Kyo Hwan).
“The Uncanny Counter 2”
Cast: Jo Byeong Gyu, Kim Sejeong, Yoo Joon Sang, Yeom Hye Ran, Ahn Suk Hwan, Jin Sun Kyu, Kang Ki Young, Kim Hieora, Yoo In Soo
Premiere Date: July 29
“The Uncanny Counter” is a superhero drama about demon hunters So Mun (Jo Byeong Gyu), Do Ha Na (Kim Sejeong), Ga Mo Tak (Yoo Joon Sang), and Chu Mae Ok (Yeom Hye Ran) with supernatural powers. The new season shows the entrance of new Counter Na Jeok Bong (Yoo In Soo) as well as various new evils.
“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.
“Moving”
Cast: Lee Jung Ha, Go Yoon Jung, Jo In Sung, Han Hyo Joo, Ryu Seung Ryong, Cha Tae Hyun
Premiere Date: August 9
“Moving” is a superhero action drama about teenagers with hidden superhuman powers and their parents who, unbeknownst to them, harbor a painful secret from their pasts. They eventually team up to battle powerful dark forces that threaten multiple generations across different eras.
“Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun”
Cast: Jang Dong Gun, Lee Joon Gi, Shin Se Kyung, Kim Ok Bin
Premiere Date: September 9
“Arthdal Chronicles” is an epic fantasy drama about the mythical ancient land of Arth. The second season titled “Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun” is set approximately a decade after Season 1 with Lee Joon Gi and Shin Se Kyung as the older versions of the original leads.
“Han River Police”
Cast: Kwon Sang Woo, Kim Hee Won, Lee Sang Yi, Bae Da Bin, Shin Hyun Seung
Premiere Date: September 13
“Han River Police” is an action-comedy drama that follows the Han River Police Team officers Han Du Jin (Kwon Sang Woo), Lee Chun Seok (Kim Hee Won), Do Na Hee (Bae Da Bin), and Kim Ji Soo (Shin Hyun Seung) as they become embroiled in crimes surrounding the river they guard day and night.
“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”:
“Song of the Bandits”
Cast: Kim Nam Gil, Seohyun, Yoo Jae Myung, Lee Hyun Wook, Lee Ho Jung
Premiere Date: September 22
“Song of the Bandits” is an action adventure set in 1920 where people throw a fierce punch of defiance to those who have chased them away from their homes in order to protect their land, family, and comrades. Through fictional characters, the history of defeat turns into a history of victory.
“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”:
“Strong Girl Namsoon”
Cast: Lee Yoo Mi, Kim Jung Eun, Kim Hae Sook, Ong Seong Wu, Byun Woo Seok
Premiere Date: October 7
A spin-off of the hit drama “Strong Woman Do Bong Soon,” “Strong Girl Namsoon” is a comedy about Gil Joong Gan (Kim Hae Sook), Hwang Geum Joo (Kim Jung Eun), and Gang Nam Soon (Lee Yoo Mi), three generations of women born with unbelievable strength as they investigate drug-related crimes occurring around the Gangnam area.
Watch the original “Strong Woman Do Bong Soon”:
“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.
“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.
“Boyhood”
Cast: Im Siwan, Lee Sun Bin, Lee Si Woo, Kang Hye Won
Premiere Date: November 24
Set in the backdrop of Buyeo Agricultural High School in Chungcheong Province in the 1980s, “Boyhood” follows the story of high school student Jang Byung Tae (Im Siwan), a loner whose only goal is to not get beat up but who becomes the most powerful kid overnight.
“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.
“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.
“Gyeongseong Creature”
Cast: Park Seo Joon, Han So Hee, Claudia Kim, Kim Hae Sook, Jo Han Chul, Wi Ha Joon
Premiere Date: December 22
Set in the dark times of Spring 1945, “Gyeongseong Creature” tells the story of Jang Tae Sang, the most wealthy man in Gyeongseong and the owner of the pawnshop Golden Jade House, and Chae Ok (Han So Hee), who searches for missing people), as they fight for survival and face a monster born out of human greed.
More masterlists:
- 2023 Romance K-Dramas
- 2023 Rom-Com K-Dramas
- 2023 Fantasy K-Dramas
- 2023 Suspense/Mystery K-Dramas
- BL K-Dramas Since 2020
Stay tuned for more masterlists on other genres!
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