8 Best K-Dramas About Serial Killers for Everyone Who Misses 'Signal', Ranked by IMDb
From dark investigations to psychological dramas, these projects will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first episode to the last.
K-dramas have long transcended romantic love stories. One of the most popular subgenres is TV series about maniacs, among which Signal has been the most beloved for almost ten years.
If you're still missing a good serial killer thriller, then we've recalled some other worthy examples of the genre.
8. 'The Frog', 2024
IMDb Score: 6.8/10
Recently retired, Jeon Yeong-ha now earns money by renting out a secluded guest house in the forest. One day, a young woman named Yoo Seong-a rents the house with a child. Jeon thinks that the child is Yoo's son.
Jeon ignores the guest's strange behavior until her departure, when he realizes that Yoo left alone.
Jeon discovers traces of a crime in the house but, out of fear, doesn't report it to the police and decides to forget about it. However, the mysterious guest reappears the following summer.
7. 'A Killer Paradox', 2024
IMDb Score: 7.1/10
Lee Tang is a student who works the night shift at a convenience store. One day, he encounters a customer who had recently been rude to him in a dark alley. The drunk man started a fight, and Lee accidentally hit him on the head.
The man is horrified, but it turns out that the deceased is a maniac who had been wanted for a long time. After this incident, Lee discovers his ability to identify criminals and decides to punish the guilty himself.
He becomes a serial killer himself, and Detective Jang Nan-gam follows him.
6. 'The Killer's Shopping List', 2022
IMDb Score: 7.1/10
Ahn Dae-sung is a supermarket employee with an extraordinary memory. During his next shift, he learns that a murder has occurred near the store.
Together with his girlfriend, who is a police officer, Do Ah-hee, he begins an investigation. So far, they only have one piece of evidence: a receipt that Ahn printed for the killer shortly before the crime.
5. 'Memorist', 2020
IMDb Score: 7.6/10
Detective Dong Baek has extrasensory abilities. By touching a person, he can read their memories. He announced his talent on air at one of South Korea's largest channels. But after witnessing the atrocities committed by maniacs, Dong experiences fits of aggression.
The police department is discussing his dismissal, but Dong has one last chance to prove his competence. A serial killer has appeared in the city, and forensic scientist Han Sun-mi needs his help.
4. 'Train', 2020
IMDb Score: 7.7/10
Detective Seo Do-won is known for his integrity and dedication to his work. However, he still can't solve the case of a serial killer. During the investigation, he loses the trust of those around him and also his first love.
When Seo's beloved becomes the victim of a maniac, the man promises to avenge her at all costs. Suddenly, he discovers that he can move to an alternate reality where he can save the person he cares about.
3. 'Hell Is Other People', 2019
IMDb Score: 7.8/10
Young writer Yoon Jong-woo accepts an internship at a company in Seoul and moves there. His savings only cover the cost of a room in a rundown dormitory that the authorities have been planning to demolish for years.
The room is dirty and uncomfortable, but Yoon is more afraid of his neighbors. He decides to move out at the first opportunity, but things don't go smoothly at work, so he must stay in the cramped room for several months.
Meanwhile, strange things begin to happen in the dormitory, and Yoon's life is in danger.
2. 'Nine Puzzles', 2025
IMDb Score: 7.8/10
Ten years ago, Yoon E-na found her uncle murdered. She became the only witness and the main suspect. Detective Kim Han-saem was convinced that E-na had killed her relative.
Ultimately, the girl was released due to lack of evidence. However, she didn't tell the police about the piece of the puzzle that she had found next to her uncle's body.
Now, E-na works as a profiler, and on the anniversary of the murder, she receives another piece of the puzzle and discovers a new corpse. She understands that a serial killer is operating in the city, and she will have to work with Han-saem to catch him.
1. 'Tunnel', 2017
IMDb Score: 8.2/10
In 1986, Detective Park Gwang-ho began investigating the Hwaseong serial killer case, which shook all of Korea. While pursuing a suspect, Park goes through a tunnel and ends up in 2016. He discovers that the criminal has not yet been found and that similar crimes have resumed.
Along with detective Kim Seon-jae and criminal psychologist Shin Jae-yi, Park tries again to catch the serial killer.
