8 Highest-Rated Korean Police Dramas, Ranked by IMDb

Thanks to their intense plots, bright characters, and masterful combination of crime, action, and emotional drama, Korean police TV series have won the hearts of viewers around the world.

If you enjoy quality detective stories with unexpected twists, this ranking of the top series is for you.

8. 'Chimera', 2021

IMDb Score: 7.3/10

In 1984, a series of explosions occurred in Korea in which many people were injured. This tragedy was called Chimera – the name of the creature depicted on the lighters found at the scene of the crime.

The police investigation yielded no results, so the case was closed. 35 years later, a series of attacks repeats. Detective Jae-hwan is assigned to find the culprit.

Criminal profiler Eugene and surgeon Joong-yeob, who has a personal motive to find the culprit, join the investigation.

7. 'Voice', 2017-2025

IMDb Score: 7.6/10

Moo Jin-hyuk was the best detective in the department several years ago until his wife became the victim of a serial killer. He couldn't forgive himself for her death.

Moo is not the only one obsessed with hunting down the killer. Kang Kwon-joo, a Police Academy graduate, was working at a telephone rescue service when the police received a call about another victim of a killer.

Her father, who was also a police officer, was the first to arrive at the crime scene but ended up dying at the hands of the killer. Kang heard the killer's voice and has never forgotten it.

6. 'Bad Guys', 2014

IMDb Score: 7.7/10

A serial killer is on the loose in Seoul, leaving no trace – he only kills in the rain. The police chief assigns the case to Oh Gu-tak, a retired detective who enlists prisoners to help with the investigation.

Gu-tak believes that to solve the crime, he needs people who think like the killer. His team includes Lee Jung-moon, a high-IQ serial killer; Park Woong-Cheol, a gangster; and Jung Tae-soo, a killer who surrendered of his own free will. The first to catch the criminal will receive amnesty.

5. 'Bad and Crazy', 2021-2022

IMDb Score: 8.0/10

Detective Ryu Soo-yeol is the best officer in the Drug Enforcement Department. However, not everyone knows that Soo-yeol cares more about his prestigious status than he does about eradicating evil.

He easily turns a blind eye to corruption and lawlessness if it benefits him. His life changes when K appears, a brave fighter for justice.

Together, they begin investigating crimes, striving to eradicate the corruption flourishing in the judicial system.

4. 'Beyond Evil', 2021

IMDb Score: 8.1/10

A series of murders similar to a crime committed 20 years ago occurs in a Korean province. Local police officer Lee Dong-sik is assigned to the difficult case. In the past, Dong-sik's sister was killed by a maniac, and the man was arrested as a murder suspect.

His partner, Han Joo-won, believes Dong-sik is connected to the crimes and refuses to believe he is innocent.

3. 'Stranger', 2017-2020

IMDb Score: 8.4/10

Hwang Si-mok underwent a complex brain operation as a child, which resulted in his loss of the ability to express emotions. This made him a perfect employee of the Korean prosecutor's office – he is calm and incorruptible.

One day, a colleague of Hwang's who was investigating corruption in the Seoul police called him for an important meeting. The meeting never took place – Hwang found his colleague dead.

Lieutenant Han Yeo-jin, an honest and dedicated policewoman, arrives at the scene. Together, they begin investigating the murder.

2. 'Signal', 2016

IMDb Score: 8.5/10

Park Hae-young witnessed the kidnapping of a classmate as a child. The kidnapper demanded a large ransom from her parents, but the girl was found dead soon after the payment was made.

This traumatic event largely shaped Park's life. He claimed that the kidnapper was a woman, but no one believed him. Many years later, after joining the police, Park decided to revisit the case.

A day before the statute of limitations expired, he found a walkie-talkie belonging to a detective who had pursued a maniac 25 years ago.

1. 'Mouse', 2021

IMDb Score: 8.6/10

South Korea has been shaken by a series of brutal murders – the madman has killed 18 people. Authorities are discussing the possibility of conducting genetic tests that can determine psychopathy with 99% accuracy.

Experienced police officer Ko Moo-chi and his colleague Jeong Ba-reum are searching for the dangerous criminal. Ko believes that science can help find the killer, while Jeong thinks that society created the maniac, meaning a genetic test would never be accurate.