K-dramas span every sub-genre, but Korean science fiction is a criminally underrated corner of the industry. Some of the best sci-fi shows of all time hail from overseas, but Korean dramas especially have been largely overlooked until recent years. While many of the most recognizable titles are romantic K-dramas, to assume all K-dramas are romances would be a foolish generalization.
What sets science fiction apart from realistic K-dramas is its focus on speculative scenarios, typically rooted in technology, environmental disasters, alien life, etc. Some K-dramas veer more towards fantasy but include sci-fi elements, while others are centered strictly on science— real or imaginary— to ground the plot. From their superb storytelling to imaginative settings, many sci-fi K-dramas deserve more recognition.
20
Black Knight
2023
Black Knight starts with a typical dystopian show set-up: in the near future (2071, in this case), the planet faces irreparable environmental damage. Following a meteor strike, lingering air pollution has made it impossible for the surviving population to travel freely. In order to access oxygen, people rely on couriers called Knights.
The story centers on one such deliveryman, only known as Knight 5-8 (Kim Woo-bin). After 5-8 encounters a young outcast, he has to reckon with the uncomfortable truth— even in a wasteland, social division can be more dangerous than the air.
19
W
2016
Strictly speaking, W is more of a fantasy series than anything else. That said, the drama is actually a fascinating study in metaphysics thanks to its split between reality and the much more abstract comic book world. While some K-dramas are based on webtoons, this show has a webtoon of its own, one that its main character gets pulled into.
On a granular level, W can be defined as an unconventional sci-fi story, but admittedly, it’s a romance first and foremost. Nevertheless, the implication that fictional stories create infinite new realities is equally exciting and horrifying, as any good sci-fi tale should be.
18
Alice
2020
Alice is one of the most divisive time-travel K-dramas of all time, but its impact on modern Korean sci-fi can’t be underestimated. The title refers to an agency that oversees time travel similar to a law enforcement organization. When one agent goes rogue to create a new life in the past, however, the consequences of her actions are unfathomable.
The bulk of the story follows her son, who grows up to be a detective with no knowledge of his mother’s true past. Once he inadvertently discovers Alice, the detective has to team up with an unlikely ally to protect the very fabric of reality.
17
Melting Me Softly
2019
Melting Me Softly takes a uniquely romantic approach to science fiction, but it perfectly toes the line of both genres. The one-of-a-kind K-drama couple is made up of two people who signed up to be frozen for 24 hours. When the experiment goes awry, however, they wake up after 20 whole years.
As the pair try to reacclimate to the world, they quickly discover that their accident has left them with a major side effect: the two must maintain steady heart rates and temperatures or else the main characters’ unexpected cryogenic sleep could kill them.
16
Duel
2017
Duel seems like a simple K-drama about doppelgängers at first, but the truth behind its main mystery is confounding. Following the abduction of his daughter, a detective has only one clue to guide his investigation: two identical men were at the scene of the crime.
Yet, before it can fall victim to a gauche evil twin plot, Duel takes a delightfully sinister twist by revealing that the identical men are clones. Despite starting with a simple kidnapping case, the detective finds himself uncovering much more than he bargained for.
15
Memories of the Alhambra
2018
One of Hyun Bin’s best K-dramas, Memories of the Alhambra focuses on an augmented reality game set in the eponymous Spanish palace. Hyun Bin plays Yoo Jin-woo, a CEO trying to track down the game’s creator. After he travels to Spain, Jin-woo discovers the programmer, Jung Se-joo (Park Chan-yeol), is missing.
There’s an underlying romance that makes Memories of the Alhambra more appealing to a broader audience, but Se-joo’s plot is unquestionably more interesting. A bug in the AR game causes real-world damage, blurring the line between fiction and reality to a deadly degree.
14
He Is Psychometric
2019
He Is Psychometric puts a paranormal spin on the classic police procedural. Lee Ahn (Park Jin-young) develops the titular psychometry— the ability to gain insight into a person or object via physical touch— after losing both of his parents in a fire. Ahn uses his superhuman ability to fight crime, but he’s far from a superhero.
Aside from struggling to control his powers, Ahn is still grappling with the cause of his parents’ death, which only becomes more complicated after he meets a woman whose father was framed for arson. He Is Psychometric isn’t necessarily groundbreaking, but it’s an easy and entertaining option for beginner sci-fi fans.
13
Tunnel
2017
Since Tunnel premiered in 2017, it’s become a beloved drama that satisfies fans of crime mysteries, period piece settings, and supernatural plot devices. In 1986, Park Gwang-ho (Choi Jin-hyuk) is a leading detective who ends up in a foot chase with a prolific criminal.
After they pass through a suspicious tunnel, the detective and serial killer both time-slip to 2016. With the unfamiliar technological advances and culture shock, Gwang-ho has to contend with a fearsome K-drama villain while thirty years behind the times.
12
Connect
2022
Connect is a gruesome psychological thriller, but the story is rooted in the sci-fi concept of an immortal, self-healing humanoid named Ha Dong-soo (Jung Hae-in). In the borderline horror K-drama, Dong-soo is trapped by organ harvesters who steal from him, knowing his body will regenerate with time.
When he escapes, the humanoid realizes he can see through his missing eye, which was implanted into a serial killer. On a mission to reclaim his stolen body parts, Dong-soo has to use his strange connection to his missing organs to track down the dangerous criminal.
11
Are You Human?
2018
There are plenty of lovable sci-fi robots in TV history, but Are You Human? takes it to the next level. When chaebol heir Nam Shin (Seo Kang-joon) falls into a coma following an assassination attempt, the CEO’s mother secretly sends an AI replica of him— Nam Shin III— to take his place.
The replacement fools nearly everyone, aside from Nam Shin’s longtime bodyguard. As she helps protect the android, Are You Human? asks the unavoidable question: what would happen if a robot fell in love? Beyond its controversial romance, the drama has immense political intrigue to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
