Pooja Sharma
Overrun with an engrossing premise and bone-chilling fear, the South Korean drama ‘Revenant’ follows the story of Gu San-Yeong, a young woman whose predicament leaves her juggling multiple jobs. However, things soon turn from bad to worse when Gu San-Yeong realizes that she is possessed. Realizing her quandary, Yeom Hae-Sang discovers that the ghosts that haunt Gu San-Yeong have a connection to decade-old deaths. As the duo embarks on a discovery to figure out the truth behind the mystery, several chilling themes emerge.
Writer Kim Eun-hee intertwines modern horror with folklore in the series. The horror crime thriller features compelling performances by Kim Tae-ri, Oh Jung-se, and Hong Kyung. With a dark cloud cast over the protagonist, the series delves into the dark metaphor that surrounds undiscovered mysteries. So, if you enjoyed the depiction of a world where crime and mysteries transcend spatial and temporal realities, then here is a list of similar shows.
8. The Ghost Detective (2018)
Another eerie premise that envelopes the protagonist in a chilling conundrum, ‘The Ghost Detective,’ created by Han Ji-Wan, follows the story of Lee Da Il, a man who used to run his own private detective agency. After getting embroiled in the case of a missing child, Lee Da Il eventually dies and becomes a spirit. Gratefully, Jung Yeo Wool can see his spirit and the two start communicating. As the duo embarks on a journey to resolve a streak of serial suicide cases where a lady in red appears, the story progresses into an immersive thriller. Just as ‘Revenant’ recounts the abysmal horror of ghosts and sacred objects, ‘The Ghost Detective’ also dives into a mystery thriller that is not defined by rationality and logic.
7. The Guest (2018)
Mapping the difference between a bane and a boon, Yoon Hwa-Pyung is born into a family of shamans and can see ghosts. As a psychic capable of looking onto the other side, Hwa Pyung traverses several horrifying situations. Years ago, Hwa Pyung discovered a powerful demon who caused terror in the life of the villagers and ended up killing his family members too. Twenty years later, Hwa Pyung works as a taxi driver and also uses his abilities to help possessed people. Jilted by his past and moved by his duty, ‘The Guest’ by creators Kwon So-Ra and Seo Jae-Won features the same resolve that pushes Gu San-Yeong and Yeom Hae-Sang to uncover a crime thriller.
6. Hotel del Luna (2019)
Death is just another stop for lost spirits in ‘Hotel del Luna.’ The series revolves around a mysterious hotel that is located in the heart of Seoul. Albeit invisible to humans, the hotel’s mysterious hostess brings on a human manager following a vicious bet. As ghosts continue to stop into the hotel before moving on to the afterlife, several convoluted themes follow.
Created by Hong Jung Eun and Hong Mi Ran, the series features Lee Ji-eun as the title character with Yeo Jin-Goo, Lee Do-Hyun, Kim Soo-Hyun, and Sulli. With a heartfelt narrative that dives into the metaphor of life and offers a poignant commentary on mortality, ‘Hotel del Luna’ traces several themes. So, if you were intrigued by the internal battles that Gu San-Yeong faces in ‘Revenant,’ then you’ll find this series equally gripping.
5. Bring It On, Ghost (2016)
Waging war on ghosts, Bong Pal has used his ability to see ghosts as a feat to banish them since childhood. When he finds a feisty spirit at a haunted high school, things change, and fates intertwine. As the duo starts fighting ghosts together, Bong Pal soon realizes that not all ghosts are malevolent. However, as the two grow closer, a much more menacing danger looms overhead. Just as Gu San-Yeong finds herself entangled in a horrifying mystery, ‘Bring It On, Ghost’ by creator Lee Dae-Il, also features a comedic insight into the mystery of the afterlife.
4. The Cursed (2020)
Dismantling the practice of shamans, ‘The Cursed,’ created by Yeon Sang-Ho, sets off in the remote areas of a mountain where a mother and her daughter survive hand-t0-mouth by practicing Shamanism. After an unexpected travesty kills the mother and leaves So Jin alone, the latter goes on to wreak havoc equally. The story follows suit a decade later where So Jin becomes a dark and mysterious teenager with a unique gift. The plot further convolutes when So Jin meets a social issues reporter who is bent upon fighting against an evil conglomerate. So, if the unlikely pairing of Gu San-Yeong and Yeom Hae-Sang intrigued you, then you’ll be equally entertained by this duo on a mission.
3. Tomorrow (2022)
In this tale of the inconceivable, half-human, and half-spirit, Choi Jun-Woong is a young job seeker who cannot land a gig. However, when he ends up meeting Grim Reapers Koo Ryeon and Lim Ryung Gu, a duo tasked with preventing suicide, everything changes. Soon, Jun Woong is hired to work as the youngest contractor in the crisis management team of death angels. As Jun Woong navigates the sensitive balance of the underworld and carries out special missions, he finds himself enveloped in a number of unexpected situations. Just as ‘Revenant’ dives into folklore and explores the hidden meanings of sacred objects, ‘Tomorrow,’ developed by Hong Sook-Woo, also features a glimpse of the all-pervading beliefs.
2. Save Me (2017)
Starring Ok Taec-yeon, Seo Yea-ji, Woo Do-hwan, and Jeon Yeo-been, the series is created by Jung Shin-Kyoo and dives into the unbridled effects of pseudo beliefs. The story revolves around Im Sang-mi, a young woman whose family moves to Muji County and leaves behind the suburbs of Seoul after her father’s business fails. Here, her family is lured by a religious cult leading to years of entrapment. It isn’t until she chances upon her friends from school in an alley years later that Sang-mi gets a chance at freedom. While elements of horror may be amiss from ‘Save Me,’ it still features a riveting psychological thriller that borders on the irrational, making this the right show to watch next.
1. Black (2017)
Created by Choi Ran, ‘Black’ is another series that features an inextricably linked mystery dating back decades. ‘Black’ follows the story of Han Moo-Gong, a detective who has been possessed by the Grim Reaper. When he meets a woman who can see the dead, their worlds collide, and horrors emerge. As ontological truths unwind, the duo finds themselves ensnared in a dark mystery that dates back twenty years. Much like Gu San-Yeong, whose fate is embroiled by her possession, ‘Black’ also features the story of an unwitting detective possessed by death.
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