6 K-dramas that master the art of payback

After her father is murdered, Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee) teams up with his former associate, Choi Mu-jin (Park Hee-soon), the leader of a powerful crime syndicate, to track down those responsible for his death. Choi Mu-jin takes her under his wing, training her to face off against the police, whom he claims were the ones who killed her father.

To take revenge and bring the perpetrators to justice, Yoon Ji-woo joins the police force under a false identity. However, as she delves deeper into her investigation, she begins to uncover troubling truths, realising that her mentor, Choi Mu-jin, is not as trustworthy as she once believed.

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Unlike other revenge K-dramas, Vincenzo, starring Song Joong-ki as Korean Italian mafia consigliere Vincenzo Cassano, comes with a healthy dose of humour. Jeon Yeo-bin’s Hong Cha-young provides some comic relief and sparks chemistry as Vincenzo’s love interest. Meanwhile, the ragtag group of Geumga Plaza tenants bring their brand of zany energy and prove to be unlikely but invaluable allies.

A revenge K-drama is only as good as its villain, and Taecyeon’s maniacal Jang Joon-woo/Jang Han-seok proves to be a formidable foe. Equally villainous is Choi Myung-hee (Kim Yeo-jin), a corrupt lawyer who joins forces with Han-seok. 

It’s good versus evil as Team Vincenzo tries to take down Team Han-seok with clever schemes and good old-fashioned teamwork.

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Proving that hell hath no fury, Lee Ra-el (Seo Yea-ji) embarks on a mission to avenge her family. Fuelled by the desire for vengeance, she marries the CEO of the powerful clan that destroyed her family with a plan of bringing them down from within. 

Using love, seduction and emotional manipulation as her weapons of choice, she weaves a complex web of deceit to gain power within the company. As the story unfolds, Ra-el not only fights to bring down those responsible for her family’s downfall but also struggles with complicated emotions and relationships, all while confronting the dark depths of her revenge.

When Ji Sun-woo (Kim Hee-ae) discovers that her husband is having an affair, her entire world collapses. She is stunned by the depth of the betrayal. Not only does she find out that he has a mistress, but she also learns that all their friends have known about it and kept it a secret from her. Even worse, they have welcomed the mistress with open arms.

She may be humiliated and emotionally devastated, but Ji Sun-woo refuses to be a victim. With a steely resolve, she embarks on a calculated quest for revenge, setting the stage for a fierce battle of wills with her husband, his mistress and the people who have betrayed her. Her obsession propels her to abandon her moral compass and almost destroys her. But ultimately, she realises that the cost of vengeance may be more than what she’s willing to pay. 

Known mostly for playing romantic comedy leads, Park Hyung-sik switches gears in Buried Hearts. Playing Seo Dong-ju, a man thrust into a world of deception and high-stakes manipulation, Park Hyung-sik delivers a performance that offers a striking departure from his typical roles.

The series starts as a corporate drama but quickly moves into revenge drama territory after Seo Dong-ju’s life is completely upended by betrayal, greed and money. To survive and get back at his enemies, he must outsmart and outmanoeuvre them at every turn. 

Buried Hearts keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with constant twists and double-crosses. Seo Dong-ju is a master manipulator, and it is never clear if he’s being played or playing an elaborate long con. Is Seo Dong-ju the puppeteer, or is he being manipulated by forces he can’t control?

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