Are you looking for a suspenseful viewing experience? Here is our curated list of short thriller Korean dramas on Netflix with less than 10 episodes that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. These Korean dramas are perfect for those who crave suspense without boredom. Let’s check out the best short thriller Korean dramas you can binge-watch on Netflix right now!
Short Thriller K-Dramas for Binge-Watch on Netflix
1. “Sweet Home” – 8 episodes
Korean drama “Sweet Home” is a live-action adaptation of the popular webtoon of the same name. The story follows Cha Hyun Su (Song Kang), a desperate teenager who lives alone in the Green Home apartment complex. Driven by desperation, he considers ending his life. However, mysterious monsters rampage through the city, attacking humans and attempting to take over the apartment building. As the monsters attack, he becomes one of the people infected by them, transforming into a half-human, half-monster with superpowers.
The series, with its gripping storyline, consists of three seasons. The first season has 10 episodes, while the second and third seasons each feature 8 episodes, with the third season concluding the series. All three seasons premiered on Netflix in 2020, 2023, and 2024 and are still available.
2. “D.P” – 6 episodes
Korea has a mandatory military service policy for its young men. The Korean drama “D.P.” or “Deserter Pursuit,” which is an adaptation of the webtoon “D.P Dog Day” by Kim Bo Tong, depicts things that most of us don’t know.
The story follows Private Ahn Jun-ho (Jung Hae In) and Corporal Han Ho Yeol (Koo Kyo Hwan), who serve under the Deserter Pursuit unit of the South Korean military police. Their primary task is hunting down soldiers who desert or run away from duty before their service ends.
The series has two seasons that premiered in 2021 and 2023. Each season has 6 episodes that discuss complicated topics, including hazing and bullying that occurs in the military. This series presents action-packed scenes with slight comedy that breaks down the tension.
3. “My Name” – 8 episodes
Korean drama “My Name” is a revenge thriller series full of suspenseful action. The story follows a young woman named Yoon Ji Woo (Han So Hee), who seeks justice after her father’s tragic death by a mysterious person.
With a strong desire for revenge, she teams up with Choi Mu-jin (Park Hee Soon), a powerful drug syndicate leader. Under his guidance, she goes undercover in the police force, where her father works to uncover the truth behind her father’s murder. Unbeknownst to her, she faces a complicated web of loyalty and betrayal.
Premiered in 2021, this drama has 8 episodes and is still available on Netflix.
4. “The Glory” – 8 episodes
Another suspenseful Korean drama that revolves around a revenge story is “The Glory.” This drama tells the story of Moon Dong Eun (Song Hye Kyo), who was constantly the target of bullying in high school by a group of students from a wealthy family led by Park Yeon Jin (Lim Ji Yeon). They made her drop out of school, and she even suffered physical and mental injuries until she became an adult.
Since then, she has dedicated the rest of her life to planning revenge and destroying the group. 20 years later, she is finally ready to carry out her plan with the help of Yeon Jin’s housekeeper, Kang Hyeon Nam (Yeom Hye Ran), and a doctor who loves her, Joo Yeo Jeong (Lee Do Hyun).
This drama has two seasons that premiered in 2022 and 2023; each season has 8 successful episodes and is still on Netflix.
5. “Bloodhounds” – 8 episodes
“Bloodhounds” is an action-packed Korean drama series starring Woo Do Hwan as Kim Geon Woo and Lee Sang Yi as Hong Woo Jin.
Kim Geon Woo’s mother’s cafe is in trouble. He discovers that his mother has borrowed a large amount of money to fix her business from Smile Capital, a ruthless loan shark business run by criminal Kim Myeong Gil (Park Sung Woong).
Geon Woo teams up with fellow boxer Hong Woo Jin to take down the loan sharks with the help of kind-hearted money lender Choi Tae Ho (Huh Joon Ho).
Released in 2023, this action crime thriller K-drama has 8 episodes to binge-watch on Netflix. In addition, the series is confirmed to have its second season, with Woo Do Hwan and Lee Sang Yi reprising their roles.
6. “Mask Girl” – 7 episodes
The thriller series “Mask Girl” follows Kim Mo Mi, a quiet and innocent office worker. She has been experiencing harassment and insults throughout her life for not being “pretty.” Dreaming of being in the spotlight, she finds joy in her double life as a camgirl who wears a mask.
However, when her co-worker Joo Oh Nam (Ahn Jae Hong), who has feelings of unrequited love, discovers her double life, Mo Mi’s life becomes chaotic and dangerous.
A little fun fact: Kim Mo Mi’s role is played by three actresses—Lee Han Byeol, Ko Hyun Jung, and Nana—adding to the uniqueness of this drama.
7. “Hellbound” – 6 episodes
“Hellbound” is a gripping fantasy horror-thriller series from the director of the all-time zombie film “Train to Busan,”Yeon Sang-ho.
The story depicts people experiencing hallucinations and getting the exact time of their death. Then, mysterious monsters from another world appear to condemn them to hell.
There are 2 seasons with 6 episodes each that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The first season of “Hellbound”follows the rise of the New Truth Society, a powerful cult. However, some people are suspicious of the activities of this organization, including Min Hye Jin (Kim Hyun Joo), a lawyer who wants to destroy the cult.
The second season depicts an increasingly chaotic world with the hellish order’s continuation. The sudden rise of The New Truth Chairman Jung Jin Su and Park Jung Ja adds the suspense.
8. “A Killer Paradox” – 8 episodes
“A Killer Paradox” is another suspense series based on the Naver webtoon comic by Kkomabi.
The story follows Lee Tang (Choi Woo Shik). He is an ordinary college student working part-time as a cashier at a convenience store. One day, he accidentally kills someone. Unbeknownst to him, a mysterious blind woman witnesses him. This incident turns him into an unwitting vigilante. Detective Jang Nan Gam (Son Suk Ku) is determined to solve the mysterious murder and catch the perpetrator.
With 6 episodes full of suspenseful twists and turns, this latest work by director Lee Chang Hee, best known for his other work “Strangers from Hell,” is a must-have on your binge-watch list.
9. “The Frog” – 8 episodes
“The Frog” is an intriguing, slow-paced crime mystery series with a star-studded cast. The frog here symbolizes passivity and victimhood, like the phrase “A frog dies by a stone thrown unintentionally.”
The story unfolds when a mysterious woman, Yoo Seong A (Go Min Si), comes to the vacation cottage in the middle of the forest. Her presence makes the manager, Jeon Yeong Ha (Kim Yoon Seok), suddenly feel disturbed. Koo Sang Jun, who also managed the cottage two decades earlier, faced a similar incident, which made him lose everything.
Police Chief Yun Bo Min, who has been on duty for a long time at the nearby police station, carefully investigates the mysterious woman, Jeon Yeong Ha.
This 8-episode Korean drama series tells the story of 2 almost identical murders that occurred in two decades and highlights the social issues.
10. “Parasyte: The Grey” – 6 episodes
“Parasyte: The Grey” is one of the most-watched Korean dramas on Netflix in 2024. This exciting Korean drama series is based on the science fiction manga series by Hitoshi Iwaaki. Directed by renowned director Yeon Sang Ho of “Train to Busan,”the series depicts parasites that fall from outer space. To survive on earth, they kill humans by entering their bodies and taking over their brains completely.
During an accident, a convenience store employee, Jeong Su In (Jeon So Nee), is infected with a parasite. However, the parasite fails to take over her brain. Then, Su In unexpectedly develops a bond with the parasite in her brain and begins to live together to survive. Half alien and half human, her existence threatens both alien and human life.
Seol Kang Woo (Koo Kyo Hwan) chases the parasitic water to find his sister, who went missing during an alien invasion. While searching, he encounters Jeong Su In, who is caught between extermination and invasion.
Choi Jun Kyung (Lee Jung Hyun) leads the activities of the military unit ‘The Grey.’ The main task of the unit is to eradicate all existing parasites.
11. “Karma” – 6 episodes
“Karma” is Netflix’s latest Korean thriller drama in 2025 that is a must-watch for thriller fans. The six-episode series is based on Choi Hee Sun’s webtoon “Akyeon.”
Featuring an incredible cast with intriguing stories and characters, the drama has captivated many viewers and ranked second in Netflix’s top 10 non-English shows worldwide.
The story follows the fates of six people who are intertwined as a result of their decisions. All six people have their own problems. The slow and complicated storyline keeps viewers engaged as the characters choose their way out of their problems. Their intertwined fates unfold in a suspenseful journey.
12. “Weak Hero Class 1” – 8 episodes
Youth action thriller Korean drama “Weak Hero Class 1,” adapted from the webtoon “Weak Hero,” follows the story of brilliant student Yeon Si Eun (Park Ji Hoon), who is a loner. Even though he looks weak, he has the strategy and calculations to win in a fight. When he and his friends become targets of a criminal organization, conflicts, and fights inevitably arise to protect himself and his friends.
The series, newly added to Netflix on March 25, 2025, offers 8 episodes with captivating and unconventional action sequences, making it a must-watch. In addition, the “Weak Hero Class 2” will air on April 25, with 8 episodes.
13. “Squid Game” – 9 episodes
The survival series “Squid Game,” which became a global phenomenon in 2021 and the first Korean drama that topped Netflix in the US, is a must-watch Netflix series. This series has three seasons: the first season (2021) has nine episodes, the second season (2024) has seven episodes, and the third season, to be released on June 27, 2025, has six episodes.
The story follows Seong Gi Hun (Lee Jung Hae), who needs money to live, pay off debts, and support his daughter. One day, he gets a tempting offer to play a traditional Korean children’s game.
As player 456, he must compete against 455 other players to win a grand prize of ₩45.6 billion. However, he and the other players only learn the deadly consequences of losing the game when they are already at the venue.
In the second season, Seong Gi Hun returns to the game after winning at the previous game’s end. With knowledge of the game’s core, he is on a mission to save other players’ lives and end the game completely. However, his good intentions may be in vain when he has to face other participants who have a strong stance to get the millions of won.
“Squid Game” is a must-watch short Korean drama for binge-watching enthusiasts. With one upcoming season, which is the most anticipated finale, you definitely won’t miss out on the excitement!
Do you have other thriller recommendations for binge-watching on Netflix? Please share your recommendations in the comments below.
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