Korean Dramas to Watch this Halloween: My Top 5 Picks

Halloween is coming soon! To celebrate this spooky occasion, I have selected some Korean dramas that are perfect for this season. These shows are scary, especially the ones in the horror genre. I think you will enjoy watching them more at this time of the year when you and I are feeling the Halloween spirit.

1. Strangers from Hell (2019 drama)

• IMDb: 7.8/10 

Yoon Jong-Woo (Im Si-Wan) is a young man who grew up in a small town. He moves to Seoul for a new job at a small office. He rents a cheap apartment where he has to share the kitchen and bathroom with other tenants. He feels uncomfortable living there and he finds the other tenants strange and creepy.

My verdict: If you're looking for a horror Kdrama that is not fantasy, but realistic and psychological, you should watch Strangers from Hell. This series is full of suspense, darkness, and fear. It made me shiver more than many other horror dramas I have seen. It has some scenes that are bloody and gruesome, and it also makes you feel a constant sense of dread. The atmosphere of this drama is scary and creepy.

Main cast:

Yoon Jong-woo (Im Si-wan)

• A writer who moves from the countryside to Seoul for a new job
• Rents a cheap room (303) at Eden Dormitory, which turns out to be a nightmare

Seo Moon-jo (Lee Dong-wook)

• A dentist who works and lives near Eden Dormitory (304)
• Appears to be friendly and kind, but hides a dark secret

2. Hotel del Luna (2019 drama)

• IMDb: 8.1/10

Hotel del Luna is a hotel for ghosts, run by Jang Man-Wol (IU). She is a beautiful but greedy and fickle woman who has been stuck there for centuries because of a mistake she made long ago. 

Koo Chan-Sung (Yeo Jin-Goo) is a young and sincere man who used to work as an assistant manager at a global hotel company. He is meticulous and calm, but he also has a gentle heart. He ends up working as a manager at Hotel del Luna after an unexpected incident. He has to deal with the hotel’s ghostly guests and their problems.

My verdict: I think this drama has a similar vibe to Master’s Sun, where the hotel helps the ghosts resolve their unfinished business. I was moved by the tragic past of the hotel staff. They all suffered so much… But the ending was bittersweet. Bittersweet, but it was the only way for the female lead to move on…

Main cast:

Jang Man-wol (IU)

• The owner of Hotel del Luna, a hotel for ghosts
• Cursed to run the hotel for 1,300 years because of her past sins
• Loves luxury and extravagance, but also moody and bad-tempered

Koo Chan-sung (Yeo Jin-goo)

• The manager of Hotel del Luna
• A Harvard graduate who worked at a top hotel in Korea
• Forced to work at Hotel del Luna due to his father’s deal with Man-wol
• Rational and stoic, clashing with Man-wol’s personality

3. Revenant (2023 drama)

• IMDb: 8/10 

Gu San-Yeong (Kim Tae-Ri) is a hard-working woman who juggles between part-time jobs and studying for a public officer exam. Her life changes when she inherits some relics from her late father. She soon realizes that she is possessed by a demon from another world. Yeom Hae-Sang (Oh Jung-Se) is a folklore professor who can see demons. He recognizes the demon that haunts Gu San-Yeong as the same one who killed his mother when he was a child. Together, they try to uncover the truth behind the mysterious deaths linked to the five sacred objects.

Yeom Hae-Sang comes from a wealthy family. He has been fascinated by Korean folklore since he was young. He has a special gift of seeing demons that lurk in this world. He also has a personal vendetta against the demon that took his mother’s life. He meets Gu San-Yeong and he decides to help her fight the demon.

Lee Hong-Sae (Hong Kyung) is a police officer who only cares about his career. He doesn’t believe in demons or folklore, but he soon finds himself involved in a supernatural mystery.

My verdict: If you're looking for a thrilling and captivating story, Revenant is the show for you. The atmosphere is dark and mysterious, and the actors are amazing. The main focus is on the female lead, who has to deal with a terrifying enemy that looks exactly like her. Kim Tae Ri is so talented that she should win another Baeksang award for her dual role as the protagonist and the antagonist, who share the same appearance and outfit. The male lead also has a significant role, and their chemistry is great. This is one of the best Korean dramas to watch this Halloween, or anytime you want to feel some chills.

4. Save Me (2017 drama)

"I'll keep knocking until someone hears me. I won't stop knocking and... I'll escape this place no matter what"

• IMDb: 7.9/10

Sang-mi and her family leave Seoul for a small town after their business goes bankrupt. There, they encounter a cult called Goseonwon, which seems to have a sinister hold on the people. The cult is not what it appears to be, and hides a dark and twisted reality behind its facade of faith.

Sang-mi’s twin brother Sang-jin, who suffers from a limp, kills himself after being bullied at school. This shatters Sang-mi’s family. Her mother goes insane, and her father falls prey to the cult’s leader, who lures them into joining Goseonwon. Sang-mi tries to resist, but she is trapped and isolated.

Three years later, she meets her old classmate Sang-hwan, who is now studying law and is the son of the town’s chief. She begs him to save her. Sang-hwan feels guilty for not helping her in the past and decides to rescue her and expose the cult’s evil deeds. He teams up with his friends Jung-hoon, Man-hee, and Dong-chul, who is a former convict. They face a dangerous and deadly challenge, as they discover that the cult is only the beginning of the horror.

My verdict: This is a gripping and scary story that made me feel like I was part of it. I also wanted to shout “Save Me” as I watched the characters struggle with the cult. This is a great choice for Halloween, as it will give you goosebumps and make you uneasy. 

Main cast:

• Ok Taec-yeon as Han Sang-hwan: The son of a corrupt politician, tries to save Sang-mi from the cult, and discovers a darker secret
• Seo Yea-ji as Im Sang-mi: Her family moved to Daegu after bankruptcy; her twin brother committed suicide, her mother crazy, her father in cult; she wants to escape
• Jo Sung-ha as Baek Jung-ki: The cult leader, charismatic and kind but violent and manipulative, called Spiritual Father
• Woo Do-hwan as Suk Dong-chul: A friend of Sang-hwan, good at fighting, jailed for three years, mends relationship with Sang-hwan, works to save Sang-mi, infiltrates the cult as rich businessman’s son

5. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003 movie)

• IMDb: 7.1/10

Soo-Mi and Su-Yeon are sisters who come back home after a long illness. They miss their mother who died a while ago. Their stepmother Eun-Joo welcomes them, but she is not very nice to them. 

Soo-Mi is brave and outspoken, and she stands up to Eun-Joo. Su-Yeon is shy and scared, and she depends on Soo-Mi for protection. Eun-Joo often bullies and hurts them, but they have to put up with her for their father’s sake. Soo-Mi promises Su-Yeon that she will never let Eun-Joo hurt them again.

Strange things start to happen in the house. Something is different, but no one knows what it is. The sisters can feel it, though.

My verdict: This is an old but classic movie that still holds up today. It’s a horror film that messes with your mind - and has some brilliant scenes. 

The cast:

• Bae Soo-mi, played by Im Soo-jung
• Bae Su-yeon, played by Moon Geun-young
• Heo Eun-joo, played by Yum Jung-ah
• Bae Moo-hyeon, played by Kim Kap-soo
• Mi-hee (Eun-joo's sister in law), played by Lee Seung-bi
• Soo-mi’s doctor, played by Lee Dae-yeon
• Mrs Bae (Moo-hyeon's first wife and Soo-mi's and Su-yeon's mom), played by Park Mi-hyun
• Sun-kyu (Eun-joo's brother), played by Woo Ki-hong

I love these watches for Halloween. What other dramas would you recommend for this occasion? I would love to hear from you~