Add these shows to your October watch list for a bit of spooktacular fun
Are you looking for something a little on the supernatural side, but nothing that will scare the socks off of you? Perhaps you’re looking for a little paranormal with a side of romance? Or maybe you just want something a little different from what you normally watch, but don’t want to go heavy into horror. Here are five supernatural K-dramas, in no particular order, that might satisfy that itch and maybe even give you a new favorite drama (several of these have found their way onto my list of greats).
Master’s Sun
Tae Gong-shil has a ghost problem, mainly that she can see them, they won’t leave her alone, and she’s scared of them. Joo Joong-won has no problems that anyone can see – he makes a lot of money, he’s happy with his lifestyle, and certainly does not believe in the paranormal.
When their paths cross and Gong-shil finds out that touching Joong-won makes the ghosts disappear, she can’t stay away from her savior. Shenanigans ensue and Gong-shil helps Joong-won with a mystery surrounding his youth by tapping into the deceased that are hanging around him.
This is a drama you will be sure to find fun, a few spooks, and believe it or not, possible tears of both sorrow and joy. The acting is fantastic, the story is great, and this will likely make it pretty high on your list of favorite dramas.
This 2013 drama stars Gong Hyo-jin (Tae Gong-shil) and So Ji-sub (Joo Joong-won). It can be watched with a subscription on either Viki.com or KOCOWA.com. Additionally, you can gain access and a KOCOWA subscription through Amazon Prime video.
Sell Your Haunted House
Finding a buyer for a haunted house is no easy task but Hong Ji-a, the CEO of Deabak Realty, is the person for the job. She will not only get rid of your ghostly problem but get market value for your property at the same time. Ji-a is an exorcist who helps others while also looking for a medium who is strong enough to help with her own vengeful spirit, her mother, who has been haunting her place for 20 years.
Oh In-beom is a con artist who fakes hauntings so that he can be the answer to property owners’ supernatural problems. When he runs into Ji-a during one of his operations, he is furious that this woman, he believes is also scamming people, is ruining his business. He confronts her and they learn that through an unlikely partnership they can help so many and he may also be the key to helping Ji-a with her own haunting.
A little spookier than the other dramas on this list, but definitely a good watch. It is important to note, also, that unlike the rest of the shows on this list this show is not a romance. I didn’t know that going in, so it left a bit of disappointment in me, but upon realizing that it was not, I really did enjoy the show.
This 2021 drama stars Jang Na-ra (Hong Ji-a) and Jung Yong-hwa (Oh In-beom). It can be watched with a subscription on Viki.com or KOCOWA.com. Additionally, you can gain access and a KOCOWA subscription through Amazon Prime video.
Tale of the Nine-Tailed
Nam Ji-ah is a producer on a quest to find her parents who disappeared after a car accident 21 years ago. She suspects that it is the doing of something not of this world so has devoted her life to learning as much as she can about the supernatural.
Lee Yeon is a 1,000+ year-old nine-tailed fox who has been searching for his reincarnated love. He finds himself intertwined with Ji-ah both helping her after the car accident 21 years ago and crossing paths with her again in the present day he agrees to help her find her parents.
This drama was exciting, a little on the crazy side, and kept you guessing around every corner. And the great thing about this drama is that there is a sequel series (Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938) that is just as good, if not better than this inaugural season. The entire cast of this show does an amazing job and you will fall in love with every single character on the screen.
This 2020 drama stars Lee Dong-wook (Lee Yeon), Jo Bo-ah (Nam Ji-ah), and Kim Beom (Lee Rang). It can be watched with a subscription on Viki.com or with Amazon Prime video.
Oh My Ghost
Shin Soon-ae is a young woman whose life was cut short before she was able to experience love. Due to the sudden circumstances of her death, of which she does not remember, she has become a spirit roaming around with one goal in mind – to seduce a man and experience the intimacy she never did when she was living.
Na Bong-sun is a sous chef working at a well-known restaurant under a celebrity chef who she happens to have a crush on. Her grandmother being a shaman means that Bong-sun is able to see and communicate with ghosts. If she is not paying attention, she also is easily possessed, which gives Soon-ae the opportunity she needs to complete her unfinished business, using Bong-sun as the vessel.
Kang Sun-woo is a chef whose tough demeanor and take-nothing attitude has helped him rise to stardom in the culinary world. He can’t stand Bong-sun’s passive, apologetic, and soft disposition so when her personality suddenly changes, his interest is piqued. When Bong-sun starts aggressively pursuing him in a lustful manner, he can’t help but be confused and a little interested at the same time.
The premise of this drama was an interesting one. A story where the third part of the triangle is a ghost had me wondering how it was going to end and who I would end up rooting for in the end. Give this one a watch and let me know which way you went.
This 2015 drama stars Park Bo-young (Na Bong-sun), Kim Seul-gi (Shin Soon-ae), and Cho Jung-seok (Kang Sun-woo). It can be watched with a subscription on Viki.com or with Amazon Prime video.
Hotel Del Luna
Being the owner of Hotel Del Luna and helping the deceased with their unfinished business is Jang Man-wol’s curse, literally. For committing a horrible sin, she has been punished with being the owner of a hotel for ghosts that provides them a luxurious stay while they work on resolving grudges, regrets, and any other reason that has prevented them from moving on.
Goo Chan-sung is a living hotelier who has found himself bound to Hotel Del Luna through a promise made by his father. As the manager of the hotel, he is there to assist in all of the earthly matters that the paranormal staff cannot take on. Forced to work with the abrasive and self-centered Man-wol was not his idea of a career move he wanted to make, but may just be what she needs.
Amongst the everyday of helping spirits pass on, we weave in stories about past lives, past loves, and determining how to lift a curse that has been in place for a very long time. This drama is one of the more recent classics and is beloved by many. It took me a while to really get into it, but once I did, I really enjoyed it. The hotel scenery is gorgeous, Jang Man-wol’s costumes are on point and delightful to see, and the all of the characters are interesting.
This 2019 drama stars IU (Jang Man-wol) and Yeo Jin-goo (Goo Chan-sung). It can be watched on Netflix or Viki.com with a subscription.
Have a fun spooky season!
These is just a small list of the many supernatural K-dramas out there. You are sure to have a good time looking through the many shows available to watch, some that are scarier, some that are not, but there is no shortage to explore. What’s your favorite supernatural K-drama?