15 Best K-Drama Villains, Ranked

The 15 Best K-Drama Villains, Ranked

Gong Yoo as the Salesman buying bread in Squid Game Season 2.Image via Netflix

By Anja Djuricic Updated Feb 4, 2026, 7:49 PM EST Anja Djuricic was born in Belgrade, Serbia, in 1992. Her first interest in film started very early, as she learned to speak English by watching Disney animated movies (and many, many reruns). Anja soon became inspired to learn more foreign languages to understand more movies, so she entered the Japanese language and literature Bachelor Studies at the University of Belgrade. Anja is also one of the founders of the DJ duo Vazda Garant, specializing in underground electronic music influenced by various electronic genres. Anja loves to do puzzles in her spare time, pet cats wherever she meets them, and play The Sims. Anja's Letterboxd four includes Memories of Murder, Parasite, Nope, and The Road to El Dorado. Sign in to your Collider account Add Us On follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread 1 Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

K-dramas often have many characters, which can sometimes be hard to keep up with. Usually, someone shows up to throw off the main couple's romance or make things that seem to be going well a little more complex. Just like in any other show or movie, a good challenge is essential for the main plot to show that it's strong enough and holds up well. In Korean dramas, there are plenty of subplots and antagonists to make the leads look better.

A good, well-written antagonist will make anyone biased towards the protagonist; however, it can sometimes be a character to root for, in some unusual way. This is a common thread in Korean dramas — the antagonists often (not always) have a very good reason as to why they're villainous, and often become a sort of gray area in the series. The best K-show villains can make fans feel all sorts of emotions, which is why they are, obviously, the best.

15 Ryu Shi-oh (Byeon Woo-seok)

'Strong Girl Nam-soon' (2023)

Byeon Woo-seok as Ryu Shi-oh in Strong Girl Nam-soon in a black suit smiling at someone off-screen.Image via JTBC

Strong Girl Nam-soon is a 2023 drama about a girl called Nam-soon (Lee Yoo-mi), who got lost on a trip to Mongolia when she was there with her Korean parents. She is found and raised by Mongolian parents until she turns 22 and decides to head out for South Korea to look for her real family. When she finds her mother and grandmother, the three women become a part of a drug investigation case taking place at Doogo, a company owned by Ryu Shi-oh (Byeon Woo-seok).

Ryu Shi-oh is the show's main villain, and many fans consider him somewhat likable. He has great reason to exact revenge and is often torn between feeling angry and loving, making him a morally gray character in every sense. Through the story, viewers find out that Shi-oh was raised by the Russian mafia, where they called him Anton. He was trained to be a ruthless killer from an early age, and he always lacked emotion and happiness in life. When he meets Nam-soon is the first time he experiences any sort of positive emotion, though it's all too mixed up for him. Ryu Shi-oh is considered one of the best K-villains.

14 Mo Tae-gu (Kim Jae-wook)

'Voice' (2017–2025)

Kim Jae-wook as Mo Tae-gu wearing a white shirt and a black tie, looking at something off-screen in Voice.Image via tvN

Voice is one of the longest-running thriller shows in South Korea. It follows detective Kang Kwon-joo (Lee Ha-na), who has a hearing superpower and is an expert in psychoacoustics, which is, by definition, "a branch of psychology concerned with the perception of sound and its physiological effects." Kang is partnered up with Moo Jin-hyuk (Jang Hyuk), an angry rogue detective who seeks revenge for his wife's murder.

In Season 1, Kang and Moo solve several serial killings, encountering a villainous CEO named Mo Tae-gu (Kim Jae-wook). Many fans consider him a great but terrifying villain with an intense desire to kill and establish dominance over everyone around him. Catching him feels intense and exciting, all the more because his public persona is charming and elusive, and many people are unsuspecting of Mo Tae-gu. Voice, in general, has amazing villains and is a great police procedural series.

13 Park Joong-heon (Kim Byung-chul)

'Goblin' (2016–2017)

A man in white with grey hair is holding a woman by the throat and choking her down in Goblin.Image via tvN

Goblin is one of the best K-dramas of all time, and one that defined the 2010s. Superstars Gong Yoo, Lee Dong-wook, and Kim Go-eun make a beautiful trio of unusual characters, starting with Gong Yoo, who plays the titular Goblin — a Goryeo-era soldier known as Kim Shin who's been cursed to live forever as a goblin. The only way to remove the curse is to find a bride who will remove the dagger sitting in his chest, and Kim Shin believes the bride is Ji Eun-tak (Kim), because he saved her pregnant mother from an accident, causing Eun-tak to be born with the Grim Reaper (Lee) on her tail.

While the Grim Reaper may sound like the real villain, the dynamic is far more sitcom-like between the three characters. The real villain is actually a eunuch called Park Joong-heon (Kim Byung-chul), who caused the Goblin's curse, and convinced a then-young king to get rid of Kim Shin (including other decisions). Eunuch Park is cunning, manipulative, and ruthless, doing all he can to gain power and influence in the royal palace.

12 Seo Mon-joo (Lee Dong-wook)

'Hell Is Other People' (2019)

Lee Dong Wook gives a sinister smile to another person in Strangers From Hell.Image via OCN

Talking about Lee Dong-wook, the man has had a long and prolific TV career, playing every kind of character, from a gentle romantic interest to an uncontrollable psychopath. Though great at both, Lee's strength lies in portraying ambiguous villains, much like he did in Hell Is Other People, a horror/thriller/mystery also known as Strangers from Hell. The show follows Jong-woo (Im Si-wan), arriving in Seoul for an internship and renting a room in a ridiculously affordable dormitory called Eden.

Eden, as Jong-woo is about to find out, isn't that ordinary. Its low price reflects the sort of people who live there, and Jong-woo experiences new awkward and borderline creepy experiences while there. The biggest antagonist is his next-door neighbor, Mon-joo (Lee), a dentist who appears unassuming and gentle, but hides dark secrets underneath the charming facade. People often cite Mon-joo as one of their favorite villains in K-shows.

11 Jang Joon-woo (Ok Taecyeon)

'Vincenzo' (2021)

Ok Taecyeon as Jang Joon-woo with his back turned away from the camera, looking back in Vincenzo.Image via tvN

Vincenzo is another highly popular show on Netflix. Many South Korean dramas are available on the streaming site, with some also being produced by the company and doing well in the world (just look at Squid Game). Vincenzo stars some of the biggest names in the K-drama world, from Song Joong-ki (Descendants of the Sun) to Ok Taecyeon (member of the mega-popular K-pop group 2PM). Song portrays the titular character, Vincenzo, who grows up in Italy after being adopted as an orphan. Vincenzo gets dragged into the Mafia, becoming a consigliere and lawyer for the organization led by the Cassano family.

After things go wrong for Vincenzo, he's forced to flee to his native country, South Korea, settling down in Seoul. There, he meets another lawyer, Cha-young (Jeon Yeo-bin), and her ditzy assistant, Jang Joon-woo (Taecyeon). The transformation of Joon-woo from a simple-seeming man to a criminal mastermind makes him a brilliant antagonist, and one of people's favorites. Taecyeon portrays him with great nuance and charm, though he is, after all, too ruthless to cheer for.

10 Lee Lim (Lee Jung-jin)

'The King: Eternal Monarch' (2020)

Lee Jung-jin as Lee Lim in a suit looks and talks to someone off-screen in The King Eternal Monarch.Image via SBS

The King: Eternal Monarch is another popular K-drama, mainly because of its leading actor, Lee Min-ho. With dramas that never miss, some of Lee Min-ho's best work includes shows that defined the 2000s, and even the 2020s, with The King: Eternal Monarch. In one of the best sci-fi/fantasy K-dramas, Lee portrays Lee Gon, an heir to the throne of a Korea from a parallel reality. When he enters the current reality after running from his greedy uncle, he meets a detective, Jeong Tae-eul (Kim Go-eun), who helps him return to his reality.

The romance between Lee Gon and Tae-eul is slow-burning but beautiful to watch, though that's not the most interesting reason to watch The King: Eternal Monarch. This drama also has one of the best villains ever, which is Lee Gon's uncle, Lee Lim (Lee Jung-jin). He is manipulative, aggressive, and convincing in plotting the downfall of his nephew. Fans of the drama often praised its expansive nature, calling the world-building good. Within that, a bad guy like Lee Lim has an even bigger impact.

9 Hyun Soo-ah (Jo Woo-ri)

'Gangnam Beauty' (2018)

Jo Woo-ri as Hyun Soo-ah in a yellow sweater, at a desk and smiling at people in front of her in Gangnam Beauty.Image via JTBC

Gangnam Beauty, aka My ID Is Gangnam Beauty, is one of the best shows that delves into the world of the superficial. The show was based on a webtoon of the same name, and the significance of its title, Gangnam Beauty, is two-fold: Gangnam is a wealthy district in Seoul with an incredibly high cost of living, often deemed luxurious and untouchable; the phrase, "Gangnam beauty" refers to an artificial look, calling the one nicknamed as such fake and artificial.

The story follows Kang Mi-rae (Im Soo-hyang), who was bullied in high school for her ugly looks. When she goes to college after several plastic surgeries to avoid being bullied again, she has to both conform to the beauty pressures and face bullies who call her a "Gangnam beauty." The antagonist is Hyun Soo-ah (Jo Woo-ri), a girl who is loved for being a natural beauty, but is actually very manipulative and even toxic to those around her. She displays a great need for attention and doesn't react well to anyone else getting it; fans of the drama call her the perfect villain because her behavior is rooted in insecurity and reflects a lot of real-life characters.

8 The Salesman (Gong Yoo)

'Squid Game' (2021–2025)

Gong Yoo as the Salesman playing russian roulette with a gun in Squid Game Season 2. Image via Netflix

It's no secret that Squid Game is an international success. It got people from all over the world to show an interest in South Korean shows, while having some of the best villains of the genre. Though The Front Man, played by Lee Byung-hun, is the huge antagonist of the show, The Salesman also gets some more scenes in Squid Game Season 2, revealing a deadly and sociopathic side. Gong Yoo, generally a very likable actor with mostly heroic characters in his resume, steps into the role of The Salesman/The Recruit with vigor.

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Squid Game follows Seong Gi-hun (Golden Globe winner Lee Jung-jae), who enters a competition promising to help him get rid of his piling debts; when he arrives at the location of the competition, he and the other participants realize it's a death match, and only the last person left alive wins the money. The Salesman recruits people into the game by intercepting them around the city and challenging them to a game of luck. Seeing who's willing to bet and go all in helps The Salesman decide who gets an invitation. In season two, he has a brutal scene in which he mocks homeless people, making him a cruel and memorable villain.

7 Lee Yoo-beom (Lee Sang-yeob)

'While You Were Sleeping' (2017)

Lee Sang-yeob as Lee Yoo-beom in a suit sits across from a woman and looks worried in While You Were Sleeping.Image via SBS

While You Were Sleeping stars South Korea's sweetheart, Bae Suzy, as the lead. She plays Hong-joo, a journalist with the ability to foresee the future (precognition); she passes on the ability to Jae-chan (Lee Jong-suk), a newly formed prosecutor, after saving him from drowning years before the events in the show. The two aren't the only people with the precognition ability - police officer Woo-tak (Jung Hae-in) also has the ability, after being saved by Jae-chan from a deadly car accident. The three work together to stop their prophetic dreams from coming true, though they have a hard time seeing the real villain of the story.

The antagonist is Lee Yoo-beom (Lee Sang-yeob), a solitary and reclusive lawyer who is shown going from small-time fraud and deceit to becoming a full-blown villain after achieving the prosecutor role. A character that chooses no means to an end, he fabricates evidence for personal success and higher achievements, often participating in numerous illegal actions. Fans count Yoo-beom among the most villainous characters in any K-drama.

6 Jin Mu (Jo Jae-yoon)

'Alchemy of Souls' (2022–2023)

Jo Jae-yoon as Jin Mu with gray hair and a goatee in lavish colorful clothes holds a sword in Alchemy of Souls.Image via tvN

Alchemy of Souls is a fantasy drama that blends sci-fi, historical influences, and romance. It's about mages from a fictional country of Daeho, who learn to develop their magical powers. The mages are the protagonists, Nak-su (Go Yun-jung), a young master who learns how to use the "alchemy of souls," a spell that allows him to switch bodies with someone. When the spell fails, and his soul gets trapped in the body of Mu-deok (Jung So-min), he uses his knowledge and her agility to train her; Mu-deok bonds with a nobleman, Jang Uk (Lee Jin-wook), throughout the process, and the two start falling in love.

The antagonist in Alchemy of Souls is the evil and greedy Jin Mu (Jo Jae-yoon), a minister appointed at the royal court; he uses his abilities to train Nak-su to become a skilled assassin, while manipulating the king against Jang Uk to prevent him from becoming the next in line for the throne. Jo portrays the villain in such a convincing and scary manner that his character's motivations are not just believable, but condemnable. After all, it takes a great actor to make a villain so evil that viewers yell at the TV because of him. Jin Mu is that sort of villain.