5 K-Dramas To Watch If You Loved "The Glory"

Both the first and second halves of the gripping K-drama “The Glory” have now aired. The drama follows Moon Dong Eun (Song Hye Kyo), a woman who was a victim of extreme school bullying as she takes justice into her own hands by planning revenge on her bullies in adulthood. Fans of the series are still reeling from the drama’s ultimate revenge plan. If you are in need of more K-dramas about good triumphing over evil or themes of social status, look no further: here are some K-dramas where viewers can relish in characters’ journeys to seek justice or fight their way into the upper levels of society.

“My Mister”

Enduring hardships is what co-workers Park Dong Hoon (Lee Sun Gyun) and Lee Ji An (IU) do best. Park Dong Hoon is a middle-aged engineer working under his college junior, while his wife is having an affair with his boss. His two unemployed brothers are a burden to his finances, adding to his stress. Lee Ji An is a temporary employee caring for her ailing grandmother and suffering mistreatment at the hands of a loan shark. Lee Ji An’s boss hires her to discover Park Dong Hoon’s weakness, but the pair unexpectedly starts an authentic friendship.

“My Mister” illustrates what it’s like to work through emotional wounds as Park Dong Hoon’s and Lee Ji An’s budding friendship gives them the strength to endure and aim to overcome their problems. The main characters unintentionally open up to each other about their emotions, and their chemistry is so dynamic that you secretly want them to date and start a new life together. While “My Mister” and “The Glory” both show some extremes in terms of suffering, there is some relatability in both, and the two K-dramas show viewers ways of escape through friendship and more.

Watch “My Mister” here:

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“Who Are You: School 2015”

Eun Bi (Kim So Hyun) is a teenage orphan living in the coastal city of Tongyeong. As a young child, Eun Bi was separated from her twin sister Eun Byeol (also Kim So Hyun) due to Eun Byeol’s adoption in Seoul. Unfortunately, Eun Bi suffers terrible bullying at school until she is given the unexpected opportunity to swap lives with her twin. Her road to healing is bright as she makes new friends with Han Yi Ahn (Nam Joo Hyuk) and Gong Tae Kwang (Yook Sungjae) and bonds with her sister’s adopted mom.

As in “The Glory,” the main focus of  “Who Are You” is healing from bullying. Eun Bi suffers hardship while on her own in Tongyeong, but the love and affection she receives in Seoul helps her emotional wounds mend. Actress Kim So Hyun does an incredible job in her dual role as Eun Bi and Eun Byeol. Just as viewers empathized with Moon Dong Eun in “The Glory,” viewers of “Who Are You” feel Eun Bi’s pain and quickly take her side on the path to justice: it’s another powerful show that will make you root for the protagonist to find relief from her suffering. With each passing episode, the series keeps viewers anxious for that peaceful day to arrive.

Watch “Who Are You: School 2015” here:

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“The Penthouse”

Power and status are the main focus of the residents in the luxurious penthouse apartment. Residents Shim Soo Ryeon (Lee Ji Ah) and Cheon Seo Jin (Kim So Yeon) are born into wealth, while Oh Yoon Hee (Eugene) aims to be the most successful after being born into poverty. Oh Yoon Hee takes on many jobs in order to earn the money to enter high society and give her daughter a better life. After a young girl dies in their neighborhood, the three women try to cover up the death while suspecting each other of the crime.

“The Penthouse” is a roller coaster that shares main themes with “The Glory”: money, relationships, crime, and more intertwine as the series builds in intensity. As among the characters in “The Glory,” the ladies of “The Penthouse” engage in heated disagreements, and Oh Yoon Hee is the outcast fighting for her place in the upper class. “The Penthouse” also features its fair share of mean girls, which actresses Lee Ji Ah, Kim So Yeon, and Eugene do a great job portraying. Their on-screen interactions kept viewers so engaged in the K-drama that it was renewed for two more seasons, and “The Penthouse 2” and “The Penthouse 3” are also well worth a watch!

Watch “The Penthouse” here:

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“Reborn Rich”

The rich Jin family needs to frame someone for embezzlement, and the best target is their loyal secretary Yoon Hyun Woo (Song Joong Ki). They betray him, and he ends up dying. However, unbeknownst to them, Yoon Hyun Woo comes back to life in the body of their youngest son Jin Do Joon (Song Joong Ki), and he plans to get revenge by taking over the Jin family’s company.

The series satisfies all your “The Glory” withdrawals because it places a spotlight on avenging a crime. The justice isn’t as sweet given Yoon Hyun Woo’s death, but this protagonist isn’t about to let his enemies get away free. As if this weren’t enough reason to watch, Song Joong Ki does an amazing job in his dual role, making the drama even more compelling. You’ll cry when Yoon Hyun Woo dies, be filled with joy as he is reborn, and even cheer for his efforts to rise in the social ranks and bring justice.

Watch “Reborn Rich” here:

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“Lookout”

Detective Jo Soo Ji (Lee Si Young) suffers the inconceivable when her daughter is murdered. The criminal behind the heinous crime doesn’t face charges because he is from a rich prosecutor’s family. When she discovers who the murderer is, she takes matters in her own hands and tries to avenge her daughter’s death. During her mission, she meets a group of people also seeking justice for their own tragic losses of loved ones. They join forces to bring her daughter’s killer to justice.

“Lookout” mirrors “The Glory” in the way that corrupt authority figures fail the protagonists, who are everyday people. While Moon Dong Eun desperately cries for help when she is bullied, Jo Soo Ji needs help to solve a murder. Both “The Glory” and “Lookout” indirectly stress the importance of honest and moral leaders. “Lookout” is an eye-opening experience with crime, raw acting, and emotional storytelling. Like “The Glory,” this series will have you demanding fairness and hoping wrongs are righted until the last episode!

Hey Soompiers, which K-drama will you start binge-watching first? Do you have more to add to this list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below?

KMoody is a Soompi writer who is a longtime Korean drama fan. Her favorite dramas include “Boys Over Flowers,” “Dream High,” and “Love Alarm”! For more information about her personal and professional writing journey, follow her on Instagram at BTSCelebs.