6 K-Drama Villains That Deserve Their Own Prequels

Villains are crucial to just about every K-drama. Without them, the definition of “drama” could cease to exist. Since villains are so essential to the storyline, why don’t they have one of their own? Yes, they may get backstories, but they often aren’t enough to explain the extent of their motives. They deserve better. They deserve prequels of their own. Check out our list of villains who are in desperate need of a prequel.

Lee Jae Wook from “Blood”

When it comes to being thrust into a world of humans vs. vampires, Lee Jae Wook (Ji Jin Hee) can certainly hold his own. As the main antagonist of “Blood,” Jae Wook is depicted as a villainous doctor who is determined to cure mankind of its illnesses. While his intentions are great, his plan is carried out by illegally testing on human subjects, causing a series of unnatural deaths for those being experimented on.

Over the course of the show, we get to delve a little into Jae Wook’s history. The reason why he became so bent on finding a cure was due to the fact that one of his patients, a little girl, almost died under his care because the parents couldn’t afford her medical bills. In order to save her, he had to turn her into a vampire, ruining her chance at a normal human life.

Taking this in hand, it would make sense that Jae Wook held a bit of a grudge. If there was a prequel where we could look into his past, we could gain a better glimpse of how his wish to help the world became muddled over time with his unquenchable thirst for power.

Watch “Blood”: [viki]https://www.viki.com/videos/1061830v-blood-episode-1?utm_source=soompi&utm_medium=soompi_news&utm_campaign=soompi_link&utm_content=k-drama-villians-backstories-deserve-prequel&utm_content_id=969127wpp[/viki]

Queen Ji So from “Hwarang”

Of all the crazy mothers in the K-drama universe, Queen Ji So (Kim Ji Soo) in “Hwarang” definitely deserves a prequel. For the majority of the story, Ji So treats everyone around her like pawns on a chessboard. While her drive is to protect her son and preserve the future of Silla, emotions get in the way as she is presented with people from her past.

When she was younger, she gave everything she could to escape her miserable life amidst the corruption in the palace, yet the one man who Ji So trusted to help her betrayed her. From then on, the bitterness of losing control over her fate made her determined to make sure her son didn’t suffer as she did. While her intentions were every bit sincere, her struggle to protect the throne overpowered reason, leading to the deaths of innocent people.

For Ji So’s prequel, we would be certain to see the journey of a woman fighting for her country, her son, and an unrequited love. She may have lost many things in the process, but her strength through it all is unbreakable.

Check out the first episode of “Hwarang” below: [viki]https://www.viki.com/videos/1113729v-hwarang-episode-1?utm_source=soompi&utm_medium=soompi_news&utm_campaign=soompi_link&utm_content=k-drama-villians-backstories-deserve-prequel&utm_content_id=969127wpp[/viki]

Gwi from “Scholar Who Walks The Night”

Not only is he crazy off his rocker, the vampire Gwi (Lee Soo Hyuk) in “Scholar Who Walks the Night” is as bloodthirsty and cynical as you can get. Right from the start, his ruthless control over the country has everyone cowering at his feet in servitude. While he isn’t officially the king, once the sun sets, he emerges from his lair and his power becomes supreme. His effortless rise to power leaves many wondering: How did he become so evil?

Before Gwi became powerful, he served under the royal family. At one point, he was hired to kill the royal family in exchange for the right to rule over the nation every night. Since he was an immortal vampire, that basically meant he could rule forever. When that promise was broken, no one could stop the unleashing of his wrath.

In order for us to understand more of his past, Gwi would need a prequel. Only then could we get to see the pre-vampire side of him. The side that wasn’t so heartless and cruel. Maybe he was a victim. Maybe he was lonely. Something had to have turned on his crazy switch. *Sigh* If only we had the chance to know why!

Check out “Scholar Who Walks the Night” below: [viki]https://www.viki.com/videos/1071499v-scholar-who-walks-the-night-episode-1?utm_source=soompi&utm_medium=soompi_news&utm_campaign=soompi_link&utm_content=k-drama-villians-backstories-deserve-prequel&utm_content_id=969127wpp[/viki]

Kwon Jae Hee from “The Girl Who Sees Smells”

While Kwon Jae Hee (Namgoong Min) doesn’t have any supernatural powers in “The Girl Who Sees Smells,” he certainly does know how to cook. This villain makes his entry into the world of serial killers with this one unique trait: whenever he kills, he forces his victims to write out the stories of their lives into a book. After they finish, he kills them and proceeds to brand them with bar codes.

Jae Hee’s technique may be different, but his motive is classic. When he was younger, his adoptive parents abused him, so much so that he eventually developed a disorder that hinders him from being able to recognize people’s faces. Even though he had to live with this handicap for years, it never stopped him from flawlessly blending into regular society.

His double life as a famous chef and as a serial killer gives everyone the chills. If Jae Hee were given his own prequel, we’d all get to witness how the cruel events from his childhood led to the birth of a mastermind killer.

Choi Yoo Jin from “The K2”

Choi Yoo Jin (Song Yoon Ah) in “The K2” is the kind of villain we all have a love/hate relationship with. From her past, we see how her unrequited love drives her to unspeakable deeds, especially against her unfaithful husband. As the daughter of a wealthy chairman, she has all the money and power she needs to enact vengeance.

Taking this opportunity to get her husband back, Yoo Jin kidnaps the daughter he had with another woman and uses the girl to blackmail her husband. Though love may have been what drove her originally, Yoo Jin’s hunger for power turned her into a bitter and cold-hearted woman.

If she had a prequel, maybe we could learn a little more about why her love for her husband twisted her into a person she never thought she could become.

Watch “The K2” below: [viki]https://www.viki.com/videos/1117119v-the-k2-episode-1?utm_source=soompi&utm_medium=soompi_news&utm_campaign=soompi_link&utm_content=k-drama-villians-backstories-deserve-prequel&utm_content_id=969127wpp[/viki]

Lee Jin Pyo from “City Hunter”

Lee Jin Pyo (Kim Sang Joong) in “City Hunter” was once a good man and a best friend. He was a soldier for his country, serving with the belief that his country was a beacon for the future. However, when his friend gets executed on a secret military mission in North Korea, Jin Pyo loses faith in his country, vowing justice against the corrupt politicians that were responsible for his death.

As the story goes on, he begins to lose his original vow. Instead of bringing the corruption to justice, he turns to vengeance instead, seeking to kill everyone responsible. Kidnapping the son of his best friend, he raises him in the idea that the son will join him in avenging his father’s death. When the son has different ideas, Jin Pyo forgets all he once held dear, losing a sense of who he once was.

Jin Pyo’s character is one we all wish we knew more about. How did he become such a skilled soldier? What really drove him to kidnap his friend’s child? In his prequel, I’m sure we’d learn a lot more about the true origin of his motives.

Have a villain you think deserves a prequel, too? Let us know in the comments!

J. Simpson is a Creative Writing student hailing from the U.S. with a penchant for binging Asian dramas and rocking out to Korean music. She hopes to one day travel internationally and teach English. Say hello and follow her on Instagram.