There are so many K-dramas in all genres, from romances and thrillers to even heartbreaking sob stories. But there's one genre of K-drama that's just as worthy of a good binge-watch and provides a different kind of thrill. Legal K-dramas have developed a broad audience for their addictive combination of crime stories and courtroom drama.
Audiences get to see prosecutors, lawyers, and even police officials crackdown on crime to bring a perpetrator to justice. But not all K-dramas are riveting and action-packed. Some are more leisurely but get fans hooked on the individual storylines and moments of its main characters. And don't be too surprised if some legal K-dramas even throw in a bit of romance to make things interesting.
Suits (2018): 7.4
Just how American television does remakes of famous work from around the world, Korean television does the same with American content. Suits is a popular legal drama on American television that debuted in 2016. The drama centered around a man with no legal degree who gets mistaken for a lawyer and starts working in one of New York City's biggest law firms.
The Korean remake follows a similar storyline, but there's a small tweak that makes the show a bit more interesting than the original. The young man, Go Yeon-Woo (Park Hyung-Sik) has a retentive memory that proves quite useful when handling legal cases and allowing his secret to remain hidden.
Lawless Lawyer (2018): 7.5
Don't expect the lawyers in Lawless Lawyers to be the prim and proper attorneys that uphold the law. The drama centers around two characters who form the Lawless Law Firm to bring down corrupt officials and those who abuse their powers. And there's more to explore here, as there's also a story of revenge.
Bong Sang-Pil (Lee Jong-Gi) was a former gangster raised by his uncle after the murder of his mother. He's now a lawyer and has no problem using his fists, his old gang connections, and loopholes in the law to seek justice. Alongside Sang-Pil is the fiery and badass Ha Jae-Yi (Seo Yea-Ji). Jae-Yi is disbarred after assaulting a judge, but she keeps her integrity when it comes to the law. Together, they seek revenge and to bring down a corrupt judge and her associates.
Witch's Court (2017): 7.6
Witch's Court is also titled under Witch at Court. Ma Yi-Deum (Jung Ryeo-Won) isn't a by-the-book prosecutor and she teeters on the edge between legal and illegal investigating. She'll do anything necessary to win a case and seek justice, from fabricating evidence and personal attacks to even perjury.
Yi-Deum is forced to take part in the children's sex crime unit alongside a rookie prosecutor who was once a child psychologist. She and the newbie don't exactly get along, due to their different views on the legal system and its procedures. But, Yi-Deum also has a painful past that will have fans sympathizing with her.
Your Honor (2018): 7.6
Your Honor has a switcharoo storyline that will have fans sitting on the edge of their seats. The legal drama isn't the run-of-the-mill story, as a Han Kang-Ho (Yoon Si-Yoon) takes his twin brother's identity after he mysteriously disappears. And there's a catch, as Kang-Ho's brother was a respected judge.
Kang-Ho is the exact opposite of his brother, though, with a lengthy criminal record and multiple arrests. Once seen as trash and unworthy, Kang-Ho is now respected and looked up to when he portrays his twin brother. How will a criminal decide the outcome of justice as a judge?
Ms. Hammurabi (2018) 7.6
The drama, Ms. Hammurabi has a unique backstory compared to other shows. The show was written by Moon Yoo-Seok, the chief judge of Seoul Eastern District Court, who wrote a novel of the same name before the show's creation. Audiences loved the drama, as it was a new and fresh take on court judges, the legal system, and its adversaries.
The drama focuses on a rookie prosecutor, Park Cha O Reum (Go Ara), and her battles with the legal system, along with her colleagues. Park Cha O Reum is passionate about her work and believes in the "eye for an eye" principle and doesn't allow anyone to abuse the system. Along the way, audiences get to see her character grow.
Hyena (2020): 7.8
Hyena was a highly talked about K-drama from 2020. The legal drama focused on two lawyers from the Song & Kim Law Firm, who cater to the top 1 percent. But these two lawyers are polar opposites and are often at each other's throats. Jung Geum-Ja (Kim Hye-Soo) is known as a ruthless hyena, who sways between the law and lawlessness.
Jung Geum-Ja chases after money and power, no matter if her actions are illegal or borderline criminal. Her rival is Yoon Hee-Jae (Ju Ji-Hoon) and is more of a pedigree lawyer, who doesn't go to the extremes like Jung Geum-Ja, but has just as big of an ego.
Suspicious Partner (2017): 7.9
Suspicious Partner is one of the rare K-dramas that don't stick to the 16-episode mold that many follow. The show has a bit of everything, from legal drama, crime, and some cute and sweet romance. Audiences are in for a whirlwind of a story, as two prosecutors get tangled in the plot of a serial killer while also upholding the law and falling in love.
Noh Ji-Wook (Ji Chang-Wook) switches jobs to become a prestigious lawyer at a law firm and meets Eun Bong-Hee (Nam Ji-Hyun), a rookie prosecutor. They start investigating a murder case and start to realize how entangled their pasts really are. The case proves difficult, too, as the murderer suffers from amnesia.
Innocent Defendant (2017): 8.1
The thriller legal drama, Innocent Defendant, will have audiences questioning the truth and what really happened. Park Jung-Woo (Ji Sung) never loses a case as the head of the violent crimes division and prosecutor for Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.
But his life turns upside down when he wakes up in prison and is a convict on death row. Suffering from amnesia, he has no memory of what really happened or who he is. Park Jung-Woo must uncover the truth and clear his name. Audiences will realize there's a bigger story at play and someone isn't who they say they are.
Diary Of A Prosecutor (2019): 8.2
For anyone looking for a more chill and laid-back drama to binge-watch, Diary of a Prosecutor is a good choice. The drama focuses on the lives and work of a group of prosecutors in the fictional city of Jinyoung. Each main character has their own story to tell, from a prosecutor with years of experience to a single mother raising a child on her own.
The drama has heartfelt and relatable moments, as well as a small storyline of romance. The drama doesn't focus heavily on romantic, swoon-worthy moments, but it adds a level of realism to the daily lives of some of the characters.
Law School (2021): 8.5
Law School is rising the ranks as a must-watch drama that debuts weekly episodes on Netflix. It's a thrilling crime story that has parallels to How To Get Away With Murder. Yang Jong-Hoon (Kim Myung-Min) is a former prosecutor-turned-professor at a known law school.
But he isn't well-liked by his peers and students for having a cold demeanor. The drama also focuses on two law students, one from a poor background and one harboring a secret. The students and Yang Jong-Hoon's lives intertwine when a professor is found murdered and Jong-Hoon the main suspect. The students work hard to prove the professor's innocence and find the culprit.