The trend of giving vampires a romantic role in vampire Korean dramas has increased recently. Vampire romance fans, you’re in for a real treat. These dramatic works have plenty of love, action, and suspense. From the original “Blood” to the more contemporary “Vampire Detective,” fans of the genre may find a show that suits their tastes. So, if you’re looking for something to watch right now, pick up a copy of one of these Korean drama titles centered on vampire romance.
What about Vampires in Korean Dramas?
There certainly are! Vampiresare only one example of supernatural creatures frequently seen in Korean dramas. The Vampire Detective, Orange Marmalade, and Hello Franceska are well-known Korean vampire dramas (2016). Watch one of these shows if you want to see some blood-sucking action!
Supremely Excellent Korean Bloodsucker Drama
No genre, not even vampire Korean dramas, is immune to the enduring popularity of vampires. Even as Twilight, True Blood, and The Vampire Diaries attracted viewers, many other excellent K-dramas focused on vampires. The vampires in these K-dramas aren’t your standard monsters; they’re dangerously alluring.
1. Hello Franceska (2005)
The vampire Korean drama Hello Franceska from 2005 mashes up various genres, including vampirism. The show’s visual style and character dynamics were influenced by The Addams Family, as many viewers would very doubt attest.
The vampire clan chief whisks away the final surviving member to distant parts of the globe. When one American family accidentally travels to South Korea, they run upon a disgruntled salaryman. A bite from Franceska (Shim Hye-Jin) causes him to transform, but they promise to restore his humanity when their boss arrives for them. Since they have no other option, the family has adopted human culture and is trying to pass as a normal family unit.
2. Freeze (2006)
Freeze, a miniseries from 2006, has been rediscovered by K-drama fans thanks to the vault. A serial killer’s story is told in this suspenseful thriller. After being rescued by Ehwa (Son Tae-Young), Baek Joong-Won (Lee Seo-Jin) turned into a vampire many years ago. In the present day, they co-own a tavern.
Joong-Won had turned off his emotions in anticipation of receiving a letter from his ex-lover, but something in the letter made him feel differently. Now that her mother has passed away, tensions arise between Ji-Woo (Park Han-Byul) and Joong-Won. Along with their love story, a serial murderer is draining his victims.
3. Vampire Prosecutor (2011)
Any self-respecting vampire should watch The Vampire Prosecutor. The vampire Korean drama is quite interesting. The show’s success has necessitated a second season, which is unusual for television. Famous prosecutor Min Tae-Yeon (Yeon Jung-Hoon) was the protagonist of a 2011 drama about a vampire who became a serial killer.
Taeyeon’s skills have an undesirable but helpful side effect. By imbibing their blood, he may get insight into the victims’ lives and discover who was responsible for their murders. A difficulty arises because he suffers excruciating pain whenever he consumes a victim’s blood. An intriguing case piques Tae-curiosity Yeon’s since the perpetrator could be a vampire, and he wonders why he was altered.
4. Vampire Idol (2011)
The comedy series Vampire Idol centers on vampires and targets a young audience. In the story, a young vampire prince from another world travels to Earth in quest of his favorite K-Pop and idol artists. He takes his three devoted underlings to Earth to witness his favorite bands perform.
The Prince must leave at this time because of urgent matters. He realizes this is his opportunity to realize his dream of becoming a famous pop artist. Because he was not regarded as handsome on Earth, he had to deal with the difficulties of puberty and mankind on his way.
5. Vampire Flower (2014)
Vampire Flower, a 2014 supernatural drama, is adapted from a web novel by Shin Ji Eun. Many “Korea’s Twilight has been called a short film.” Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) are the central characters throughout the series’ six installments. This drama features Louis (Seo Jae Hyung), a vampire who has lived for millennia yet has the look of a teenager.
Seo Young’s (Kim Ga Eun) distinctive and alluring blood first attracts Louis to her. As they become closer, they face more and more challenging situations. The legendary Vampire Flower is why Louis and Seo Young risk their lives to travel to the kingdom of vampires.
6. Orange Marmalade (2015)
The Life of an Orange Marmalade is an adolescent love drama set in a world where vampires coexist with humans and follows a young reclusive teenage vampire as she struggles to disguise her identity following the signing of a peace treaty between the government and the vampire community. Since the government and the undead have made peace, Ma-Ri (Seolhyun) is a young, reclusive vampire teenager who wants to keep her nature a secret.
Things take an unexpected turn when Jae-(Yeo Min’s Jin-Goo) blood, which has an enticing odor, lures Ma-Ri into falling asleep on the train. In the original webcomic, this exact moment occurred. From that moment on, Jae-Min cannot resist Ma-charms, Ri’s, and Ma-Ri finds herself drawn to him. They have a complicated love story since Jae-Min hates vampires.
7. Blood (2015)
The subject of blood is central to many vampire stories. Hepatopancreatobiliary surgeon Park Ji-Sang (Ahn Jae Hyun) is well-regarded in his field. Ji-Sang has a shady history; he is a vampire who suppresses his cravings for blood to prolong the lives of the terminally ill.
As soon as Ji-Sang learns that Yoo Ri-Ta (Ku Hye-Sun) is the niece of the group head, he falls madly in love with the arrogant and superior young woman. Regardless, he finds himself more interested in her. There’s a profound story about a hospital director with several personalities and nefarious plans for advancement at the heart of it all.
8. Scholar Who Walks The Night (2015)
The popular vampire Korean drama Scholar Who Walks the Night has a historical setting during the Joseon era. As a result of her father being falsely accused of treason, Jo Yang-(Lee Sun’s Yu-Bi) family is publicly shamed. She pretends to be a guy and sells books to earn a living. She is met by the handsome and intriguing scholar Kim Sung-Yeol (Lee Joon-Gi).
For more than a period and a half, Sung-Yeol has been a vampire and an executioner for the Korean government. Knowing Yang-secret, Sun’s Sung-Yeol gives her the mission of tracking a rare book. Sung-Yeol learns that a vampire is vying for the throne and sets out to stop him while exacting revenge for his past deeds.
9. The Vampire Detective (2016)
Even though The Vampire Detective adheres to the standard plot and K-drama cliches, it is nonetheless quite watchable. Lee Joon’s character, Yoon San, is a private investigator who often partners with colleagues to provide the best service possible to their paying customers. Yoon San is turned into a vampire against his will after being bitten by an unknown assailant while heading home from work one day.
Yoon Joon is a rookie investigator who, disguised as a vampire, hopes to solve more crimes. Yoon Joon’s quest to discover his past and the circumstances behind his transformation into a vampire drives the story forward. Some viewers were disappointed that just 12 episodes were made, as they wanted to see the series come to a satisfying ending worthy of the thrilling premise.
10. The Sweet Blood (2021)
There are only seven episodes of the new K-drama The Sweet Blood, which premiered in 2021. Vampire Yeon Seo (Song Chae Yoon) was born to a human mother and a vampire father 118 years ago. Though physically formidable, she hopes to pass for a typical high school student in every way save appearance.
High school graduation is put on hold, and Yeon Seo’s life is flipped upside down when she detects the blood of her beloved friend, Song Meo Roo (Kim Eo Jin). Yeon Seo is drawn to the luscious blood of all vampires and werewolves, not only Meo Roo. To prevent himself from devouring him, Yeon Seo promises to fight for him.
Wrapping Up
Vampires, for example, have their niche in Korean popular culture, in contrast to the widespread fascination with zombies.
With so many options, it’s easy for me to choose a show that fits my tastes despite my weakness for the undead. All sorts of vampires exist, from the romantic to the terrifying to the scholarly. Thus, you can rest assured that these vampire series won’t be boring. To what extent do you agree?
Sources
- BACON, C. (2023). “Why Korean Dramas Are Popular” ReelRunDown https://reelrundown.com/movies/Korean-Wave-Why-Are-Korean-Dramas-Popular
- Eldridge, A. “Vampire” Britannica https://www.britannica.com/topic/vampire
- DramaWiki (2021). “Vampire Prosecutor” DramaWiki https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Vampire_Prosecutor
- Topping, A. (2020). “The Scholar Who Walks The Night Review – An Underrated And Romantic Vampire Period Drama Series” SilverPetticoatReview https://www.silverpetticoatreview.com/scholar-who-walks-the-night-review/
