The Korean entertainment industry has produced some of the most interesting series revolving around gangsters. These dramas cater to a vast range of genres including action, thriller, mystery, romantic-comedy, coming-of-age and more. From charismatic mafia bosses to adorable ex-cons, these shows are popular amongst the fandom.
Some of the best gangster K-dramas include – Yoon Chan Young’s High School Return of a Gangster, Song Joong Ki’s Vincenzo, My Sweet Mobster starring Uhm Tae Goo and more. While My Sweet Mobster is an ongoing series, the other shows on the list have concluded. All of them are available to stream online.
High School Return of a Gangster
This web series is one of the recently released gangster K-dramas. It first aired on May 29, 2024, on TVING and Wavve. High School Return of a Gangster is an adaptation of a manhwa titled, I, A Gangster, Became a High School Student, written by Horol. It chronicles the coming-of-age story of a gangster named Kim Deuk Pal, who goes on to somehow possess the body of a high school student named Song Yi Heon.
After realizing that Yi Heon is a victim of school violence, Kim Deuk Pal’s spirit starts to punish the bullies and tries to make them better humans. The series stars Yoon Chan Young as Kim Duek Pal, aka Song Yi Heon. Apart from him, the cast also includes Bong Jae Hyun, and Lee Seo Jin. High School Return of a Gangster is available for online streaming on Wavve and TVING.
Vincenzo
Vincenzo is another highly popular gangster K-drama that stars renowned actor Song Joong Ki. The series has garnered a lot of acclamation since its premiere on tvN in 2021. The charm of the male and female lead, a gripping storyline and the plot twist at the end makes it one of the best K-dramas of all time.
It centers around the story of a powerful and highly skilled mafia consigliere and lawyer, Vincenzo Cassano. He is of Korean descent and based in Italy. His main goal is to destroy the corrupted Babel Group. Apart from Song Joong Ki, the cast of Vincenzo includes Jeon Yeo Been, Kim Yeo Jin, and Ok Taec Yeon. The K-drama is available to stream online on Netflix.
Lawless Lawyer
It is another highly thrilling and popular gangster K-drama that first aired on May 12, 2018, on tvN. Helmed by well-known director Kim Jin Min, Lawless Lawyer revolves around the story of a former gangster Bong Sang Pil who becomes a lawyer and a diligent female attorney, Ha Jae Yi, with an unshakable sense of integrity. Together they go on to open a lawless law firm and fight to take down a corrupt judge.
Actor Lee Joon Gi plays the role of Bong Sang Pil, while renowned actress Seo Yea Ji portrays the character Ha Jae Yi in the drama. Other than them, the cast also includes Choi Min Soo, and Lee Hye Young. Lawless Lawyer is currently streaming online on Viki.
My Sweet Mobster
Not all gangster K-dramas belong to the action-thriller genre. My Sweet Mobster is a new romantic comedy series that is still airing. It made its debut on JTBC on June 12, 2024. The show depicts the love story between an ex-con and a charming woman who makes children’s videos for her social media channel.
Since its premiere, the series has received a positive response from the audience because of its charismatic male lead, Seo Ji Hwan (Uhm Tae Goo), and female lead, Go Eun Ha (Han Sun Hwa). Besides the duo, the drama’s cast list also includes Kwon Yool and Kim Hyun Jin, among others. Viewers can stream My Sweet Mobster online on Viki.
Apart from these other noteworthy gangster K-dramas to watch online include Narco-Saints, Heartless City, My Name, Yong Pal, Bloodhounds and more.
