The dark Korean series that is taking off on Netflix and has nothing to envy from Squid Game

South Korea has become one of the most prolific regions in terms of audiovisual content. Since directors like Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho showed the world that a different (and better) way of making cinema was possible thanks to films like Oldboy, Parasite, or The Handmaiden, the Eastern country has positioned itself at the forefront of world cinema.

And, in recent years, this has also extended to series. Thanks to Netflix, Korean series have started to take off worldwide. From the global phenomenon of Squid Game to K-Dramas like The Glory or All of Us Are Dead, series from Korea have captured the attention of international audiences thanks to their sublime quality.

A series that challenges you as a viewer

Now, a new Korean series has been standing out for weeks in the Top 10 of the most-watched non-English language series on the platform. Its title is Karma and it is already standing out as one of the best series of 2025. Premiered a month ago, on April 4th, this six-episode miniseries has captured millions of viewers around the globe.

Directed by Lee Il-hyung (known for A Violent Prosecutor), Karma rises as a psychological thriller that follows the intertwined lives of six people after a fateful accident that connects them all. Soon, what seemed to be an isolated incident turns into an unbreakable chain of crime, guilt, and redemption. The plot twists are constant, making it one of those series you can’t stop watching until everything is resolved and you can sleep peacefully again.

The cast of Karma is one of its most outstanding elements. The main protagonist (although it is a fiction with six different points of view) is none other than Park Hae-soo, whom we got to know well as the rival to beat in Squid Game. After starring in the forgettable Money Heist: Korea (not everything was going to go well for Netflix), Hae-soo returns with a character completely different from what we are used to.

But he is not alone in the series. Alongside him are other very interesting figures that will delight K-Drama fans, such as Shin Min-a (Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha) and Lee Hee-joon (A Killer Paradox). There is no flat character in the series. Each one faces their own demons; from a doctor tormented by nightmares to a man in debt from failed cryptocurrency investments. Although, on the surface, none seem to be related to each other, all the stories intertwine in a masterful narrative that should be studied in series writing courses.

That said: Karma is not a series for everyone. Don’t expect a complacent fiction that you can watch while scrolling through TikTok on your phone. The Korean fiction features a complex narrative that requires you to pay attention to every detail. Since it is a series full of plot twists and characters that are not what they seem, it is important to immerse yourself in its story without distractions.

But, although this complexity is what specialized press has criticized the most about Karma, from my point of view, it is what makes it more attractive. Ok, we are used to series that do everything for us… especially when it comes to Netflix. But what if we take a break from distractions and face something deeper and more complex? If you are tired of series creators treating the audience like fools, Karma might be the answer you were waiting for.