Posters for ‘Signal’ (left) and ‘Moving’ (right). Photo: TVN; Disney Plus, courtesy of Han Cinema.
If you want to feel like you’ve tumbled down a rabbit hole with no way to climb out, a sci-fi K-drama is all it takes. In these worlds, time travel is just another Tuesday, virtual reality is eerily indistinguishable from the real thing, and memories as as easy to hack as your old email password. Sci-fi K-dramas have this mind-bending ability to blend science fiction with relatable emotions, making you laugh, cry, and spiral all at once. From the chilling twists of Signal to the superhero rush of Moving, these shows have the superpower to keep you hooked. Here are some of the best sci-fi K-dramas to dive into if you haven’t already.
Signal (2016)
Signal wastes no time in pulling you in with a mysterious walkie-talkie that connects present-day criminal profiler Park Hae-young (Lee Je-hoon) to Detective Jae-han (Cho Jin-woong) from the past. Thanks to the device, they solve an old kidnapping case swept under the rug. This leads to the formation of a cold case unit led by Detective Cha Soo-hyun (Kim Hye-soo), who’s been searching for Jae-han for years. As timelines tangle and buried cases surface, the trio’s pursuit of justice cracks open a Pandora’s box of unexpected chaos and consequences. Inspired by the 2000 American film Frequency, director Kim Won-seok’s Signal is a classic procedural sci-fi thriller, elevated by stellar performances, that rightfully became one of the biggest hits in cable TV history.
Are You Human Too? (2018)
When Nam Shin (Seo Kang-joon) goes into a coma after a murder attempt, his scientist mother deploys Nam Shin III (also Seo Kang-joon), an AI clone she designed to take his place at the helm of their mega business. But her plan begins to unravel when Kang So-bong (Gong Seung-yeon), his bodyguard, gets tangled up in the mystery of Nam Shin III, and begins to catch feelings for the clone. She must now protect him from enemies who (oblivious to his real identity) want him dead at any cost. Director Cha Young-hoon’s sci-fi is an unlikely love story embroiled in a power struggle. It’s one that questions what it means to be human in a world of machines—can machines have a soul, or are we just creating brilliant duplicates?
Memories of the Alhambra (2018-2019)
Director Ahn Gil-ho’s sci-fi mystery drama dives headfirst into the power of technology and its grip on our minds when an augmented reality game becomes the doorway to cryptic secrets. The plot kicks into gear when Hyun Bin’s Yoo Jin-woo, a tech-savvy CEO, is blown away by the immersive game set in the Alhambra Palace and meets Jung Hee-joo (Park Shin-hye) in Granada, Spain, the beautiful hostel owner and sister of the game’s missing creator, Jung Se-joo (Chanyeol of EXO). Things go off the rails quickly, forcing Jin-woo and Hee-joo to get caught between reality and illusion.
Sisyphus: The Myth (2021)
Inspired by the Greek myth of Sisyphus—who was cursed to eternally push a boulder up a hill only for it to roll back down—this sci-fi K-drama follows tech genius Han Tae-sul (Cho Seung-woo) and Kang Seo-hae (Park Shin-hye), a feisty ally from the future, joining forces to break a time loop and avert a nuclear threat. Trapped in a Sisyphean cycle, they’re determined to find a way out until Director Jin-hyuk stirs the plot, forcing them to question whether they’re mere pawns in a bigger game or if they can actually succeed in accomplishing their mission.
Doctor Brain (2021)
After a mysterious tragedy claims his family, genius brain scientist Koh Sewon (played by the late Lee Sun-kyun) uses a technique to “sync” with their brains and seek clues that might uncover the truth. Director Kim Jee-woon masterfully unfolds this gripping narrative through the lens of sci-fi, where Sewon’s desperate search blurs the lines between his own memories and those of his loved ones. Based on the webtoon of the same name by Hongjacga, Doctor Brain explores the crushing weight of memories and trauma through Sewon’s haunting journey into the mysterious depths of the human brain.
The Silent Sea (2021)
The Silent Sea is an intense, dark sci-fi K-drama about a dystopian, barren Earth where water is the ultimate luxury. Bae Doona has Song Ji-An, a scientist, joins Captain Han Yun-jae (Gong Yoo) and his team on a mission to the moon’s abandoned Balhae Station to retrieve a mysterious sample. In the process, a superpowered menace threatens them, hinting at the sample’s connection to her and the station’s dark past. Directed by Choi Hang-yong, The Silent Sea reflects the ugly face of desperation, power struggles, and just how quickly order can crumble. It’s a cautionary tale about what happens when we prioritize power over people and the planet.
Moving (2023)
One of our 10 best K-dramas of 2023, Moving (based on Kang Full’s webtoon), is a nonstop thrill fest starring an A-list cast, including Ryu Seung-ryong, Zo In-sung, and Han Hyo-joo, as former secret operatives with distinct superpowers trying to live normal lives. When their teenage kids begin to develop powers of their own, they become vulnerable to exploitation, forcing the parents to step in and protect them at all costs. All while the teens come to terms with their new powers and identities amidst the chaos. A magnum opus of visceral visuals and cinematic details, Moving is a tale of family love and loyalty as much it is about the gray areas of superpowers. Delivered through top-notch action and a poignant longing for peace, it’s a layered, thoroughly Korean sci-fi fantasy tale that’s both relatable and epic—and a winner of several awards, including the prestigious Baeksang Arts Award in 2024.