7 Thriller And Horror K-Dramas Similar To If Wishes Could Kill
Here’s our picks of terror-inducing Korean dramas that are sure to have you looking over your shoulder.
Korean entertainment has been killing it in the horror game lately. Its latest contributor to the horror genre is Netflix’s newest addition: If Wishes Could Kill.
It follows a group of high school friends who find an app that can grant them any wish. As with any Monkey’s Paw situation, there’s a catch: once their wish is granted, the wisher has 24 hours before the app takes something from them in return. Minor spoiler: it definitely outweighs the benefit of any granted wish.
If this bloody, terror-inducing storyline is right up your ally, we’ve got a curation of K-dramas begging for your attention. From highly-anticipated releases to underrated gems, here are our picks of K-dramas that are similar to If Wishes Could Kill.
BEST HORROR K-DRAMAS TO WATCH IN 2026
1. All Of Us Are Dead Season 2
The lowdown: If you loved the bloody, high-tension situations of If Wishes Could Kill, this zombie apocalypse series might quench your thirst. It follows a group of high school students who are trapped in their school as it becomes ground zero for a zombie apocalypse.
It’s a perfect balance of the brutality of a zombie horror with the more relatable dynamics of high school students. While its second season has long-been in production, its much-anticipated release is predicted for the end of this year. In the meantime, a rewatch might be in order while we wait.
Release date: TBC
Watch on: Netflix
2. Dear X
The lowdown: If your favourite part of If Wishes Could Kill was its killer suspense and the complexities of human nature, Dear X should be on your list. Starring K-drama veteran, Kim Yoo-jung, Dear X is a psychological thriller that follows an A-list actress as she struggles to hide her dark psychopathy behind her picture-perfect image.
It’s full of high-intensity moments as the main character manipulates and destroys the people around her to achieve her goals. Perfect for someone who loves the psychological aspect of horror and thriller.
Release date: November 6, 2025
Watch on: Disney+
3. Mousetrap
The lowdown: Here’s a horror-thriller drop to have on your radar. Starring Ryu Jun-yeol and Sul Kyung-gu, this upcoming Korean thriller, Mousetrap, is based on a South Korean online comic. It follows the story of a reclusive novelist whose face and identity have been stolen by a person called “Rat”. Determined to reclaim his identity, he’s forced to hunt him down and set up a ‘mousetrap’ to catch him.
Unfortunately, an exact release date hasn’t been confirmed yet, but it’s predicted to drop by the end of 2026 or early 2027. In the meantime, we’ll definitely be keeping an eye out!
Release date: TBC
Watch on: Netflix
4. Revenant
The lowdown: If chilling supernatural horror is more your speed, Revenant is for you. Starring K-horror and thriller veteran Kim Tae Ri, this series follows a young woman who has been possessed by an evil entity, and a professor of folk stories who can see ghosts and spirits. Together, they investigate a series of suicides happening around the city and attempt to free the young women from the evil that’s possessing her.
It’s an emotional rollercoaster with plenty of jump-scares and drawn-out tension that are sure to keep you on your toes, and looking over your shoulder.
Release date: June 23, 2023
Watch on: Disney+
5. Night Has Come
The lowdown: If the high from a race against time was what hooked you onto If Wishes Could Kill, this 2023 horror-thriller should be on your list. Night Has Come is also about a group of high school students who are trying to survive a deadly game.
Where If Wishes Could Kill is about a Monkey’s Paw exchange, Night Has Come is about a deadly game of ‘Mafia;’ a class of students must identify the mafia members amongst them to survive each night. It’s a high-intensity story that’s full of twists and turns that will definitely have you breezing through each episode.
Release date: December 4, 2023
Watch on: Viu
6. Connect
The lowdown: If you loved the bloodiness of If Wishes Could Kill, Connect takes it to a different level. Starring Jung Hae-in, this thriller drama takes place in a dystopian society where a new breed of human has been created: the immortal ‘Connect’ human. The story follows one of these immortal humans after one of his organs gets stolen and is illegally transplanted into a serial killer. Through his stolen organ, they ‘connect,’ allowing Jung’s character to see through the killer’s eyes.
It’s a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse as our morally grey antihero attempts to stop the serial killer from continuing his murder spree.
Release date: December 7, 2022
Watch on: Disney+
7. Pyramid Game
The lowdown: If the complexities of teen girls’ friendships and a fight for survival kept you hooked on If Wishes Could Kill, this 2024 drama is right up your ally. It follows a class of elite high school girls who maintain a brutal game: the ‘Pyramid Game.’ Every month, they have a popularity poll that ranks each girl in a hierarchy. Depending on where they stand in this popularity pyramid, the girls are allowed to enforce violence, or end up being on the receiving end.
Based on an online comic by the same name, the story is full of suspense and psychological twists and turns, topped off with a cast of deeply flawed yet compelling characters.
Release date: February 29, 2024
Watch on: Viu