Yes, I know it’s not just me who has been searching for Kdramas like Idol I ever since the drama started unfolding its many layers. The story starts as a legal thriller, which follows a disgraced idol, but later develops into a unique combination of idol life, mystery, legal elements and gradual romantic development. The story of 아이돌아이 follows Maeng Se-na (Choi Soo-young), who serves as a powerful star attorney, and Ra-ik (Kim Jae-yeong), who plays an idol whose life collapses after police suspect him of killing his closest friend.
If you’ve watched Idol I and found yourself compelled to watch each episode multiple times and reflect on particular scenes or characters long after they were over, it’s due to its emotional duality. It highlights the dichotomy of public spectacle and inner despair, fandom and fear, and justice and uncertainty, while never simplifying its characters into simple black-and-white terms.
Idol I stands out because it is a K-drama that has a universal feel to it, which adds to the premise of the story. For example, Ra-ik isn’t portrayed as a perfect idol, nor is he a typical tragic stereotype. Likewise, Se-na is depicted as much more than an emotionless career professional or overzealous fan. Their connection shows the flaws of an industry that focuses solely on the perfection of idols, and it strips idols of the ability to be vulnerable.
If you enjoy the combination of the idol industry, mystery, emotional vulnerability, and restrained romance, which all coexist in Aidol Ai, below are five K-dramas similar to Idol I that revolve around fame, distrust, and love while under unrelenting public scrutiny.
5 Kdramas like Idol I That Are Must-Watch
Namib
Namib tells the story of an idol industry from a different perspective but still arrives at similar emotions. Go Hyun-jung stars as Kang Su-hyeon, who was one of the top producers, but when she was pushed out by the industry that she had helped build, she found herself lost and disconnected from her goals as an artist. Directed by Han Sang-jae and Kang Min-gu, the drama shows how often dreams are negotiated and delayed and how, as we pursue our dreams, we are often manipulated by those who control the entertainment industry.
Ryeoun plays Yoo Jin-u, a trainee who has spent the last ten years trying to make it to debut, illustrating all of the emotional toll in Ra-ik’s journey. Both characters are victims of the entertainment industry and are made to sacrifice everything to be successful. Like Idol I, Namib gives a human face to idols and their trainees to show viewers that there is so much behind the facade of fame. Ultimately, both series assert that reclaiming your life and relationships is an act of non-violent resistance.
Also Read: 6 Korean Movies Releasing in February 2026 That Promise Romance, Thrills, and Powerful Stories
Celebrity
Under the direction of Kim Chul-gyu, Celebrity replaces idol performances with Instagram posts, but the darkness that is revealed feels eerily familiar. Seo A-ri (Park Gyu-young) is depicted as an “outsider” trying to become part of the elite influencer circle in Seoul. Instead, she finds that the influencer community runs on fear, jealousy and competition, similar to the experience of Ra-ik. Seo A-ri has her share of fans who admire her and love to see what she posts, but she also has many people who resent her as well.
Both shows include a great deal of mystery; both shows have death hanging over the proceedings (like Woo-seong’s death in Idol I), and the mystery of this death serves as a hook for the viewers. Both shows show how quickly public opinion changes and how unforgiving the internet is. Celebrity has some of the most striking visuals and the fastest pacing compared to Idol Kid, but it actually is not very different, as they both carry similar messages.
My Lovely Liar
My Lovely Liar appears to be gentler and more romantic, but there is an underlying familiar pain in both dramatisations. Opposite Kim So-hyun’s character Mok Sol-hee (who has the special ability to hear when someone is lying) is Hwang Min-hyun’s character Kim Do-ha, who is being pursued by the police for the murder of his father and is struggling to come to terms with the consequences of that. Noh Young-sub and Nam Sung-woo have taken on the task of telling this story of trust in relationships, of standing by someone who has been accused of murder when the rest of the world considers him guilty.
As in Se-na’s case, Sol-hee decides to stand by a man who has been accused of murder not because she is sure that he is innocent, but because she recognises his humanity. In both stories, love does not exist in a perfect fantasy world, but instead exists as a risk that must be embraced, and part of that risk is the waiting, the hesitation, and taking a chance. The development of the relationship is incredibly slow, and it is influenced heavily by the fear and hesitation of both characters, which makes it very heartfelt for viewers who found the relationship between Ra-ik and Se-na moving.
Missing 9
With Jung Kyung-ho as idol Seo Jun-oh and Baek Jin-hee as Ra Bong-hee, Missing 9 portrays the cruelty of public curiosity with chilling accuracy. After surviving a plane crash that results in the death of some entertainment industry personalities, Bong-hee becomes a spectacle as she is forced to recall, explain, and justify her survival. Like Ra-ik, Jun-oh also finds himself being suspected of the death of someone close to him, and his memory loss makes things even more complicated.
Both Missing 9 and Idol I examine the way in which grief is denied to celebrities. Grieving becomes a performance, and trauma becomes public property. The dramas highlight the way in which audiences quickly demand answers with little compassion, underscoring the notion that fame often robs individuals of the right to heal in private.
Black Out
Based on the novel Snow White Must Die, the drama Black Out is directed by Byun Young-joo and Lee Kyoo-man. The movie plunges directly into the depths of psychological despair. Byun Yo-han’s character is accused of killing his friends when he is drunk. This is eerily similar to Ra-ik’s circumstances. The most frightening similarity is in the realm of memory itself. Both characters have no memory of what transpired.
Whereas Idol I strikes a balance between warmth and suspense, Black Out goes for the darkness, illustrating the effects of suspicion on a person. Both dramas raise questions about the relevance of the truth when society has already concluded it. For those who were disturbed by the isolation and self-doubt of Ra-ik, Black Out provides an even bleaker exploration of how an accusation can destroy a life.
As we near the finale of Idol I and wait to get our answers about who the real killer might be, do check out these five dramas and let us know in the comments which one is your favourite.
Also Read: The Big Fake Review: Stefano Lodovichi’s Crime Drama Feels Hollow as It Skims Its Own Story
