Disney+ really meant, “Let’s go darker.” If you’re watching 메스를 든 사냥꾼, you already know what I mean, and this one is not another crime drama; it’s an emotional war zone. The show, in all its psychological cleverness and sinister foreboding, has you in its grip from episode one, and if you’re like me, then chances are you’re already Google searching Kdramas Similar to Hunter with a Scalpel, trying to figure out what your next obsession is going to be.
Because honestly, I’ve been glued to the screen, torn between wincing at each twist of the plot and fervently wishing that the next clue brings Seo Se-hyun some kind of relief. It’s not so much the cat-and-mouse that’s thrilling; it’s the heartbreak, the grey area of morality, and the dark realisation that the person who stalks you. might be the same person who raised you.
The series follows Seo Se-hyun, a trauma-ridden but brilliant forensic pathologist, played by Park Ju-hyun, who discovers her most recent serial killer may be imitating the same modus operandi as her estranged father, Yoon Jo-gyun, played uncannily by Park Yong-woo. As she fights to maintain her secret relationship with him, Detective Jung Jung-hyun (Kang Hoon) becomes both her partner and emotional centre in this twisted pursuit of justice. Directed by Lee Jung-hoon, the series blends high-velocity investigation with disturbing personal abuse, and it’s the year’s most addictive thriller.
If you enjoy forensic thrillers that peel human psychology layer by layer, or drama in which suspense and trauma blend, you will enjoy this list. These six Kdramas like Hunter with a Scalpel, have equally engrossing narratives, some so steeped in crime-solving, others drenched in personal demons, but all with a sense of foreboding that never loosens its grip.
Twisted and Psychological Kdramas Similar to Hunter with a Scalpel
Partner for Justice
If you like high-tech autopsy scenes and cold, clinical probing of bodies, Partner for Justice has you covered. It stars Jung Jae-young as blunt forensic doctor Baek Beom and Jung Yoo-mi as hot-headed rookie prosecutor Eun Sol. The two clash, become an unlikely duo, and uncover terrible secrets along the way. This show blurs into the category of the forensic thriller with the procedural rhythm that never takes on an emotionally distant tone. Bonus: It’s got two seasons, so there’s plenty of material to binge once you’re addicted.
What ultimately sold me on this drama was how beautifully difficult science and emotional investment were balanced. Baek Beom is cool and analytical, but Eun Sol brings the heart, as Jung-hyun brings for Se-hyun. Witnessing them gradually learn to trust each other made the suspense that much more compelling. I especially loved season two—it delved into both their histories and the ethics of forensic practice, which all felt so new for fans of our current obsession.
Hyper Knife
This drama has all the operating room tension and emotional turmoil. Park Eun-bin leads the cast in the title role of Jung Se-ok, a brilliant neurosurgeon reduced to playing her trade in black-market operating rooms, tortured by the shame of having been dumped by her mentor, Choi Deok-hui (played by Sul Kyung-gu). The encounter is more about the psychological battlefield. The drama is directed by Kim Jung-hyun and also features Park Byung-eun in a low-key role as a supportive ally and Yoon Chan-young as her emotional anchor. The show is a perfect pick if you’re into twisted Korean crime dramas with medical precision.
I was hooked from the first episode. What appealed to me was Se-ok’s silent rage—her desperation to live in a world that once worshipped her and later discarded her. The surgery scenes are visceral, but it’s the cuts of the heart that cut deeper. There’s something eerily alike in Se-hyun and Se-ok’s struggles for dominance in a world that’s constantly taking it from them. If you’re craving a lead who breaks the system before letting it break her, this one is a must.
Nine Puzzle
Ten years after being accused of murdering her own uncle, profiler I-na is still living under the weight of suspicion. Kim Da-mi gives a powerhouse performance as a woman who now works for the very police unit that once suspected her. When she’s matched with Son Suk-ku’s detective Han Saem, the man who originally suspected her of the crime, things get rapidly complicated. Directed by Yoon Jong-bin, this show contains all that makes a psychological thriller, built upon shows with dark psychological tension and unresolved past violence.
What’s so great about this drama is the tension between Han Saem and I-na that is always there. It’s a puzzle show, where even the pieces you thought you’d fitted start to move. I couldn’t help but wonder, while watching it, about Se-hyun’s dilemma: How do you keep going when the people around you are constantly forcing you back into the past? And, naturally, Kim Da-mi’s acting is fine, sharp-tongued, held-back, full of repressed pain.
Also Read: 10 Best Quotes of Our Unwritten Seoul That Our Heart Will Never Forget
Tell Me What You Saw
This one is for the fans of gothic atmosphere and creeping dread. Jang Hyuk plays Oh Hyun-jae, a loner profiler brought back in when fresh murders mirror the ones which wrecked his life. Sooyoung (of Girls’ Generation) plays rookie detective Cha Soo-young, whose photographic memory is used to solve the case. Theirs is a tense relationship of reluctant trust and unspoken sorrow. The series is firmly in the category of gritty Korean thrillers with complex leads, in which every new discovery is like tearing open a festering wound.
I loved how Soo-young brings unexpected empathy to the investigation, much like Jung-hyun. She doesn’t just see details; she feels them. The emotional depth of this drama really surprised me. It wasn’t just about catching a killer, it was about grieving what’s lost and learning to trust again. If you’re into noir-style Korean thrillers with a slightly supernatural edge, this one should be on your list.
Mouse
Can you spot a psychopath before they strike? Mouse tries to answer that question, and then goes off on an unbelievable tangent. Lee Seung-gi plays Jung Ba-reum, the angelic-looking new detective whose life is irrevocably changed after a deadly run-in. As his world gets turned around, so does the perception of the viewer about him. With standout performances by Lee Hee-joon and Park Ju-hyun (yes, the same one!), this show is a mix of serial killer thriller and sci-fi moral dilemmas. It’s that kind of Korean drama that goes deep into nature vs nurture, and will have you questioning your allegiances every so often.
What really killed me with this one was the moral nuance. You’re rooting for someone in the beginning, and you don’t know where you are by the end. I was reminded of the precarious tightrope Se-hyun walks, between victim and accomplice, between justice and vengeance. Mouse doesn’t offer easy solutions, and that’s why it’s unforgettable.
Doubt
A slow-burning thriller about the most impossible betrayal, by your own flesh. Han Seok-kyu provides a heart-shattering performance as Jang Tae-su, the best criminal profiler in Korea, and he is compelled to solve a murder involving his daughter Jang Ha-bin (played by Chae Won-bin). Directed by Song Yeon-hwa, the show takes off like a mind game of chess, with Tae-su struggling with professional ethics and solving a nightmare from his personal life. It’s perfect for those who enjoy family-centric Korean thrillers in which nothing is ever as it seems.
This series tore me apart emotionally. To watch Tae-su choose between the law and his daughter was to relive Se-hyun’s struggle with her father again. It’s not a question of guilt, it’s a question of what guilt does to a family. I couldn’t shake this series from my mind for days. It’s the kind of tale that makes you squirm and leaves you without easy answers.
When crime dramas cut close to the bone, both literally and metaphorically, they leave more than just chills. They leave bruises on the heart. What sets these series apart is their ability to tie forensic science with emotional chaos, justice with vengeance, and truth with trauma. If you’ve been shaken by the raw intensity of Se-hyun’s story, these psychological Korean dramas will feel like an extension of that same dark universe.
Kdramas such as Hunter with a Scalpel delve below the surface with their morally corrupting challenges and provide you with gritty character-driven thrillers. So if that’s what you’re looking for, then these six will have you hooked till the very end—and maybe leave some scars along the way.
