This article discusses suicide.
Summary
Netflix’s newest high schoolK-dramaHierarchyonly has one season, but those who enjoyed the show have plenty of similar K-dramas left to check out. In the last few years, Netflix has expanded its international selection, including for Korean shows.Netflix’s best K-dramaslikeSquid Game, Crash Landing on You,andAll of Us Are Deadhave allowed for plenty of other Korean shows to arrive on the platform, including original titles likeHierarchy.
Hierarchyis ahigh school K-dramathat takes place at the fictional Jooshin High School. Here, almost all the students are part of the wealthy 1% of South Korea. Those who aren’t, the scholarship kids, face intense bullying and prejudice. However, the dynamics slowly start to shift when Kang Ha arrives. Though he puts on an innocent facade,Kang Ha has come to Jooshin for one reason: to find out what happened to his brother.The best K-dramasto watch after Hierarchy include other high school series, revenge tales, and more.
8How To Buy A Friend(2020)
Teens Enter A Fake Friendship With Dark Roots
Though there are many dark, school-based K-dramas out there,How to Buy a Friendshares many common threads withHierarchy. How to Buy a Friendtells the story of Heo Don-hyuk and Park Chan-hong. The teen boys become friends after making a deal with each other. IfDon-hyuk protects Chan-hong from his bully, Chan-hong must help figure out why Don-hyuk’s girlfriend took her own life. Though the boys' bond starts purely contractual, they soon form a relationship that is based on true friendship.
All in all,How to Buy a Friendoffers a more positive version ofHierarchy.
Admittedly,How to Buy a Friendis much more light-hearted thanNetflix’s hit showHierarchy, but their themes are still similar. Like Kang Ha, both Don-hyuk and Chan-hong have ulterior motives. They enter their “friendship” with other end goals in mind. However, all three characters end up developing feelings that they never anticipated. Furthermore,Don-hyuk’s mission to figure out his girlfriend’s death is very similar to Kang Ha’s dedication to his brother.Plus, both series feature high school bullying. All in all,How to Buy a Friendoffers a more positive version ofHierarchy.
The Penthouse: War In Life
Cast
The Penthouse: War In Life is a South Korean television series that revolves around the luxurious lives of wealthy families residing in a prestigious apartment building, Hera Palace. The story delves into the complex relationships, power struggles, and dark secrets within these elite families.
AlthoughHierarchytakes place in a school setting, various K-dramas have the same dark ambiance but in a completely different place.The Penthouse: War in Lifeis a perfect example. This 2020 K-drama follows the residents of Hera Palace and their gifted children. Despite being wealthy and successful,the people inside Hera’s Palace are unhappy and hide countless secrets from each other.One of the most important secrets of all is who killed the mysterious Min Seol-ah.
Despite being more adult-focused thanHierarchy,Penthouseoffers the same amount of mystery and intensity. In both K-dramas, audiences cannot trust anyone, not even the main character. When they eventually learn the secrets that thePenthouseandHierarchycasts and charactershave been withholding, it is shocking and entertaining. One benefit ofPenthouseis that it follows the adults of Hera’s Palace and their children. By following the kids at the prestigious Cheong-ah Arts School,Penthousedoubles the drama and comes closer to beinglikeHierarchy.
6Law School (2021)
Law Students Unravel A Mysterious Murder
For those seeking another murder in a school plotline,Law Schoolis the perfect follow-up toHierarchy.The 2021 drama begins whena professor is mysteriously killed during a mock trialat Hankuk University Law School. When another professor is wrongly accused of the crime, a class of law students and their teacher band together to try and unravel the mystery of what happened, and also, acquit the professor. Along the way, they learn the importance of justice and truth within the law.
Law SchoolandHierarchyshare a very important storyline: solving a murder. Though Kang Ha completes his own secret investigation into his brother’s death while the students inLaw Schoolwork together, the end goal is the same. For audiences, both twists are just as exciting as well.Law Schoolis another K-drama that may be a bit lighter thanHierarchy,but in this way, they are opposite sides of the same coin. Where Kang Ha is a lone wolf with dark intentions,the students inLaw Schoolprovide a more optimistic outlook on justice.
My Name
My Name is a South Korean television series starring Han So-hee as Ji-woo, a revenge-driven woman who infiltrates a drug cartel to avenge her father’s death. As she rises through the ranks, Ji-woo must navigate the dangerous underworld of organized crime and confront her own morality.
Some viewers who lovedHierarchymay be looking for another K-drama with a fierce, morally ambiguous protagonist, and fortunately, the perfect one already exists. 2021’sMy Nameis a crimeK-drama starring Han So-hee as Yoon-Ji-woo, a young woman who goes undercover in a drug ring and the police force to uncover the cause of her father’s murder. Based on the premise alone,Yoon Ji-woo and Kang Ha share similar backgrounds and motives, makingMy Namea greatHierarchyreplacement.
My Namehas a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
.Though their ages and situations differ, both characters sneak into new places to try and get answers about their loved ones' murders. Ji-Woo and Kang Ha don’t just share stories either. Their secretive and mysterious personalities also parallel each other. Plus, like inHow to Buy a Friend,Ji-woo finds herself growing attached to others, despite being dedicated to a darker cause.My Nameis a more action-packed series thanHierarchy, though, with Han So-hee’s character delivering some intense fight scenes.
4Tempted (2018)
Wealthy Boy Woos Poor Girl
IfHierarchy’slove triangleis what made it so interesting, this 2018 series is the ideal follow-up.Temptedis a dark romance K-drama that tells the story of Eun Tae-hui and Kwon Si-hyeon.Si-hyeon’s wealthy friends convince him to seduce the poor and hardworking college student, Tae-hai, to prove his loyalty to them. However, the scheme quickly falls apart when Si-hyeon and Tae-hai begin to actually fall in love. Si-hyeon’s friend group implodes just as Tae-hai finally discovers the truth of the situation.
Temptedoffers even more of the romantic drama thatHierarchyhints at.
As much asHierarchyis about murder, it equally follows the woes of the heart. Kang Ha’s love quadrangle is the main issue that separates him from his main goal of discovering what happened to his brother.Temptedtakes this plot line and amplifies it. The series delves deep into the complex relationships between friends and lovers. Plus,likeHierarchy,Temptedhas a dark atmosphereand a significant interest in class differences. In this way,Temptedoffers even more of the romantic drama thatHierarchyhints at.
3Revenge Of Others (2022)
A Gender-Bent Version Of Hierarchy
Where other K-dramas include different aspects ofHierarchy’sstory,Revenge of Othersfollows almost the same exact route. The 2022 drama follows Ok Chan-mi, a young woman who doesn’t believe that her brother took his own life. As a result, she transfers to his school to find out what truly happened to him. While there, she meets Ji Soo-heon, a boy with a similar thirst for the truth, no matter the danger it puts him in. Together, the pair seek out answers to their questions.
Revenge of Others’direct Korean translation meansThird Person Revenge.
Revenge of Others andHierarchyfollow very familiar storylines. Both Chan-mi and Kang Ha suffer from the deaths of their brothers, and in turn, decide to switch schools to find out the truth. While there, they meet as many allies as they do enemies.Revenge of Othersdoes not have the terrible bullying and class differences thatHierarchyhas, and ultimately, this makes the series a bit lighter. However,Chan-mi shares the same dark streak that Kang Ha has, making this series just as morally gray and enticing.
2The Glory (2022)
Woman Seeks Revenge On High School Bullies
Hierarchycould be labeled in several different ways, but without a doubt, the series can be considered a revenge K-drama. One of thebest revenge K-dramasto come out in recent years isThe Glory.The 2022 thriller tells the story ofMoon Dong-eun, a woman who seeks revenge against her high school bullies. She becomes the homeroom teacher of her main bully’s child, and her plan for retribution begins there.The Gloryis partially based on real events, wherein a South Korean student was assaulted and extorted by her classmates.
In some ways,The Gloryis as if Kang Ha did not enact his revenge until a decade later. This series, likeHierarchy,is as captivating as it is disturbing. At times, Dong-eun’s actions are as horrifying as those of her bullies. Unlike the other dramas on this list, this is a complete thriller. WhereHierarchyoften veers off into romantic tensions and high school dramas,The Glorykeeps its eye on the prize. So, for thoseviewers who want a more adult version ofHierarchy, The Gloryis the ideal option.
Extracurricular
Extracurricular is a South Korean television series that follows the story of a group of high school students who become embroiled in a world of crime and corruption as they attempt to navigate their way through the pressures of adolescence and the harsh realities of the adult world.
One of the best K-dramas to watch afterHierarchyis 2020’sExtracurricular.The crime K-drama follows Oh Ji-soo, a high school student who secretly runs security for an illegal prostitution service. Things begin to get complicated when Ji-soo discovers that some of his high school peers are also involved in the operation. Ji-soo must balance his life as a regular teen with his dangerous and seedy side gig. Inevitably, the two sides of his life begin to intermingle.
Audiences root for the main characters, even as they question their morals
While other K-dramas share storylines and themes withHierarchy, Extracurricularis the best choice because it is a completely fresh story that feels the same. Though Kang Ha’s plot is quite different from Ji-soo’s, both series have feelings of risk, severity, and anticipation. Audiences root for the main characters, even as they question their morals. Plus, high school and romance do come into play. Overall,HierarchyandExtracurricularare twoK-dramasthat should most definitely be watched together.
