10 Must-Watch K-Dramas About Ghosts & Spirits

Published Aug 2, 2026, 12:15 PM EDT Shealyn Scott is a Senior Writer at Screen Rant. She has been writing for the site since 2024, focused on network, reality, streaming, and classic television. A creative writer, journalist, and lover of the written word in all its forms, Shealyn enjoys deconstructing scenes from her favorite shows, using context clues and historical precedent to predict major plot points (which, due to her successful track record, has sparked rumors of clairvoyance). As an award-winning student journalist, Shealyn spent her college years advocating for the humanities while studying English Literature. Her love of storytelling propelled her to expand her degree with minors in Writing and History, believing life to be a mere collection of stories that can be framed in as many ways as a movie scene. As a Senior member of the TV Team, Shealyn treats the series she covers like books, analyzing every line, camera angle, and lighting choice. Thankfully, her personal mission statement lines up perfectly with Screen Rant: every creative work deserves just as much thought from the viewer as it received from its creator. From high fantasy spectacles to spooky whimsigothic treats, some of the best modern K-dramas revolve around supernatural entities. Undoubtedly, the 2020s have been an age of great growth for the K-drama industry, and there are incredible options to satisfy lovers of any sub-genre. Be it classic romantic comedies, thought-provoking slice-of-life stories, or otherworldly romantasy K-dramas, it's easier than ever to join the flourishing niche's fandom. Yet, numerous of Netflix's biggest K-dramas of 2026 thus far have been intriguingly centered around ghosts and spirits, which indicates a growing trend in the genre at large. Of course, ghosts have always been a staple of horror and fantasy alike— and, in turn, spirits related to cultural mythology and folklore run rampant in similar narratives. Nevertheless, K-dramas have started employing supernatural specters in much more creative ways that make for some spine-chilling streaming hits. Oh My Ghost Despite being led by one of the most iconic K-drama actresses, Oh My Ghost is a fairly underrated series. The romantic comedy follows Park Bo-young's Na Bong-sun, a timid assistant chef who harbors a secret crush on her boss, the acclaimed Kang Sun-woo (Jo Jung-suk). Thanks to Bong-sun's shaman grandmother, however, she also has the mysterious ability to see ghosts. Yet, the meek protagonist's life changes overnight when a vengeful spirit named Shin Soon-ae (Kim Seul-gi) possesses Bong-sun, both in an attempt to resolve her unfinished business and free her soul from purgatory. Plus, as Soon-ae brings out the most confident side of Bong-sun and orchestrates an office romance with her Sun-woo, the truth behind her untimely death slowly comes to light. Without question, there are some aspects of the 2015 drama that didn't age perfectly, but Oh My Ghost is still a cult classic ghost story-romance fusion. Spooky In Love Spooky in Love's series premiere dropped on July 18, but the ongoing romantic K-drama is already a certified streaming hit. From being in Netflix's Global Top 10 for over a week to garnering a sizable fandom that eagerly awaits new episodes each weekend, Spooky in Love is off to a spectacular start. Thankfully, the first half of the supernatural K-drama absolutely lives up to the hype. Park Eun-bin stars as Cheon Yeo-ri, a reviled chaebol heiress who harbors a devastating secret: anyone who touches her hand will be haunted by restless ghosts. Meanwhile, prosecutor Ma Gang-uk (Yang Se-jong) realizes Yeo-ri's unique connection to the spirit realm could be used to solve cold cases, leading them to strike up an unlikely partnership— and, eventually, an even more unlikely romance. Light Shop Light Shop isn't your average ghost story, but that's precisely its greatest strength. The poignant mystery centers on Jung Won-young (Ju Ji-hoon), the elusive owner of the eponymous shop who guides an ensemble of characters between life and death. Of course, he isn't merely a grim reaper; rather, Won-young brings in lost souls to help them rediscover their will to live or help them find purpose in their afterlife. While there are some truly terrifying horror elements and a few head-spinning twists, what makes Light Shop one of the best K-dramas on any streaming site is its deeply emotional, character-first storytelling. It isn't a high-octane action drama, but the slow-burn subplots make it a captivating— and wildly rewarding— must-watch. The Uncanny Counter In stark contrast, The Uncanny Counter is an action-packed K-drama that often feels more like a high-stakes superhero tale than a traditional ghost story. Nevertheless, the show's entire premise is built on spirits and the titular league of demon hunters known as Counters. Each member of the team has unique powers transferred to them via possession, and each foe they fight is an unruly spirit who escapes the afterlife in search of a human body. Thus, The Uncanny Counter has the best of both worlds: there are plenty of epic battles and striking visuals that feel straight out of a comic book, but there are just as many chills and thrills for fans of classic supernatural hijinks. Chicago Typewriter At first glance, unsuspecting viewers won't know that Chicago Typewriter is about a ghost. The synopsis explains that the three main characters— Han Se-joo (Yoo Ah-in), Jeon Seol (Im Soo-jung), and Yoo Jin-oh (Go Kyung-pyo)— were closely bonded in their past lives as freedom fighters during the 1930s occupation of Korea. As the story slowly unravels, however, one major character wasn't simply reincarnated. Consequently, Chicago Typewriter's biggest revelation imbues the romantic fantasy with dark supernatural elements that add even more depth to the overarching plot. Granted, the most iconic moment of the series is still a legendary K-drama kiss, but Chicago Typewriter is a thrilling mystery from beginning to end. A Korean Odyssey Based on the 16th century novel Journey to the West, A Korean Odyssey follows the intertwined fates of Jin Seon-mi (Oh Yeon-seo), a young woman who can see spirits, and an ancient being known as the Monkey King, aka Son Oh-gong (Lee Seung-gi). After a mystical bracelet traps the immortal in a love spell, Oh-gong must protect Seon-mi from hordes of powerful spirits trying to drain her life force. A Korean Odyssey is a modern classic K-drama, but it's also highly divisive. Viewers either love or hate the climactic ending, while the couple is equally likely to be lauded as one of the best or denigrated as one of the worst. Whether you adore or detest the story, however, A Korean Odyssey is absolutely worth at least one binge. The Ghost Detective Nearly a decade before Spooky in Love took Netflix's streaming charts by storm, Park Eun-bin starred in the K-drama The Ghost Detective. Ironically, Park's role is the exact opposite of Spooky in Love's Yeo-ri, as she plays an upbeat rookie detective named Jung Yeo-wool who finds herself teaming up with a man who can interact with ghosts: lead detective Lee Da-il (Choi Daniel). The Ghost Detective sets itself apart from numerous rom-coms that follow a similar premise by adhering to a more serious, foreboding tone. At every crime scene Da-il and Yeo-wool investigate, there's a woman dressed in red lurking in the background. Though stylish, the strange woman adds an eerie edge to the thriller that grows more and more unsettling with each passing episode. Revenant As the title suggests, Revenant is a horrifying K-drama that follows a chilling spirit's return from the dead. Gu San-yeong (Kim Tae-ri) was a typical young woman with hopes and dreams, but she's quickly possessed by a dark entity after inheriting her late father's belongings. The case draws the attention of Yeom Hae-sang (Oh Jung-se), a professor of folklore who can see ghosts due to his ancestral ties to shamanism. Beyond professional curiosity, Hae-sang feels compelled to help San-yeong as bodies begin to pile up and cast suspicion on the young civil servant. While many K-dramas like to cut the tension with some comedic moments, Revenant is as austere as it is sinister, making for a gripping watch. The East Palace Netflix Another standout new release from Netflix, The East Palace is a must-watch K-drama for fans of dark fantasy, period pieces, or good old-fashioned supernatural creatures. The breakout 2026 hit centers on Gu-cheon (Nam Joo-hyuk), a recluse who is brought in by the King of Joseon (Cho Seung-woo) to free the royal family from the vengeful spirits haunting the palace. Alongside lady of the court Saeng-gang (Roh Yoon-seo)— who has the uncanny ability to hear and speak to spirits— Gu-cheon traverses the Realm of Gwi to slay ghosts and liberate them from their lingering resentment. With impeccable visuals, gorgeous cinematography, and enough political intrigue to spare, The East Palace is the kind of K-drama you won't be able to escape until it's finished. Hotel del Luna Without a doubt, Hotel del Luna is likely the first title that comes to mind when you think of ghostly K-dramas. The beloved 2019 fantasy series literally revolves around a hotel for listless souls who are stuck between life and death. The owner of the titular hotel is Jang Man-wol (IU), an extravagant spirit with seemingly no regard for human life. 21 years prior to the series, the immortal makes a deal with a man on the brink of death: embrace the afterlife or sign away his child's future. Unsurprisingly, he agrees to sacrifice his son, Gu Chan-sung (Yeo Jin-goo), binding him to an ominous fate as Hotel del Luna's manager. As the only human in a business meant strictly for ghosts, Chan-sung is immediately thrown into an existential whirlwind of drama— but, thankfully, his stoic demeanor is the perfect foil for Man-wol's stormy disposition, balancing out the South Korean masterpiece. Irrefutably, Hotel del Luna is one of the best K-dramas of the century and, certainly, a defining title of the supernatural sub-genre. Creator(s) Hong Mi-ran, Hong Jeong-eun