If you are still reeling from the chaotic, couture-filled, and revenge-thirsty world of “BITCH X RICH 2” and it’s rather volatile teen verse, you’re not alone. The teen noir thriller came with its share of chaos, intrigue, and redemption. The rich mean girls had their claws unsheathed and wrecked havoc in the corridors of Cheongdam High and beyond. Need more elite-school madness and petty power plays? Here are five K-dramas to watch next.
“The Glory”
Revenge is a dish best served ice cold, and Song Hye Kyo’s Moon Dong Eun knows how to do it with chills and thrills. If you loved “BITCH X RICH 2” for its bullied-girl-rises-to-power arc, then “The Glory” takes that and dials it up to 100.
Moon Dong Eun is a woman who has spent her years meticulously plotting revenge against her high school tormentors. The show provides chilling turns from Lim Ji Yeon as Park Yeon Jin, the sadistic school bully, and her crew of equally nasty besties, and they make Moon Dong Eun’s life a living hell. There is also the Go playing reticent plastic surgeon, Joo Yeo Jeong (Lee Do Hyun), who has secrets of his own and willingly steps in to help Moon Dong Eun with her revenge.
“The Glory” is haunting and gripping as well as incredibly cathartic. Song Hye Kyo gives us one of the best defining roles in her career as the avenging Moon Dong Eun. The actor gets the pain and pathos of her character on point, and her silences and expressions evoke the despair and anger of her character.
“SKY Castle”
You don’t have to look far beyond the parents to figure out why the kids at Cheongdam High turned out the way they were. They were overbearing, ambitious, and toxic to the core.
In a similar vein, the overbearing moms at the plush and swanky residential enclave SKY Castle are no different. The drama exposes the ugly underbelly of South Korea’s education obsession. It’s got tiger moms, spiraling teens, and the ultimate academic Hunger Games. Yum Jung Ah, Lee Tae Ran, Yoon Se Ah, Oh Na Ra, and Kim Seo Hyung lead the stellar ensemble cast, each portraying fiercely competitive mothers who’ll do anything to secure their children’s futures. There’s no murder mystery here, but the stakes feel just as high.
Watch “SKY Castle” below:
“The Penthouse”
“BITCH X RICH 2” was chaotic as the rich girls manipulated and the not-so rich tried to wrestle their way to the to with their own plot twists. But “The Penthouse” is one step ahead. It’s a classic case of chaos on steroids.
With its high-rise luxury apartments, operatic betrayal, and twisted mother-daughter dynamics, this is a wild ride you won’t be able to stop watching. Lee Ji Ah, Kim So Yeon, and Eugene headline a saga full of gasp-worthy twists, where strategy is a necessary skill-set to survive. And Kim So Yeon’s portrayal of the icy soprano queen Cheon Seo Jin is unforgettable and simply iconic.
Start watching “The Penthouse”:
“Boys Over Flowers”
Long before Baek Jena in “BITCH X RICH 2” walked the school corridors with an icy scowl and designer pumps and cracked the whip over Diamond 6, there was Gu Jun Pyo (Lee Min Ho) and his F4 crew, which included Kim Hyun Joong, Kim Bum, and Kim Joon. As a spoilt, rich brat, Jun Pyo and the F4 were the uncrowned royalty of their ultra elite school, Shinhwa High. However, the arrival of an ordinary girl named Jan Di (Ku Hye Sun) disrupts their lives, especially Jun Pyo’s, who has finally met his match in more ways than one.
This cult classic set the standard for K-drama chaebol schools, class clashes, and one feisty girl disrupting the hierarchy. It’s lighter in tone, but it’s still drenched in drama. The show continues to retain its position as an all-time favorite amongst many K-drama fans. Originally a Japanese manga, it also has different renditions in several other countries.
Start watching “Boys Over Flowers”:
“Revenge of Others”
A darker, grittier take on teen drama, this thriller follows Ok Chan Mi (Shin Ye Eun) who transfers schools to investigate the suspicious death of her twin brother. Along the way, she crosses paths with Ji Soo Heon (Lomon), a student with his own vigilante justice agenda. Together the two set on the path to get justice and uncover some grizzly secrets on the way.
It’s got suspense, action, and a vigilante bent. You can think of it as similar to “BITCH X RICH 2” but with more knives and less lipstick.
Hey Soompiers, which of these is your favorite drama? Let us know in the comments below!
Also watch “BITCH X RICH 2” below:
Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yoo Yeon Seok and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram
