Phenomenal Science Fiction Dramas
In an industry that follows formulas and structured plots, audiences can always count on science fiction series to never follow what’s typical. Science fiction dramas are usually rare—truly a niche genre—but they can be as enthralling and exhilarating as blockbuster series that garner more public attention.
Below is a list of dramas that are a delight for science fiction lovers!
SF8 boasts a star-studded cast including Lee Siyoung, Lee Donghwi, Choi Siwon, and Lee Yeonhee to name a few. They star in this 2020 drama comprising various segmented episodes forming an anthology of science fiction. Covering topics of augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), robots, and catastrophes, as well as being helmed by eight different directors, this drama is a sci-fi fan’s dream. With a new story each episode unrelated to the previous or the next, there’s something new and refreshing about singular content that’s meant to be a part of a collective whole.
My Holo Love is a 2020 drama starring Yoon Hyunmin and Ko Sunghee about artificial intelligence and romance. Han Soyeon (Ko) suffers from face blindness (prosopagnosia) and tries to hide her disorder from others, forcing her to live life as a recluse. Her prayers are answered when she accidentally finds a pair of glasses, setting off a technological trigger that activates an AI program. She encounters Holo (Yoon), who’s meant to fulfill the wishes of his owner. But when Holo’s creator, Go Nando (Yoon) makes an appearance, it leaves Han Soyeon feeling confused about her love for Holo.
Item is a 2019 drama, based on a webtoon of the same name, and stars Joo Jihoon, Kim Kangwoo, and Jin Seyeon in a mystery sci-fi that pushes a prosecutor and criminal profiler to their wits’ ends as they try to unlock the secret to items that contain supernatural powers. Jo Sehwang (Kim) is the chairman of Hwawon Group, possessing wealth and power which mask his sociopathic side. In his hunt to collect numerous supernatural items, he’s willing to commit cold murder, refusing to stop until prosecutor Kang Gon (Joo) and criminal profiler Shin Soyoung (Jin) are caught in a conspiracy and must unravel the truth behind a powerful man and his thirst for the supernatural.
Circle: Two Worlds Connected is a 2017 drama starring Yeo Jingoo, Gong Seungyeon, and Kim Kangwoo about two emerging narratives of the past and future. Detective Kim Joonhyuk (Kim) lives in a utopian future created by an alien invasion and must investigate university student Kim Woojin (Yeo) from the past in the year 2017. The futuristic world is divided into “smart earth” which is free of degradation and human flaws and “general earth” full of rampant emotions and anarchy. The catalyst which forms a divided world brought on by aliens is linked to Kim Woojin who first encounters the aliens as they descend to earth.
Rugal (2020) stars Choi Jinhyuk and Park Sungwoong in an action-packed series centered on biotechnology. Kang Kibeom (Choi) is a zealous police officer trying to crack down on Korea’s largest criminal group named Argos. In response to Kibeom’s daring efforts, Argos releases its hitmen to murder his wife and unborn child while physically damaging Kibeom and leaving him blind. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) manages to rescue Kibeom and recruit him, utilizing their access to advanced technology to provide him with a pair of artificial eyes that enhance his vision. Joining a task force known as “Rugal,” Kibeom becomes a member of an elite superhuman squad that intends to enact justice.