OCN (Orion Cinema Network) leads Korean TV. People know it for its thrilling, dark, suspenseful dramas. OCN’s series have gripping stories and memorable characters. They have won both critical acclaim and high audience ratings. Here is a list of the Best OCN highest-rated Korean dramas of all time. It shows the best that the network has to offer, based on its nationwide household ratings.
The Uncanny Counter (2020–2021)
The Uncanny Counter is about demon hunters with powers. They disguise themselves as workers in a noodle shop. They hunt evil spirits that have escaped from the afterlife. Their mission is to bring justice to the living.
Highest Ratings: 10.999% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Explores the emotional themes of justice and friendship.
- Strong performances by Jo Byung-gyu and Kim Se-jeong.
- Eye-catching fight choreography and visual effects.
Voice 2 (2018)
The second season of Voice follows the “Golden Time” team. They race to solve violent crimes. This season explores the detectives’ emotional backstories. It has a darker, more intense plot.
Highest Ratings: 7.086% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Emotional exploration of trauma and crime solving.
- Lee Jin-wook delivers an intense, gripping performance.
- High-stakes, real-time crime-solving format
Watcher (2019)
Watcher is a psychological thriller. It follows three people: a lawyer, a detective, and an anti-corruption investigator. They uncover dark truths about police corruption. They also face their own personal traumas.
Highest Ratings: 6.585% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Dark themes of corruption and betrayal
- Powerful performances by Han Suk-kyu, Seo Kang-joon, and Kim Hyun-joo.
- Intricate character development and suspense.
Tunnel (2017)
In Tunnel, a 1980s detective time-travels to the present while chasing a serial killer. He must adjust to modern police techniques while trying to solve a case that has haunted him for decades.
Highest Ratings: 6.490% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Themes of justice and redemption throughout time.
- Outstanding performances by Choi Jin-hyuk and Yoon Hyun-min.
- Unique combination of time travel and detective work.
Life on Mars (2018)
Life on Mars follows a detective who, after a serious accident, wakes up in the 1980s. Limited by the era, he teams up with other detectives to solve cases and uncover the mystery of his time travel.
Highest Ratings: 5.851% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Nostalgic 1980s setting and detailed attention to period elements.
- Emotional and reflective themes of identity and belonging.
- Excellent chemistry among the cast.
Player (2018)
Player is about a team of elite criminals. They specialize in taking down high-profile crime syndicates. Each team member has a special skill. They are the perfect group to pull off dangerous heists and expose corruption.
Highest Ratings: 5.803% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Fast-paced action and heist sequences
- Strong ensemble performances, especially by Song Seung-heon.
- Clever, suspense-filled plot twists
Voice 3 (2019)
The third season of Voice takes the team on a global hunt for criminals. They face even more dangerous foes. The season keeps the real-time crime-solving. It adds new characters and emotional storylines.
Highest Ratings: 5.517% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Continued character development and intense storytelling.
- Global crime-solving adds fresh dynamics.
- High-tension action sequences and an unpredictable plot.
Voice (2017)
The original Voice follows a team of call center detectives. They solve crimes using sound technology. The tension builds as they race to solve cases in the “Golden Time” window, the key to saving victims’ lives.
Highest Ratings: 5.406% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Unique focus on sound technology in crime solving.
- Emotional tension arises as detectives balance personal trauma with their cases.
- Strong performances by Jang Hyuk and Lee Ha-na.
Missing: The Other Side (2020)
Missing: The Other Side is about a group who finds a village where the souls of missing people live. It explores the supernatural. The show explores the pain of unresolved loss. It follows a quest to bring closure to lost souls.
Highest Ratings: 4.811% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Emotional depth in exploring themes of loss and grief.
- Stellar performances by Go Soo and Heo Jun-ho.
- A unique mix of supernatural and mystery genres.
Save Me (2017)
Save Me is a thriller. It is about a young woman trapped in a dangerous cult. A group of friends tries to rescue her. They risk their lives to free her from the cult leaders’ brainwashing.
Highest Ratings: 4.797% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Haunting portrayal of psychological manipulation and control.
- Seo Ye-ji’s standout performance as the trapped protagonist is remarkable.
- Dark and chilling atmospheres heighten the tension.
Class of Lies (2019)
Class of Lies is about a disgraced lawyer. He infiltrates an elite high school as a teacher to uncover the truth behind a student’s murder. The series exposes the dark secrets of the wealthy and powerful.
Highest Ratings: 4.781% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Dark themes of corruption, power, and justice.
- Strong performances by Yoon Kyun-sang and Geum Sae-rok.
- Intricate plot with many twists and turns.
Squad 38 (2016)
Squad 38 follows tax enforcers. They use unconventional methods to take down the rich and powerful who evade taxes. The show mixes heists and clever cons. It offers comedy and intense action.
Highest Ratings: 4.559% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Unique premise focused on tax evasion and justice.
- Great chemistry between Ma Dong-seok and Seo In-guk.
- Engaging heists and their consequences.
Team Bulldog: Off-Duty Investigation (2020)
Team Bulldog: Off-Duty Investigation is about a detective and a TV producer. They use unconventional methods to solve unsolved crimes. The team includes a former profiler and a forensic expert. This creates an entertaining mix of personalities.
Highest Ratings: 4.389% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Strong ensemble cast with great chemistry.
- Creative and unconventional crime-solving methods
- Humor and action blend for an entertaining storyline.
Tell Me What You Saw (2020)
Tell Me What You Saw is about a genius profiler and a detective with a photographic memory. They team up to catch a notorious serial killer. The psychological tension in the series keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
Highest Ratings: 4.388% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Gripping psychological tension and mystery.
- Stellar performances by Jang Hyuk and Choi Soo-young.
- Stylish cinematography that adds to the suspense.
Black (2017)
Black is a supernatural crime thriller about a grim reaper who teams up with a woman who can foresee death. They investigate mysterious deaths. They must also navigate the grim reaper’s forbidden love for a mortal.
Highest Ratings: 4.318% (nationwide)
Key Highlights:
- Emotional exploration of life, death, and forbidden love.
- Haunting performances by Song Seung-heon and Go Ara.
- A unique mix of supernatural elements and crime dramas.
OCN’s top dramas thrill with intense action, deep psychology, and emotional tales. These series set the standard for Korean thrillers. They have cemented OCN’s reputation for creating gripping, edge-of-your-seat dramas.
