The art of Sarah (2026)
The recent Netflix blockbuster follows a woman living under multiple identities, obsessed with power, money, and building her luxury brand, “Boudoir.” She manipulates everyone around her to climb higher, crossing moral lines and even breaking the laws. What makes the drama stand out is its sharp focus on society’s obsession with status, wealth, luxury, and image. It doesn’t just show a villain. It questions the entire system, no one is 'right' there. Even the police officer.
Dear X (2025)
Baek Ah-jin endured severe child abuse (something no child should ever be subjected to) When she killed her father, the main perpetrator of that abuse, many viewers praised the act as justice, seeing it as self-defense, although the court’s final conclusion in the story remains unresolved, As she was never convicted but used Choi Jeong-ho as scapegoat. As she grows older, Ah-jin becomes known for manipulating innocent people — especially men, but women as well — to secure her own survival and advancement. She rarely inflicts physical harm beyond the incident involving her father, yet her emotional and psychological manipulation leaves lasting damage.
Anna (2022)
Lee Yoo-mi, who later lives as “Lee Anna,” is more of a morally grey character than a traditional villain.
Unlike a typical villain, she is not cold or remorseless. She constantly struggles with guilt, anxiety, and the fear of being exposed. She is someone who is trapped inside her own lie.
Yoo-mi steals another woman’s identity to escape her circumstances and build the life she desires.
The drama ultimately explores how far a person is willing to go to change their fate, and the heavy psychological cost of living a life built on deception.
Special mention - Mouse! (2020)
Jung Ba-reum appears to be a kind rookie police officer, but the story slowly reveals a much darker truth. The drama explores the idea of a psychopathic tendency and its connection to a series of serial killings.
What writers wants to show us!
These dramas never present their villains as figures to celebrate. They are written with depth, trauma, and ambition, but not with glorification. They are never romanticised!
The audience may feel sympathy. Some moments may even feel justified. But the narrative never loses sight of one thing: every choice has consequences.
And in the end, their journeys show what happens when power, lies, and obsession are allowed to take control.
( Spoilers )
The Art of Sarah :
Sarah Kim manages to save her luxury brand, Boudoir. She won. But her victory is hollow.
By the end, she is living her life behind bars.
She won but at what cost?
Dear X :
Baek Ah-jin survived!
However, survival does not mean happiness. The people who genuinely cared for her are gone. The ones who loved her the most, died, and she is left completely alone.
She lives, but with nothing and no one.
Anna :
Her lies bring her status and comfort, but they also strip her of peace. The entire plot is about how she suffered due to her own lies
(Special Mention – Mouse)
Jung Ba-reum’s story is the darkest of them all.
After a brain transplant, he begins to experience overwhelming emotions — including love. He even kills the men who assaulted the female lead, which led some fans to praise him.
But the truth cannot be erased.
He had earlier murdered innocent people, including the female lead’s grandmother ( an unforgivable crime. ) The female lead herself hated him enough to want him to die.
In the end, Jung Ba-reum dies a brutal death, facing the consequences of everything he had done.
This genre of kdramas are very much realistic and it teaches us how people put themselves into the black hole of misery! We would love to see more villains and grey character storyline! That teaches us, WHAT NOT TO BE!
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