K-Dramas like Under the Surface

12 shows with a similar feel

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  The Rise of Phoenixes (2018)Also drama

  When a secret from the past rears its head, respected warrior Feng Zhiwei is forced to choose between revenge and her loyalty to ruling prince Ning Yi.
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  Legend of Zang Hai (2025)Also drama

  "Legend of Zang Hai" follows the son of Imperial Astronomer Kuai Duo. Consumed by vengeance, he spends a decade honing his skills. Assuming the name Zang Hai, he ventures into the capital to uncover the truth, avenge his family, and restore justice.
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  The Vendetta of An (2025)Also drama

  Xie Huai'an, son of the Huben Army's creator, survives his family's massacre. After ten long years in hiding, he returns to Chang'an disguised as a lowly registrar, moving step by step through jianghu clashes and palace power plays in a tense battle of wits to avenge his family and safeguard the realm.

  1 tracking it here
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  The Long Season (2023)Also drama

  The 12-episode series follows Wang Xiang, an ex-train driver who had worked his whole life at the steel plant in a fictional small town in North China, as he attempts to solve the mystery behind a brutal murder during the autumn of 1998. For more than 20 years, the murder has haunted him and other people who worked at the steel plant as they struggled to come to terms with the loss they’ve experienced.
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  The Immortal Ascension (2025)Also drama

  Han Li, an ordinary, poor boy from a mountain village, joins a small martial arts sect by chance. Despite his mediocre talent, he eventually cultivates himself into an immortal through hard work and careful planning.

  1 tracking it here
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  Love Game in Eastern Fantasy (2024)Also drama

  Pulled into the pages of a fantasy novel, a woman is shocked to find herself stuck in the role of a villain. Now, she must battle to rewrite her destiny.

  2 tracking it here
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  The Longest Promise (2023)Also drama

  From the Kong Sang Continent comes the tale of the tumultuous love story of Princess Zhu Yan of the Chi Yi Tribe and Royal Prince Shi Ying, The framing of the Queen results in the Prince being banished to Jiu Yi Mountain to cultivate. Once solely focused on his tasks, he develops romantic feelings for his disciple Zhu Yan. But their student/teacher relationship prevents either from expressing their true feelings. Fate then works against them when they choose opposing sides in a political struggle of life and death proportions. Eventually, putting aside their issues, they pledge to protect their beloved Kong Sang Continent.

  1 tracking it here
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  Ice Fantasy (2016)Also drama

  A century after the war between the Ice and Fire Tribes, Prince Ka Suo of the Ice Tribe becomes king, searching for his missing lover and brother. He uncovers a dark conspiracy within his tribe, unaware that his brother, now the Fire Prince with no memory of his past, is leading the Fire Tribe. As tensions rise, the brothers are forced into a new conflict, this time against each other.
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  Ever Night (2018)Also drama

  As the lone survivor of his kingdom, Ning Que joins a martial arts academy and must fight to protect his beloved, who's prophesied to bring about chaos.
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  The Dreamwalker (2025)Also drama

  Hei Fuyi, the sole survivor of her family’s massacre, accidentally awakens the ancient lamp spirit A Qi and forms a life-bound partnership with her. With the spirited A Qi and a runaway young prince at her side, she moves through the chaos of the late Qing era, chasing supernatural secrets and human darkness until she uncovers the truth behind her family’s fall.
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  Truth or Death (2025)Also drama

  A desperate theft leads to a fatal accident, landing a man in prison and leaving his daughter convinced another family ruined their lives. Years later, she seeks revenge, drawing them into a dangerous game built on misunderstanding.
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  Caged Revenge (2025)Also drama

  After her brother Lin Chen dies under suspicious circumstances, Lin Wan’er disguises herself as a cadet named “Lin Shen” to infiltrate the Beichen Military Academy, where she suspects the cold, enigmatic instructor Gu Yanzhi. As she searches for the truth behind Lin Chen’s death, she uncovers a deeper conspiracy and an unexpected connection with Gu Yanzhi.