K-Dramas like Born to Be the Villain

12 shows with a similar feel

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  Soldiers Sortie (2006)Also drama

  As a Chinese special forces operative falls from a beam to his possible death during a mission, he recalls the path he took as a dimwitted young man in rural China to reach this point.
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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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  Shine on Me (2025)Also drama

  Her heart was anchored in an unrequited love, while the one who truly saw her from the beginning waited in the wings. A tale of a fateful first encounter that changes everything—and a second chance at a love that was always meant to be.

  4 tracking it here
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  Story of Kunning Palace (2023)Also drama

  A fallen queen, Jiang Xuening who aspired to have the highest power and authority in her life was held hostage by rebels after the king, Shen Jie was poisoned. In this life, she used everyone around her to reach the authority of the queen but in the end, she remained under house arrest and Xie Wei slaughtered the entire city. Later, she received the decree to be buried with the emperor. She got a second chance to change her fate by not entering the palace but when she woke up after rebirth, she was already messing around. Even though she vowed not to enter the palace, a certain turn of events again entangles her with the palace and Xie Wei whom she hated the most.

  2 tracking it here
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  Delicacies Destiny (2022)Also drama

  A talented and kind chef, Ling Xiaoxiao, is accepted into the delicacy role of chef in an Imperial palace thanks to the appreciative appetite of the Crown Prince, Zhu Shoukui. Set on becoming the best Imperial Chef, with the Prince's help, Ling tries to navigate the pitfalls of palace life while remaining true to her goals in the face of forbidden love.
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  Ming Dynasty in 1566 (2007)Also drama

  A series based on the events in the reign of the Jiajing Emperor of the Ming dynasty.
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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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  A Dream Within a Dream (2025)Also drama

  When Song Xiaoyu is unexpectedly pulled into a scripted world as a tragic heroine fated to be discarded by the villainous male lead, she tries to escape, only to be trapped in an endless loop of fatal outcomes each time she strays from the plot. No matter how hard she resists, the story keeps pushing her toward Nan Heng, the cold and calculating lead. As she navigates this paper-thin world where every character is bound by fate, Song Xiaoyu must fight not just for her survival, but for control over her own story.

  3 tracking it here
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  Love Between Lines (2026)Also drama

  Xiao Zhiyu and Hu Xiu are brought together by a Republic of China-themed murder mystery game. In the scripted NPC game filled with falling snow and spies in the shadows, the two ignite a fateful spark. An unexpected reunion in the real world reveals the mystery of each other's identities. The two shuttle between the misaligned time-spaces of reality and the script, and finally achieve two-way growth in the cross-dimensional bond, completing the transformation of love and self.

  3 tracking it here
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  好想你知道 (2024)Also drama
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  Hidden Blade (2025)Also drama

  Undercover Communist agent Li Heng, isolated before the liberation of Chengdu, reconnects with his party and navigates the complex web of KMT-CCP underground conflicts, factional KMT politics, and local gang rivalries to aid the Communist cause.
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  Fight! Bookstore Girl (2015)Also drama

  Pegasus Bookstore is going through hard times due to competition from internet bookstores. Kitamura Aki and Nishioka Riko are employees at Pegasus Bookstore. Aki is 23 years old. She has a strong will and freewheeling personality. She places her job and dreams above marriage. Riko is a 40-year-old single woman. She is the vice-manager at the bookstore. She has pride in her work. The two women have completely different personalities.