Television series
Itaewon Class
A revenge drama wearing the clothes of an underdog workplace story: an ex-con with an unbending moral code opens a bar in Itaewon and spends years building it into an empire that can finally take down the food conglomerate that ruined his family. Earnest, occasionally soapy, and anchored by a magnetic ensemble — especially Kim Da Mi's icy, scene-stealing sociopath. For anyone who wants justice served slow, sweet, and with very good stew.
If you liked this
Vincenzo2021
A mafia consigliere returns to Korea and dismantles a corrupt conglomerate from the inside — the same one-man-versus-the-system pleasure, dialed up into pitch-black comedy and gloriously outrageous set pieces.
But It's broader and sillier than Itaewon Class — if you wanted earnestness over gleeful cynicism, the tonal whiplash might grate.
The Glory2022
A meticulous, ice-cold revenge plot against the wealthy and untouchable, built with the same patience Sae-royi shows — years of planning paying off in small, devastating increments.
But It's darker and crueler, confronting school violence and trauma directly, with little of Itaewon Class's warmth or found-family comfort.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo2022
Another outsider forcing her way into a system built to exclude her, one case at a time, with the same mix of idealism, humour, and quietly devastating moments.
But It's episodic and case-of-the-week in structure, so it lacks the slow-burn, multi-year plotting toward one big reckoning.
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
On the Waterfront1954
Both are about a single person refusing to accept that corruption is simply how the world works, and paying dearly for that refusal.
Terry Malloy's decision to stand up against the corrupt union bosses controlling the docks is the same story, decades earlier — one man's conscience against an entire rigged system.
But Black-and-white, 1950s pacing, and a very different moral vocabulary — this is Cold War America, not Itaewon nightlife.
More like this (8)
Start-Up2020no page yet
Swap the bar for a tech incubator and you've got the same underdog-versus-establishment shape, plus a love triangle just as knotty as Sae-royi's.
But The business stakes feel lower and softer than a conglomerate that ruined a family — this is ambition, not vengeance.
Fight for My Way2017no page yet
Working-class friends refuse to accept the futures handed to them, clawing toward their dreams with humour and stubborn loyalty that feels very Itaewon Class.
But It's smaller in scale and funnier — no conglomerate villain, just ordinary life's grinding unfairness.
My Mister2018no page yet
A quieter, sadder meditation on dignity under exploitation, about people finding decency inside a system designed to crush them — the emotional backbone Itaewon Class occasionally reaches for.
But It's slow and melancholy by comparison — don't expect the propulsive revenge arc.
Mr. Sunshine2018
A period epic about defiance against overwhelming power, carrying the same conviction that one person's integrity can matter against history itself.
But It's a 24-episode historical melodrama with a much higher body count and a far more tragic register.
Strong Woman Do Bong Soon2017no page yet
Lighter and sillier, but built on the same bones — an outmatched hero going up against a menacing corporate figure, wrapped in romance and comedy.
But It trades moral weight for fantasy and slapstick; if you loved the seriousness here, this will feel featherweight.
Answer Me 19882015no page yet
Not about revenge at all, but about the found-family warmth that makes DanBam's staff feel like home — this is the genre's gold standard for that feeling.
But There's no antagonist, no big plot engine — just pure nostalgia and ensemble character work at a totally different pace.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi2011
DanBam's obsessive pursuit of the 'best' through relentless refinement is Jiro's whole philosophy, minus the conglomerate to fight.
A real octogenarian sushi master's lifelong obsession with getting one dish exactly right, filmed with the same reverence Itaewon Class shows for a perfect bowl of stew.
But There's no plot, no villain, no romance — just craft, patience, and a very quiet kind of intensity.
Shokugeki no Soma2015no page yet
Same structural bet as Itaewon Class — a talented outsider using food as a weapon against people who think they own the table — played as pure genre fun instead of drama.
The underdog-cook-versus-the-establishment engine gets cranked into full anime spectacle — outrageous cooking duels and a hero determined to out-cook the elite who look down on him.
But It's shonen anime through and through — fan-service, exaggerated everything, zero interest in emotional realism.
