Television series
Psychopath Diary
A man witnesses a murder, loses his memory in an accident, and wakes up convinced he's a killer—except he finds a diary that isn't his. What follows is a darkly funny thriller about mistaken identity, genuine evil, and the gap between who we think we are and who we actually are. Tense, clever, and weirdly charming.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you enjoy a long, unsettling crime story told through one confused man's eyes, where dread matters more than shock and you don't mind watching a fragile character make bad decisions.
Skip it if you want a tight, fast thriller, since this one takes its time and its tone can wobble between tense and sardonic moments in ways that feel uneven.
What it asks of you: Sixteen episodes asks for steady commitment, with a deliberate pace that rewards patience and keeps you waiting in the murk before it pays off.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Flower of Evil2020
A husband hides a devastating secret from his wife while a detective closes in. Like Psychopath Diary, it's a thriller that uses domestic intimacy as its pressure point, building dread through what people know and don't know about each other.
But It's slower and heavier than Psychopath Diary, with less dark comedy. If you want constant momentum rather than psychological depth, this will feel grinding.
Strangers from Hell2019
A young man moves into a boarding house where his neighbors are not what they seem. Same year, same network, same atmosphere of creeping dread mixed with the mundane. The tension comes from never being sure who to trust.
But It's considerably darker and more violent. The slow-burn horror will lose you if you need lighter moments to breathe.
Move to Heaven2021
Two men—one grieving, one grieving in denial—clean out the homes of the dead and slowly understand each other. It shares Psychopath Diary's ability to find warmth and humor in dark material, with similar ensemble chemistry.
But It's far more sentimental and sincere. There's no thriller plot, just genuine emotion, which some will find manipulative after a psychological game like Psychopath Diary.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Psychopath Diary
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Killing Eve2018
Both are psychological thrillers that find dark humor in the relationship between a killer (actual or apparent) and the person trying to understand them, built on the seduction of evil.
A psychopath killer and the MI6 agent hunting her develop an obsessive, intimate cat-and-mouse game. Both shows are built on the attraction between a potential killer and someone pursuing truth, with dark comedy threading through genuine danger.
But It's British television, not Korean—much more arch and stylized. The protagonist is the killer rather than the person mistaken for one, which shifts the entire moral register.
More like this (8)
My Name2021
A woman infiltrates a crime organization to find her father's killer, playing multiple identities. Same Korean thriller energy, same stakes about whether someone is who they claim to be, with excellent action sequences.
But The protagonist is far grimmer with less humor. It's stylish but relentless, without Psychopath Diary's moments of levity.
Tell Me What You Saw2020
A profiler and a man with hyperthymesia (perfect memory) hunt a serial killer. It's a Korean crime procedural with the same mixture of psychological complexity and dark humor, built on how well two people can read each other.
But It's more procedural than personal. If you're drawn to Psychopath Diary's character study elements, this leans too heavily into case-solving.
Taxi Driver2021
A former soldier turned taxi driver becomes a vigilante, killing those he deems deserve it. Both are thrillers about men who blur moral lines and convince themselves of their own righteousness, with excellent revenge mechanics.
But It's gruesome and earnest about violence, with no comic relief. The tone is much heavier and less playful.
Tunnel2016
A man is trapped in a tunnel collapse and must survive while the outside world moves on. Like Psychopath Diary, it's a Korean thriller that uses its central conceit to explore identity, isolation, and the gap between what's true and what people believe.
But It's a survival film, not a mystery. The tension is physical rather than psychological, and much more claustrophobic.
The Villainess2017
A woman trained as an assassin must hide her past while living undercover. Similar DNA: a protagonist with a secret identity, a dual life, and the constant question of whether anyone is who they seem.
But It's a stylish action film first and a character study second. The plot is more fractured and harder to follow than Psychopath Diary's clean central idea.
The Wailing2016
In a small village, a police officer investigates a series of murders, but nothing is certain—not the killer, not the motives, not reality itself. A masterclass in moral ambiguity and the unreliability of perception, the exact thing Psychopath Diary plays with.
But It's deliberately obscure and refuses to answer its own questions. If you want closure or clarity, this will frustrate you intensely.
Memories of Murder2003
Both are Korean thrillers about the gap between appearance and reality, but Memories of Murder is the progenitor—bleaker, slower, more interested in systemic failure than individual psychology.
Two detectives hunt a serial killer in 1980s South Korea, but their investigation is hampered by corruption, incompetence, and the killer's ability to hide in plain sight. It's the darker, more brutal ancestor of Korean crime thrillers, with stunning cinematography and unbearable tension.
But It's a 2003 film with a grim, methodical pace. There's no dark comedy or twist—just the slow realization that you might not catch who you're looking for, which feels like defeat rather than revelation.
Hacks2021
Both use dark comedy to explore identity and performance—the masks we wear and the moments when they slip—but Hacks applies that lens to performance itself rather than criminality.
An aging Las Vegas comedian and her young female ghostwriter clash and slowly understand each other through dark humor, secrets, and the performance of identity. Both shows pair two people in a power dynamic, using comedy to explore who we really are versus who we perform being.
But It's about comedy and showbiz, not crime or thrillers. The drama is intimate and character-driven rather than plot-driven, which is a completely different rhythm.
