#whumplists

Character: Sherlock Holmes (left) (played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin)

Age Rating: TV-14

Show available on Amazon Prime

Genre: Mystery, Drama

Plot (via Google): A 19-year-old Sherlock Holmes finds himself entangled in a murder at Oxford that jeopardises his freedom. His first case, tackled recklessly, leads him to uncover a far-reaching conspiracy that alters his path forever.

Note: I went into this show expecting whump, and I definitely got it! It also was a lot better than I expected, the acting is pretty good (though Dónal Finn's Moriarty absolutely steals the show), and the cinematography is fun as well. Mycroft and Sherlock have a really great bond as well. Overall, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it!

TW's: Genre-typical blood and violence, death, mental health issues, period-typical treatment of mental health patients, suicide, war

List Key:

bold = most whump/best whump/favorite whump scenes

THIS LIST MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THE SHOW!

Plot:

Follows a boy who has lost all hope in life and encounters a group of “Showa Ghost Yankees” with unique personalities. (Source: Drama-Otaku)

Language: Japanese

Dramas and movies you can watch on Disney+

Character: Callum (voiced by Jack DeSena)

Age Rating: TV-Y7 (FV)

Show available on Netflix

Genre: Animation, Found Family, Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Synopsis: In the magical land of Xadia, magic comes from six primal sources: the sun, moon, stars, sky, earth and ocean. When human mages create a seventh kind of magic -- dark magic -- they start capturing and harvesting the unique magical creatures they need as ingredients, which sparks a war between Xadia and the Human Kingdoms. Three kids from opposite sides of the conflict -- two princes and an elven assassin sent to kill them -- discover a secret that could change everything and decide to join forces and go on an epic journey. That trek could be their only hope of ending the war and restoring peace to both worlds. (Via Google)

Notes: This show is GOOD. If you like ATLA, you'll enjoy this. It gets progressively darker and more violent as the show goes on, so fair warning for that. The relationships between the characters are amazing, and there's also great diverse representation! I highly recommend.

TW's: Violence, mild blood/gore, death, child abuse/neglect, child endangerment, mild emetophobia

List Key:

bold = most whump, best whump, or favorite whump scenes

~ = a scene break

THIS LIST CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE SERIES!

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Character: Kim Ji Yong (played by Nam Joo-hyuk)

Age Rating: TV-MA

Show available on Hulu

Genre: Crime, Mystery, Action, Superhero

Synopsis: Kim Ji Yong, a student at the police academy, lost his mother at the hands of a local gangster when he was young; he becomes a vigilante and kills criminals. (via Google)

Note: This is a dark series, there's a good amount of whump but be careful watching because it handles very sensitive subjects.

TW's: blood and gore, violence towards women and children, domestic abuse, gun violence, sexual assault/non-con, suicide, mental illness

List Key:

bold = most whump, best whump, or favorite whump scenes

~ = a scene break

THIS LIST CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE SERIES!

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(GIF credit to @leedongwook)

Character: So Mun (played by Cho Byeong-kyu)

Age Rating: TV-MA

Show available on Netflix

Genre: Action, Superpower/Superhero, Supernatural, Found Family, Ensemble, Fantasy

(The styling of this whumplist is inspired by @love-me-a-lotta-whump​ who has an amazing blog, go check them out! They also have a list for season 1!)

Synopsis: Demon hunters pose as workers in a noodle shop in an effort to catch evil spirits hoping to find eternal life. (via Google)

Note: SO. MUCH. WHUMP! This is a list for just season two of the show! The found family dynamics are really what make this show so fun, as well as the unique superpower system. Also, the main character, So Mun, is a sweetheart and I love him so much.

TW’s (for overall show): frequent blood, mild gore, mild body horror, suicide, violence towards children, child death, child abuse, bullying, bullying of a disabled character, domestic violence, self-harm, violence towards women, mental illness, implied dementia, PTSD

List Key:

bold = most whump, best whump, or favorite whump scenes

~~ = scene break

THIS LIST CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE SERIES!

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Found family/team as family is my favorite trope, and when it’s combined with whump it’s even better! So, without further ado, here are some of my favorite whumpy kdramas featuring these tropes! (This list is not a ranking!)

1. The Uncanny Counter (2021)

Age Rating: TV-14

Synopsis: So Mun is an orphaned high-school student who suddenly gains supernatural powers. Soon after, the local noodle-shop employees recruit him into their team of “Counters”, where he begins to learn of the evil spirits roaming around town. 

Notes: This was actually my first-ever kdrama! It’s a great blend of action, drama, and comedy. It also has one of the most unique “magic” systems I’ve seen, with the “Counters” each connected to a spirit in the afterlife. It’s also extremely whumpy, with a lot of comfort and care given to the characters. Definitely recommend.

 Here is a whumplist by @love-me-a-lotta-whump

Here is a whumplist for Season 2!

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2. Bulgasal: Immortal Souls (2021)

Age Rating: TV-MA

Synopsis: Dan Hwal has lived for the past 600 years as a Bulgasal—a mythical creature that feeds off human blood and is cursed with immortality. Eventually, he connects with his reincarnated family, along with a formerly immortal woman. 

Notes: This show is pretty complex and can get confusing at times. It’s also heartbreaking, but the characters make up for it! There’s a TON of whump for both characters shown in the GIF above. 

Here is a whumplist by @love-me-a-lotta-whump

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3. Mystic Pop-Up Bar (2020)

Age Rating: TV-MA

Synopsis: Han Kang-bae is a young man with the ability to make people confess their deepest troubles with a single touch, but this power isn’t always a gift to him. One night, he meets the mysterious owner of a pop-up bar, a woman who must settle the grudges of 100,000 souls in order to gain a peaceful place in the afterlife. 

Notes: This show isn’t the most whumpy on this list by any means, but it still has a good amount! What stood out to me were the relationships between the main trio of characters and how close they become with each other over the course of the show. No spoilers here, but this drama does involve reincarnation... 

Here is a whumplist by @whumperfect

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4. While You Were Sleeping (2017)

Age Rating: TV-14

Synopsis: Three young adults discover that they all have the same ability: seeing the future in their dreams. As a trio, they work together to attempt to change these (sometimes terrible) visions and save each other from harm. 

Notes: Though this show is more focused on the romance between Jae-chan and Hong-joo, there are some great moments of found family feels between the main trio, sometimes including Jae-chan’s little brother and a different character who somewhat acts as a father figure. Pretty whumpy show that I absolutely adored watching! (Plus, the cast is STELLAR! I mean, Suzy, Jong-suk, and Jae-in together in a drama? It’s so good.)

Here is a whumplist by @whumpalot

Here is a whumplist by @thewhumpyrabbit

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5. Tomorrow (2022)

Age Rating: TV-MA

Synopsis: Choi Jun-woong is a young man struggling to find a job, but when he falls into a coma after an unfortunate accident, he’s offered a place on the Risk Management Team as a temporary grim reaper. Together, they help save people from s*icide.

Notes: Possibly my most favorite kdrama ever! It has more emotional whump than physical for the most part, but it’s so amazingly done. The main trio (plus another character, later in the show) have such great platonic chemistry, and even though they have conflicts, you can tell they all truly care for each other even after a short amount of time. (Rowoon’s acting talents are really highlighted in this show, as well as the other main leads!)

Here is a whumplist I made! 

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6. The Devil Judge (2021)

Age Rating: TV-14

Synopsis: This series is set in a dystopian version of South Korea, where the people live in chaos and corruption runs rampant. Trials are held through a courtroom live show aired on television, led by "The Devil Judge”.

Notes: This show is very dark, but has an interesting dynamic between the characters that evolves and grows over the course of the show. The characters are complex and imperfect, and though their conflicts are intense, it just makes the domestic moments so much better because of it. It has some good whump for the two main characters, and of course, Jin-young is an added bonus.

Here is a whumplist by @whumpslist​

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7. He is Psychometric (2019)

Age Rating: TV-14 

Synopsis: Lee Ahn is a young man with the ability to read the memories of any object or person he touches. He begins to train his powers in order to help solve crimes and get justice for the death of his parents. 

Notes: One of my favorite kdramas ever and a must-watch for anyone in the kdrama whump community. Fair warning, this show will absolutely shatter your heart, but it has such a great storyline with many twists and turns. This is a complex found family, and though the show does have a romance, it’s a really good one. Also, there’s SO MUCH WHUMP! Like in every single episode. It’s truly amazing. Jin-young never fails to amaze me with his acting. 

Here is a whumplist by @love-me-a-lotta-whump

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