Some K-dramas need 16 or even 20 episodes to build real tension. My Name does it in just eight — and does it so efficiently that it earned a rare 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. Anchored by a career-defining performance from Han So-hee, this Netflix original remains one of the tightest, most relentless revenge thrillers the genre has produced.
Overview
My Name is a 2021 South Korean action crime thriller directed by Kim Jin-min and written by Kim Ba-da. Starring Han So-hee, Park Hee-soon, and Ahn Bo-hyun, the series follows Yoon Ji-woo, a young woman whose father is brutally murdered before her eyes, and who puts her trust in a powerful crime boss to help her find the killer — a decision that sends her undercover into the police force under a new identity, with devastating consequences.
Basic Details
| Details | Info. |
|---|---|
| Genre | Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller |
| Episodes | 8 |
| Runtime | ~50 minutes per episode |
| Director | Kim Jin-min |
| Cast | Han So-hee, Park Hee-soon, Ahn Bo-hyun, Kim Sang-ho |
| Release Date | October 15, 2021 |
| Where to Watch | Netflix |
| IMDb Rating | 7.8/10 |
| Expected Season | Standalone 8-episode series — no sequel confirmed |
Plot Summary
On her eighteenth birthday, Yoon Ji-woo witnesses her father brutally murdered right in front of her by a masked, cloaked killer. Consumed by grief and hell-bent on revenge at any cost, she turns to Choi Moo-jin, the powerful head of a drug cartel with his own connection to her father’s death. Moo-jin offers her a deal: he’ll help her find the killer, but only if she’s willing to become someone else entirely.
Under his direction, Ji-woo takes on a new identity — Oh Hye-jin — and infiltrates the police force undercover, tasked with getting close to the investigation into Moo-jin’s criminal empire while secretly searching for her father’s murderer. As she rises through the ranks and partners with rule-abiding detective Jeon Pil-do, she’s pulled deeper into a violent world of betrayal, shifting loyalties, and moral compromise, forced to question how far she’s willing to go — and who she’s willing to become — to get the answers she’s been chasing.
Why You Should Watch It
- A star-making, transformative performance from Han So-hee. Critics and fans alike single out her portrayal of Ji-woo’s evolution from grieving daughter to hardened, strategic operative as one of the finest performances in recent K-drama history.
- A tight, economical runtime. At just eight episodes, the show never overstays its welcome, delivering sustained tension without filler.
- A genuinely satisfying supporting cast. Park Hee-soon and Ahn Bo-hyun both deliver widely praised performances that add real weight and complexity beyond the central revenge plot.
Fair warning: this is a genuinely violent, graphic show, and some viewers have noted a few structural similarities to films like Infernal Affairs in its undercover-identity plotting. It’s also emotionally bleak by design, with very little romantic or comedic relief, so go in prepared for a heavy, intense watch rather than a lighter genre entry.
Recommendations
If My Name hooked you, here’s where to go next:
- Mousetrap (2026) — Another Korean thriller built around pursuit and hidden identity, for more of this genre’s current output.
- Vincenzo — For a different but equally compelling take on crime, revenge, and moral ambiguity, with a lighter tonal touch.
- Asur — For more mythology-infused, psychologically dense crime thriller storytelling, this time from Indian streaming.
- Stranger — Another tightly plotted Korean crime drama for fans who want more cerebral, procedural intensity.
- A Shop for Killers — For more of Korean streaming’s talent for stylish, high-stakes thriller storytelling.
Conclusion
My Name proves that a revenge thriller doesn’t need a sprawling episode count to leave a lasting impact — just relentless pacing, genuinely committed performances, and a willingness to sit in real darkness without flinching. With a perfect critics’ score and a transformative lead performance from Han So-hee, it remains one of the most acclaimed and rewatchable entries in the K-drama thriller genre.