Still Thinking About Itaewon Class? These Top Best Korean Underdog Series 2025/2026 Like Crazy!

Itaewon Class wasn’t just a revenge story. It was about resilience. About fighting the system when it’s built to crush you. Park Sae-ro-yi didn’t have power, money, or connections — but he had grit. And slowly, with people who believed in him, he rose from nothing.

If you still think about DanBam, Jo Yi-seo’s fierce loyalty, or the way Sae-ro-yi kept getting back up, you’re not alone. That drama hit something deep. And in 2025 and 2026, more Korean series are carrying that same spirit — underdogs who don’t give up, no matter how unfair life gets.

Here are the top best Korean underdog series in 2025/2026 that will make you cheer, cry, and believe again.

1. Brick Road (2025) — Drama/Youth

A high school dropout opens a tiny ramen stall in an alley, trying to escape a violent past. As he hires other misfits — a teen mom, an ex-con, a runaway idol trainee — they build a found family and a business worth fighting for. Raw and uplifting.

2. Rough Draft (2026) — Drama/Comedy

A fired comic book artist and three broke roommates start a webtoon company from scratch. With no backing, no audience, and zero luck, they push through rejection after rejection — until one story catches fire. Funny, heartfelt, and creative.

3. Level Zero (2025) — Workplace/Drama

A former janitor lands an internship at a powerful tech firm — but hides his background to fit in. As he rises through grit alone, he shakes up the company’s rigid culture and threatens its corrupt core. Sharp and satisfying.

4. Rise and Grind (2026) — Food/Underdog Drama

A delivery driver with a hidden passion for baking teams up with a disgraced chef to open a late-night dessert shop. Their enemies? A giant food chain and toxic media scandals. Mouthwatering and emotional, with real stakes.

5. Not For Sale (2025) — Drama/Romance

A young auction house worker uncovers illegal dealings inside Korea’s elite art world. With help from a street painter, she goes public — risking everything. A smart, emotional story about art, justice, and standing tall.

6. Golden Trash (2026) — Slice of Life/Drama

A group of sanitation workers launch a recycling startup after their contracts are canceled. The city laughs at them — but they turn waste into wealth and pride. This one is humble, funny, and will hit you right in the heart.

7. Second First Chance (2025) — Legal/Drama

A woman released from prison after a wrongful conviction studies law to help others like her. Along the way, she builds a free legal aid center for the poor. Fierce, emotional, and powerful.

8. Off Record (2026) — Music/Drama

A fired idol trainee starts over as an indie producer in a dingy basement studio. With a few forgotten talents and one viral hit, she builds a label from the ground up. Think underdog energy with a killer soundtrack.

9. One Coin at a Time (2025) — Family/Drama

A single dad running a claw machine business tries to keep his daughter in school while clearing debts. It’s a small story, but deeply human — and the little wins feel huge.

10. The Grounders (2026) — Sports/Drama

A college baseball team made up of walk-ons, outcasts, and ex-dropouts decides to go pro. No sponsor. No coach. Just pure grit. If you like rooting for the ones no one believes in, this one’s for you.

11. Burned Pages (2025) — Healing/Drama

A dropout librarian with a criminal record helps rebuild a burned-down community library. Each person who comes in brings their own pain — and slowly, they help each other heal. Quiet, soulful, and full of redemption.

12. Unseen (2026) — Thriller/Underdog Story

A blind man sues the country’s biggest media group for defamation — and sparks a national legal war. With no legal background, he takes them on using only logic, grit, and public support. One of the boldest stories of the year.