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Dramas or movies with heavy & very mature subject matter?

elumia Author

Looking for things that aren't for the faint of heart, things that stay with you and have an ever-lasting impact. I'll leave it at that, because I'm not looking for a certain topic in particular. However you want to interpret it is fine. Bonus points if it ends with silver lining and isn't completely tragic and depressing at the end.

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minyoung

hmm... i'm not sure if it really fits your desire, but maybe you can try watch smoking (jp). it's quite bloody but i like the family-ship among the main actors. but it's not like it particularly leave an ever-lasting impact.

for that kind of drama, i would suggest designated survivor: 60 days (kr). it's just a normal drama- pg13. but it kinda left an impression in me. How good guys can win, how a president can become someone who genuinely nice and not corrupt, it just.. felt really good.

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miratheway

I watch a lot of them. I will only write the ones i liked and the ones that is on my plan to watch list.

-Better Days. its a movie. it starts out as if it is a high school drama but it actually has a heavy subject. the acting of the leads is great. i liked it.
-The Hymn of Death. this one was also very good, genre is romance. its a movie. it is based on a real story. starts out weird. not exactly a happy story i should tell you.
-Ayla The Daughter of War, this is also a true story about a soldier and a small girl he found between dead bodies. He takes care of her, becomes her father. but it is not as easy as it sounds. spoiler: the soldier passed away 2 years ago in real life.
-Hwayi a Monster Boy is also good. it is about a gang leader kidnapping a boy and bringing him up like his own. a thriller movie.
-I have one that i havent watched yet - Hope. it has real heavy stuff i believe. i am not ready to watch that for now. note that it has sexual harassment as a tag.
-Another one that is on my list but havent watched yet - Silenced. a movie. i think its kinda similar with hope.
-The Handmaiden. its different from what you aer looking for but this one is also heavy stuff. psychological stuff. note that is has nudity, homosexuality and sexual content.
-Strangers From Hell. this is also very psychological. a horror movie. i liked this one a lot. but it may differ from what you are looking for because the genre is horror. the lead actor's acting is awesome. the movie basically shows you the process of him slowly losing his mind. adapted from a webtoon. i wanted to read it too but it has no english versions.
-Forgotten. It is also psychological but maybe you wouldn't like this one. still, just saying.
-Innocent Witness is on my plan to watch list. its about a mans housekeeper being murdered and a girl with aspergers syndrome being the only witness.
-The Most Beautiful Goodbye - a movie i also haven't watched yet. its about a woman that loves her family so much but has to say goodbye because she has a terminal stage cancer. This one has low rated reviews so maybe you might want to pass this one if you read them.
-Sachiiro no One Room is a movie that is about a girl being kidnapped but being happier there than at home. kind of a stockholm syndrome.
-Chugakusei Nikki - a jdrama. this one is about a teacher and her high school student falls in love with her and she reciprocates his feelings. as illegal as it is, the movie is showing different aspects of the situation. her struggle of trying to do the right thing, not being able to throw her feelings away, the pressure of her family, the pressure of her neighbours about being late to marry, a boy that has a full future ahead of him and being ready to throw everything away for love, a man getting dumped because his fiancee has feelings for a teenage boy, a woman trying to keep her sanity because her son is getting involved in something he shouldn't ever. note that this drama is highly criticized in japan because of its subject.
-If Cat Disappeared From the World - i haven't watched it. It is about a man having a terminal stage tumor and someone offers to extend his life if he picks something that will disappear from his life.

i was actually gonna write more but i decided that i should stop now lol

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Peephole

An everlasting impact? Heavy? I really love those, but they are very difficult to find, since there are many serious dramas but not many that leave that great impact. I feel that older dramas were more like that. I think it also depends on the person watching.  Here are some that I thought were good

Cruel City

Bad Guy

Children of Nobody

One Spring Night

Just Between Lovers

Empress Ki

My Golden Life

That Winter, The Wind Blows

Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People

Live

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PrettyCarEye

There are two ways one could interpret your request. 

Not for the faint of heart, leaves an impression -

Mindfuckery:

  • Visitor Q
  • In the Realm of The Senses
  • Moebius

Weird (but good):

  • Anti-Porn
  • Cold Fish
  • Audition
  • Confession
  • Wet Woman In The Wind

Things that stay with you & leaves a lasting impression - meaningful, earnest, heart-tugging, 

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AH

Mr. Sunshine - Set during the Japanese occupation of Korea and the years leading up to the occupation. It deals with romance, camaraderie, class differences, gender roles, Korean identity (including those who grow up abroad), and politics / rebellion. The ending is 98% tragic. The silver lining is that the FL lives to continue her fight. 

Misty - This one follows a famous and fearless female reporter. It deals with murder, stigma, class, corruption, the role of journalists in society, and more. The end is slightly tragic, as the FL is betrayed by a flawed character and it is heavily implied that he kills himself. Although the FL's ending isn't all sunshine and roses, it's not too bad.

The Smile Has Left Your Eyes - This drama deals with adoption, mental health, forbidden love, and multiple murders. The ending is 99% tragic with the only silver lining being that the leads died together after telling each other they loved each other and knowing the truth about their past and the fact that they are not siblings.

My Ahjusshi - The main characters in this drama have been dealt crappy hands in life and are living miserably - more surviving than living. The drama deals with murder, stigma, infidelity, family obligations, corporate politics / corruption, and building meaningful relationships / finding happiness in life despite the unfairness and cruelty of the hands they have been dealt. Some fans were disappointed that the ML and FL did not have an explicitly romantic happy ending, but the ending is open to interpretation and is a happy one.

Come and Hug Me - This drama deals with complicated biological and non-biological family situations, murder, stigma, stalking, panic disorders and redemption. This one does not have a tragic ending.

Secret - This drama deals with murder, betrayal and revenge but it had a happy ending.

The Rise of Phoenixes - Deals with murder, revenge, and politics and the ending is tragic and I didn't enjoy the drama because of the ending. This is a historical drama.

Time - Deals with murder, class, corruption, attempted suicide, and a terminal illness. I don't remember whether it had a silver lining at the end for the FL, but the ML's storyline is completely tragic. I personally didn't enjoy this drama. 

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Reza Hadizadeh

AH gave you the best recommendation specially Misty and My mister

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