Amnesia/Mental Variance/Coma/Brains
***SPOILERS***
I originally made this list in order to avoid dramas with amnesia, but I found that many of my favorites contained bouts of amnesia. I've begrudgingly accepted amnesia as an overused plotline (seriously, Koreans should outlaw white trucks, as they seem to cause 75% of the amnesia victims; and what is it about Koreans that a slight tap on the head invariably results in amnesia?!).
Conversely, I'm drawn to dramas with characters who live with brain dysfunctions such as prosopagnosia (I have a special list just for that), OCD, or other neural conditions that challenge daily life. I'm especially engaged with short-term memory loss (like Devilish Joy) where the character has to journal his life in order to understand it (been there; done that); if you have any K-drama recommendations for those, I'd appreciate them.
P.S. I'm beginning to think I should have made a list strictly for dramas that did NOT contain amnesia. It might have been shorter.
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101. Good Doctor
Japanese Drama - 2018, 10 episodes
Autism: Shindo Minato has savant syndrome. His memory is amazing, but he has difficulty communicating with other people.
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102. Good Job
Korean Drama - 2022, 12 episodes
Amnesia.
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103. Goodbye My Princess: Director's Cut
Chinese Drama - 2019, 55 episodes
Amnesia.
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104. Guess Who I Am
Chinese Drama - 2024, 24 episodes
Amnesia; trauma resulting in fear of fire; dissociative disorder.
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105. Gyeongseong Creature
Korean Drama - 2023, 10 episodes
Amnesia.
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106. Gyeongseong Creature Season 2
Korean Drama - 2024, 7 episodes
Amnesia.
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107. Haeundae Lovers
Korean Drama - 2012, 16 episodes
Amnesia.
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108. Hard to Find
Chinese Drama - 2024, 28 episodes
Amnesia.
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109. He Is Psychometric
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
" Lee Ahn gains the ability of psychometry, which allows him to read a person or object's past through physical contact.
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110. He Who Can't Marry
Japanese Drama - 2006, 12 episodes
OCD; Mental Illness.
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111. Healer
Korean Drama - 2014, 20 episodes
PTSD; panic attacks.
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112. Heart to Heart
Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
Trauma.
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113. Hello Monster
Korean Drama - 2015, 16 episodes
Psychopath. Sociopath.
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114. Hello Mr. Gu
Chinese Drama - 2021, 30 episodes
Mental Illness. Enochlophobia (fear of crowds).
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115. Hello, the Sharpshooter
Chinese Drama - 2022, 40 episodes
Mental Illness; selective amnesia; PTSD. Both ML and FL suffered trauma.
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116. High School Frenemy
Thai Drama - 2024, 16 episodes
Autism.
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117. Hikikomori Sensei
Japanese Drama - 2021, 5 episodes
"Uwashima Yohei is a so-called "hikikomori survivor" who was withdrawn from the world for 11 years."
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118. Hong Xiu An Wei
Chinese Drama - 2023, 27 episodes
Amnesia.
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119. Hunted
Korean Drama - 2022, 4 episodes
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120. Hyde, Jekyll, Me
Korean Drama - 2015, 20 episodes
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121. I Cannot Hug You
Chinese Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
Mysophobia (fear of germs).
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122. I Cannot Hug You Season 2
Chinese Drama - 2018, 16 episodes
Mysophobia (fear of germs).
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123. I Have Three Boyfriends
Korean Drama - 2019, 10 episodes
Amnesia.
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124. I Hear Your Voice
Korean Drama - 2013, 18 episodes
Amnesia.
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125. I Wanna Hear Your Song
Korean Drama - 2019, 32 episodes
Amnesia.
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126. I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK
Korean Movie - 2006
Mental Illness.
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127. I'm Not a Robot
Korean Drama - 2017, 32 episodes
Haphephobia (fear or dislike of touching or being touched).
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128. Iari: Mienai Kao
Japanese Drama - 2018, 6 episodes
Brainwashing.
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129. If Cats Disappeared from the World
Japanese Movie - 2016
Amnesia, Brain Tumor.
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130. In Your Radiant Season
Korean Drama - 2026, 12 episodes
Amnesia.
[A man lost his hearing and memory through an accident and meets a woman who became a savior to him.]
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131. Innocent Witness
Korean Movie - 2019
Autism, Disability, Asperger's.
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132. Introverted Boss
Korean Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
Severe PTSD. Anxiety disorder. OCD.
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133. IRIS 2
Korean Drama - 2013, 20 episodes
Amnesia.
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134. It's Okay to Not Be Okay
Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
Mental illness.
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135. It's Okay, That's Love
Korean Drama - 2014, 16 episodes
Schizophrenia. Tourette's Syndrome.
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136. Itaewon Class
Korean Drama - 2020, 16 episodes
ML had autistic tendencies. FL was sociopathic.
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137. Joy of Life
Chinese Drama - 2019, 46 episodes
Wu Zhu suffered memory loss, which plagued him and kept him off balance. Due to that, he preferred to remain hidden and often was concerned that he might be responsible for things that occurred without him remembering.
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138. Joy of Life Season 2
Chinese Drama - 2024, 36 episodes
Wu Zhu suffered memory loss, which plagued him and kept him off balance. Due to that, he preferred to remain hidden and often was concerned that he might be responsible for things that occurred without him remembering.
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139. Judge vs. Judge
Korean Drama - 2017, 32 episodes
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140. Keys to the Heart
Korean Movie - 2018
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141. Kill Me, Heal Me
Korean Drama - 2015, 20 episodes
Multiple personalities. Memory loss and dissociation.
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142. Killer and Healer
Chinese Drama - 2021, 37 episodes
Bipolar Disorder.
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143. Kururi 〜Who’s in Love with me〜
Japanese Drama - 2024, 11 episodes
Amnesia.
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144. L.U.C.A.: The Beginning
Korean Drama - 2021, 12 episodes
Amnesia.
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145. Left-Handed Wife
Korean Drama - 2019, 103 episodes
Amnesia.
"During their honeymoon, Soo Ho has an accident and loses his memory."
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146. Legend of Fu Yao
Chinese Drama - 2018, 66 episodes
Fu Yao doesn't recall her early childhood.
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147. Let's Watch the Meteor Shower Again
Chinese Drama - 2010, 36 episodes
Amnesia.
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148. Liar x Liar
Japanese Movie - 2021
OCD.
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149. Lie to Love
Chinese Drama - 2021, 32 episodes
Faked amnesia.
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150. Light of My Lion
Japanese Drama - 2024, 11 episodes
Autism.
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151. Light Shop
Korean Drama - 2024, 8 episodes
Coma.
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152. Lion Pride
Taiwanese Drama - 2017, 16 episodes
Amnesia.
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153. Literalism
Korean Drama - 2026
Amnesia.
[The story revolves around Kwon Soo Young who lost his memory and gets involved in a power struggle.]
This makes three projects in a row where Seo In Guk plays a lead with amnesia. He had amnesia in Shopping King Louie, too.
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154. Longing for Spring
Korean Drama - 2014, 4 episodes
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155. Lost Love in Times
Chinese Drama - 2017, 56 episodes
Memories erased.
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156. Lost Romance
Taiwanese Drama - 2020, 20 episodes
Coma; Nyctophobia.
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157. Love and Redemption
Chinese Drama - 2020, 59 episodes
Chu Xuan Ji has had her memories tampered with.
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158. Love in Time
Chinese Drama - 2020, 24 episodes
Nyctophobia.
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159. Love Me If You Dare
Chinese Drama - 2015, 24 episodes
Bo Jinyan, a brilliant criminal psychologist, has the ability to get into the minds of even the most mysterious and violent criminals.
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160. Love of Replica
Chinese Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
Amnesia; coma.
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161. Love of the Divine Tree
Chinese Drama - 2025, 40 episodes
Amnesia.
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162. Love Reset
Korean Movie - 2023
Amnesia.
"But, on the day that they applied for a divorce, they get into a car accident. When they wake up at the hospital, they have both lost their memories and do not remember each other."
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163. Love Scout
Korean Drama - 2025, 12 episodes
Insomnia.
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164. Love Script
Chinese Drama - 2020, 24 episodes
"Involved in a car accident at a young age, he developed a strange neurosis that worsened with time. Believing he is the Ming Dynasty’s Emperor Jianwen, Xuan Wen cares only for the prosperity of his imaginary empire."
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165. Love under the Full Moon
Chinese Drama - 2021, 24 episodes
Amnesia.
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166. Love Unexpected
Chinese Drama - 2021, 24 episodes
Trauma; alexithymia (emotional blindness, an inability to recognize one’s emotions; causes difficulty in relationships and attachments).
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167. Lovely Runner
Korean Drama - 2024, 16 episodes
Brain impairment.
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168. Lovers of Music
Korean Drama - 2014, 16 episodes
Amnesia.
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169. Lucid Dream
Korean Movie - 2017
"Dae Ho can purposefully control his dream environment while lucid dreaming."
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170. Luck-Key
Korean Movie - 2016
Amnesia.
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171. Mad for Each Other
Korean Drama - 2021, 13 episodes
Mental illness; trauma; anxiety disorder; anger management.
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172. Maid's Revenge
Chinese Drama - 2022, 30 episodes
Pretend amnesia. The drama had every other trope, so why not fake amnesia, too? Dead parents, love triangle, noble idiocy, cruel potential mother-in-law, identity switch, childhood connection of the lovers, giving first aid, misunderstandings, time skip, etc.
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173. Marry Me Again
Chinese Drama - 2025, 31 episodes
Fake amnesia.
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174. Mars
Taiwanese Drama - 2004, 13 episodes
Trauma.
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175. Mask
Korean Drama - 2015, 20 episodes
Trauma; aquaphobia.
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176. Master's Delicacies
Korean Drama - 2022, 6 episodes
Mental illness; eating disorder.
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177. Me and My Delicate Husband
Chinese Drama - 2023, 24 episodes
Amnesia.
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178. Meeting You
Chinese Drama - 2020, 28 episodes
Social anxiety disorder.
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179. Meeting You Loving You
Chinese Drama - 2021, 24 episodes
Memory erasure: "Su Zhi Nian, a transfer student with hidden powers, defends himself and Song Qing Chun from bullies with those powers. However, he discovers that his abilities don't work when she touches him, an unprecedented development. To protect his secret, he erases her memory of it."
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180. Meloholic
Korean Drama - 2017, 10 episodes
Dissociative Identity Disorder.
"Yoo Eun Ho has a special ability which allows him to read the minds of other people when he places his hand on them. Due to his special ability, he can't open his mind to anyone. One day, he meets Han Ye Ri. He is able to discern that what she says is actually what she thinks, but he also learns that she has two different personalities."
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181. Melting Me Softly
Korean Drama - 2019, 16 episodes
Technically, not a coma but frozen for two decades.
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182. Memoir of a Murderer
Korean Movie - 2017
"Former serial killer Byung Soo, diagnosed with Alzheimer's due to a traffic accident 17 years ago, begins to fear he may be responsible for recent murders during his memory lapses."
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183. Memory
Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
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184. Memory Lost
Chinese Drama - 2016, 12 episodes
Amnesia.
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185. Memory Lost Season 2
Chinese Drama - 2016, 12 episodes
Amnesia.
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186. Memory Lost Season 3
Chinese Drama - 2016, 12 episodes
Amnesia.
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187. Mermaid Prince
Korean Drama - 2020, 6 episodes
Tactile Agnosia (inability to recognize objects by touch).
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188. Meteor Garden Season 2
Taiwanese Drama - 2002, 31 episodes
Amnesia.
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189. Miracle in Cell No. 7
Korean Movie - 2013
Intellectual disability; neurodevelopmental disorder.
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190. Miraculous Brothers
Korean Drama - 2023, 16 episodes
Amnesia.
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191. Miss Ye in Wonderland
Chinese Drama - 2022, 24 episodes
Coma.
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192. Moon Embracing the Sun
Korean Drama - 2012, 20 episodes
Amnesia.
"She orders the head shaman to cast a spell on Yeon Woo to strike her with an unknown sickness. After dying, Yeon Woo is resurrected from her grave but loses her memories. "
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193. Moorim School
Korean Drama - 2016, 16 episodes
Amnesia.
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194. Mouse
Korean Drama - 2021, 20 episodes
Brain damage. Brain repair. And I stopped there, because it was too intense and horrifying for me. I'll return eventually.
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195. Mouse: The Predator
Korean Special - 2021, 2 episodes
Psychopath.
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196. Move to Heaven
Korean Drama - 2021, 10 episodes
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197. Mr. Brain
Japanese Drama - 2009, 8 episodes
Neuroscientist who tackles crimes from devious minds.
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198. Murphy's Law of Love
Taiwanese Drama - 2015, 19 episodes
Mental illness.
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199. My Amazing Boyfriend
Chinese Drama - 2016, 28 episodes
Coma.
"Mutant Xue Ling Qiao, who has been asleep for centuries, is awakened by the unlucky actress Tian Jing Zhi in a fatal car accident."
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200. My Cherie Amour
Thai Drama - 2024, 19 episodes
Autism.



































































































