Summary
- Korean historical dramas range from accurate depictions to supernatural fantasies with romance and action.
- Some series, like Hwarang, Moon Embracing The Sun, and Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung, blend history and fiction.
- Settings range from Joseon Dynasty to Silla Dynasty, with themes of love, power, and social issues.
A big chunk of the Korean movies and TV shows that are currently trending include historical dramas, also known as Sageuk. There are plenty of period pieces made in Korea, thanks in part to the pristine ancient and medieval sites throughout the country that are often used as sets.
South Korean historical dramas include everything from completely accurate recreations of real events to dark, apocalyptic fantasies involving the supernatural. All of them are romantic on some level, and also include incredible costuming, fight scenes, and other exciting details that make historical dramas so popular. These are some of the best ones to check out.
10 Best Manhwas That Got Adapted Into K-Dramas
The following series are some of the best Manhwas that were adapted into K-dramas.
6 Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth
Martial Arts Of The Silla Dynasty
Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2016 - 2017-00-00
- Network
- KBS2
- Directors
- Kim Young-jo
- Seasons
- 1
The Silla was one of the mightiest civilizations to ever exist on the Korean Peninsula. At the height of its power, it held sway over the eastern half of the country, including regions well into North Korea. The Hwarang were an elite force assembled by Queen Jiso in the 6th century to protect not only herself, but her son, who would take the throne when he came of age.
The Hwarang were a real group of young warriors that represented different walks of medieval Korean life, including a few secret twists, such as the clever queen disguising her own son in their number. The main character, a commoner nicknamed Dog Bird, is based on a real character who rose to legendary status in Korean history.
5 Moon Embracing The Sun
The Shaman Queen
Moon Embracing The Sun
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2012 - 2012-00-00
Although this series is set in a real historical time, its characters and plot are fantasy, adapted from a novel of the same title by Jung Eun-gwol. The story is about palace intrigue, ancient magic, and karmic justice, and doesn't hold back when it comes to how far people will go to pursue and hold on to power.
Moon Embracing The Sun begins with an assassination arranged by the Queen Dowager, but it is witnessed by A-ri, a shaman serving the royal household. She is caught and executed for treason, but vows to protect the unborn child of the Chief Scholar, who has an auspicious future. This is the main character of the show, Heo Yeon-woo, who eventually returns to the palace as an accomplished shaman. Her return opens up a love triangle between her, the Crown Prince, and his older half-brother.
4 Knight Flower
The Double Life Of A Widow
- Release Date: January 12, 2024 (South Korea)
- Directed By: Jang Tae-yoo; Choi Jung-in; Lee Chang-woo;
- Executive Producer: Park Soo-young
The Joseon era lasted for more than 500 years, starting in the 12th century and ending in 1837. Records still exist of several prominent noble families. The main character of Knight Flower is based on a person who could have existed, but it's essentially a work of fiction.
10 Best Manhwas That Got Adapted Into K-Dramas
The following series are some of the best Manhwas that were adapted into K-dramas.
By day, Jo Yeo-hwa seems to be little more than a widow living comfortably but quietly in her luxurious family home. But at night, she escapes the confines of her home to become a masked vigilante and master of the sword. The show is equal parts comedy, drama, and action. Part of the charm is that it is set and filmed at the Songso Historic House, a national folklore cultural heritage site and popular tourist destination.
3 Captivating The King
Politics, Love, & Social Warfare
Captivating the King
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2024 - 2024-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Main Genre
- Drama
The literal translation of this show is Spy, the Fascinated, which makes little sense in English, but gives away a key twist in the plot. One of the main characters is a woman named Kang Hee-soo. She disguises herself as a man to get closer to the king and exact revenge, but her hate eventually turns to love.
This is just one of a few storylines running through this series, which also recounts a turbulent time when the King of Joseon had to confront the Qing Dynasty, including when they took his brother hostage in lieu of an heir. It wasn't only politics that was perilous at the time, but also reading and writing, with the relatively new system of Hanguel just developed and often banned by the Qing.
Many of the battles with the Chinese ended badly for Korea, and the whole series opens up with King Yi ceding ground. This act puts him at odds with the local people, including a young girl named Kang Hee-soo.
2 Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung
A Career Disguised As A Man
Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2019 - 2019-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Creator(s)
- Sohn Hyung-suk
The Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty is a real historical document that still exists in Korea, and it's a detailed account of the royal families, events, and other important details of the Joseon Dynasty. This comedy/drama series is a fictionalized account of where these records came from, who compiled them, and why they're an important part of Korean history.
13 Best Korean Horror Shows
For those who love Korean television and appreciate a good scare, these shows are essential to add to your watch list.
Maewha is a romance novelist who has the whole town swept up in his buttery stories, and older people blame the fad for women getting ideas about finding love instead of settling for arranged marriages. One of the main themes of the show is the objectification of women during this period, along with how few rights people of lower birth could have, and the resistance against these traditions.
1 Kingdom
The Undead Of The 17th Century
Kingdom
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2019 - 2020-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Kim Seong-hun, Park In-je
It's a time of war, famine, and zombies in the final decades of the Joseon Dynasty. It's hunger that drives a starving village of farmers and peasants to eat a recently deceased messenger, even though he died of a mysterious illness. When the sun sets, they rise as zombies. Prince Chang sets out to investigate this mysterious illness and eventually finds and enlists the help of a local herbalist, Seo-bi.
What follows is a dangerous, terrifying adventure into dark magic and the occult when a mysterious plant, which only grows in cold places underground, is isolated as the source of the sickness. The show's heroes also meet a character named Ashin, the main character in her own separate prequel movie that reveals the source and start of the zombie plague.
10 Best Korean Crime Movies
Fans of crime fiction are missing out if they haven't yet seen these masterpieces from Korea.