These Korean historical dramas will take you through the different eras and dynasties of South Korea. Through these k-dramas, you will be immersed in the history and culture of South Korea. Dive into these beautiful historical dramas, beautiful cinematography, amazing ethenic costumes, and South Korean traditions and rituals.
The costumes, the dynasties and their rulers, the lavish tales with the twist of political struggle, there’s a lot to like about period dramas.
15 Korean Historical Drama List
Let’s travel to the historical time period with these amazing Korean Historical Dramas.
15. Moon Embracing The Sun
Genres: Historical, Romance, Supernatural
Episodes: 20
Release Date: January 4, 2012
It tells the story of King Lee Hwon’s love for a female shaman named Wol. Wol was born into a noble family and rose to become the crown princess, but she was captured and sentenced to death. She eventually became a shaman.
14. Love In The Moonlight
Genres: Historical, Comedy, Romance, Drama
Episodes: 18
Release Date: August 22, 2016
A young Joseon lady who has spent her whole life as a man is assigned to the royal palace as a eunuch, where she develops a bond with the crown prince.
13. The Emperor: Owner Of The Mask
Genres: Historical, Romance, Drama, Political
Episodes: 40
Release Date: May 10, 2017
Crown Prince Lee Sun battles Pyunsoo Hwe in the 1700s. Pyunsoo Hwe is a group that has acquired power and fortune by privatising water throughout Joseon. Crown Prince Lee Sun becomes a beacon of hope for those who are suffering. Crown Prince Lee Sun adores Ga-Eun, and she assists him in his rise as a king.
12. 100 Days My Prince
Genres: Historical, Comedy, Romance, Drama
Episodes: 16
Release Date: September 10, 2018
Lee Yool is the Crown Prince, yet he vanishes without a trace. One hundred days later, he returns to the palace. For the past hundred days, what has happened to the Crown Prince? Meanwhile, Hong-Sim is intelligent and operates Joseon’s first private detective business.
11. Hwarang: The Poet Warrior
Genres: Action, Historical, Comedy, Romance
Episodes: 20
Release Date: December 2017
During Korea’s ancient Three Kingdoms period, an elite squad of young warriors trained in morals and martial skills discovers love and friendship in Silla.
10. The King: Eternal Monarch
Genres: Mystery, Romance, Drama, Sci-Fi
Episodes: 16
Release Date: April 17, 2020
Lee Gon (Lee Min Ho), a modern-day Emperor of the Kingdom of Korea, tries to break through the barrier into an alternate reality in which the Republic of Korea stands in for the Kingdom. He runs across detective Jung Tae-Eul, whom he recognises from an identity card he got during a childhood incident in his life: the assassination of his father.
09. Mr Sunshine
Genres: Military, Historical, Romance, Melodrama
Episodes: 24
Release Date: July 7, 2018
Mr Sunshine is about a little boy who is born into a family of house servants and travels to the United States during the Shinmiyangyo of 1871. (U.S. expedition to Korea). Later, as a US marine officer, he returns to his homeland. He meets and falls in love with Go Ae Shin (Kim Tae Ri), the daughter of an aristocrat. At the same time, he uncovers a scheme to colonise Korea by foreign powers.
08. Legend Of The Blue Sea
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Episodes: 20
Release Date: November 16, 2017
The Legend of the Blue Sea is a story of Shim Cheong (Jun Ji-Hyun), a mermaid, and Heo Joon-Jae (Lee Min-ho), a witty con artist. Set in two different time periods, Josean Era and modern-day n Seoul. In Joseon Era, Joon Jae was the village chief and helped the mermaid from getting killed by the villagers. Now, he has taken rebirth and is now a con artist, a very skilled scammer with magician like abilities.
07. Mr Queen
Genres: Historical, Romantic comedy, Fantasy, Bodyswap
Total Episodes: 16
Release Date: December 12, 2021
This drama is set in Joseon Era, One day the spirit of a chef at the President’s house finds its way into the body of a Queen and causes chaos in the palace. Today, Chang Bong Hwan works as a cook at President’s Blue House. He has a free heart, but his heart somehow got into the body of Queen Kim So-Yeon during the Joseon Dynasty.
06. Kingdom
Genres: Historical period, Political drama, Horror, Thriller
No. of seasons: 2
No. of episodes: 12
Original release: January 25, 2019 –; present
The first season of Kingdom is set during Korea’s Joseon Dynasty, three years after the Imjin War, and follows Crown Prince Lee Chang and his servants as they come across an abnormal plague that resurrects the dead. During his probe into a developing political intrigue and reports of Joseon’s death. In the middle of the turmoil and death, Chang encounters allies who try to stop the virus from spreading deeper into the province in the city-state of Sangju, only to learn that the plague has already adapted.
The second season continues up amid Lee Chang’s battle to protect his people from the plague and his dynasty from the manipulations of the powerful Haewon Cho clan, which is hiding a deadly secret.
05. Lovers Of The Red Sky
Episodes: 16
Genre: Historical; ‎Romance‎; ‎Fantasy‎
Original release: August 30, 2021
A fantasy romance historical drama in which the writer’s creativity is added to the account of the Joseon Dynasty’s only female painter, as recorded in historical documents. It depicts Hong Chun-gi, a female painter who entered the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Ha-ram (Ahn Hyo Seop), a blind man who could read the skies and constellations, and Prince An-pyeong, a beauty-loving artist.
04. The King’s Affection
Genres: Romance, Historical Drama, Comedy
Episodes: 20
Release Date: October 11 2021
The Crown Princess Consort gives birth to twins during the Joseon Dynasty, but the girl is sent away to save her life. Years later, the twin son is killed in an accident, and his sister is forced to assume his identity and kingdom while concealing her true identity.
03. Bloody Heart
Episodes: 16
Genres: Historical, Romance, Drama, Political
Release Date: May 2, 2022
Bloody Heart is a fictional historical drama about King Seonjong, who rises to the throne as a result of a rebellion, and Lee Tae (Lee Joon), who succeeds him. It’s a gory court romance that emerges as they point their swords at one another’s throats.
02. The Red Sleeve
Genres: Romance, Historical drama, Political
Episodes: 17
Release Date: Nov 2021- Jan 2022
The Red Sleeve drama is set in Joseon Era, it depicts the love story of a crown prince who falls in love with a court maid.
Doek Im (Lee Se Young) is a court maid with whom crown prince San (Lee Jun Ho) falls in love, the storyline is very interesting in that he hides his identity of being the crown prince from her and started to fall in love with her, when she finds the truth about him being the crown prince, she hides her feelings from him and refuses to become his concubine. It is very interesting to see how they will conquer their love amidst the political tension in the palace.
01. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
Genres: Romance, Politics, Historical Drama, Action, Fantasy
Episodes: 20
Release Date: August 2016
During a solar eclipse, a 25-year-old, 21st-century lady, Go Ha-jin (IU), is transported back in time, to the Goryeo Dynasty. She wakes up in the year 941, within the body of Hae Soo, among the numerous sovereigns of the administering Wang family, amid the rule of Ruler Taejo. She falls in love with the eighth prince (Lee Joon Gi). It is interesting to see whether they will conquer their love amid political tension. Undoubtedly, the best historical kdrama of all time.
Hope you liked the list of best Korean historical drama and added some of them to your watchlist.
Image Credits: Respective Owners, Promotional Posters
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