Do you like watching Korean dramas? If not, you are missing something really great. Kdramas are as good as other international shows & series. Just take a look at Squid game & D.P.
Kdramas comes in a variety of genres such as action, romance, thriller, slice of life, comedy, mystery, sad, and many more. There are tons of excellent dramas in all of these genres.
Dramas have a great plot, acting, romance, comedy & suspense. They are quite good to watch with family too. If you are looking for some good Kdrama recommendations, read on.
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Best Historical Kdramas
Sometimes you just want to leave yourself from the present and immerse in the past, taking a break from all of your everyday stresses and problems. Don’t worry, Kdramas are here.
If you want to watch some historical dramas whether it be a romance between king & maid, political drama, revenge of a man or exchange of bodies, here are some good historical dramas you can watch.
These Kdramas are set in history period like Joseon period & the clothes are attractive. Though this list is made by looking through the storyline, ratings & reviews by the audience, don’t fear to try other dramas.
1. Mr. Queen
Hangul: 철인왕후
Year: 2020
Bong Hwan works as a chef at the Blue House in the present day. He has a free spirit, but his spirit ends up in Queen So Yong’s body in the Joseon period. So Yong will find out that her husband has some secrets and is not as kind as he seems.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Shin Hye Sun as Kim So Yong
- Kim Jung Hyun as King Cheoljong
- Bae Jong Ok as Dowager Sunwon
- Kim Tae Woo as Kim Jwa Geun
No. Of Episodes: 20 (75 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
Short Review: Everything about the drama keeps you interested, from the humor to the romance to the small plot twists. There won’t be a time when you’re bored. The story is well written and put together. The drama is one of the highest-rated and must-watch.
2. Kingdom
Hangul: 킹덤
Year: 2019
During the Joseon period, the spirit of a recently dead king comes back, and a mysterious illness starts to spread across the country. To find out what is going on and save his people, the crown prince must deal with a new kind of enemy.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Joo Ji Hoon as Lee Chang
- Ryu Seung Ryong as Jo Hak Joo
- Bae Doo Na as Seo Bi
- Kim Sung Gyu as Young Shin
No. Of Episodes: 6+6 (50 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
Short Review: Kingdom is one of the best and most exciting shows about zombies. The filming is so good that all the zombies seem real. The story is interesting because it takes place in the past and has a zombie outbreak. Read Kingdom Review.
3. Mr. Sunshine
A young boy born into a house servant’s family and travels to the United States during the 1871 Shinmiyangyo. He returns to his homeland later as a U.S. marine officer. He falls in love with an aristocrat’s daughter. At the same time, he discovers a plot by foreign forces to colonize Korea.
Cast –
- Lee Byung Hun as Choi Yoo Jin
- Kim Tae Ri as Go Ae Shin
- Kim Min Jung as Kudo Hina / Lee Yang Hwa
- Yoo Yeon Seok as Gu Dong Mae / Ishida Sho
No. Of Episodes – 24
Watch On – Netflix
4. Six Flying Dragons
Hangul: 육룡이 나르샤
Year: 2015
A historical drama that takes place in Korea during the troubled Joseon dynasty. In the drama, six different people, each with their own talents and personalities, work together to fight for justice and change in their country.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Yoo Ah In as Lee Bang Won
- Kim Myung Min as Jung Do Jeon
- Shin Se Kyung as Boon Yi
- Byun Yo Han as Ddang Sae
No. Of Episodes: 50 (60 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
Short Review: This drama is one of the highest rated historical drama with stunning cinematography, well-developed characters, and rich historical background. It is a must-watch series for everyone irrespective of the genre.
5. The Rebel
Set during the reign of King Yeonsangun, it tells the story of Hong Gil Dong, the son of a servant who stole from the rich and gave to the poor, and his journey in becoming Joseon’s first revolutionist & dissident activist.
Cast –
- Yoon Kyun Sang as Hong Gil Dong
- Chae Soo Bin as Song Ga Ryung
- Kim Ji Suk as Lee Yoong
- Lee Ha Nee as Jang Nok Soo
No. Of Episodes – 30
Watch On – Viki
6. Empress Ki
The drama revolves around Ki Seungnyang, a Goryeo-born woman who had to be a servant at the Mongol Yuan court. She rises to power despite the restrictions of the era’s class system, and later marries the emperor of the Mongol empire to become an empress of the Yuan dynasty.
7. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
When a total eclipse of the sun takes place, Ha Jin is transported back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty. She soon befriends several of the princes and meets the 4th Prince, Wang So. She finds herself caught up in palace politics and the rivalry among the princes as they fight for the throne.
Cast –
- Lee Joon Gi as Wang So
- IU as Go Ha Jin / Hae Soo
- Kang Ha Neul as Wang Wook
- Hong Jong Hyun as Wang Yo
No. Of Episodes – 20
Watch On – Viu
8. The Bridal Mask
Hangul: 각시탈
Year: 2012
In the 1930s, Lee Kang To lives in Korea, which is oppressed by Japanese Imperial rule. Even though he is Korean, he works with the Japanese police to catch “Bridal Mask,” an unknown rebel fighting for Korean independence.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Joo Won as Lee Kang To
- Jin Se Yeon as Oh Mok Dan
- Park Ki Woong as Kimura Shunji
- Han Chae Ah as Ueno Rie
No. Of Episodes: 28 (65 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
Short Review: The drama does a good job of mixing historical facts with fictional characters and events. The main actors give strong performances, especially in scenes that show how hard war and oppression are on people emotionally. The conflict between the two male leads makes it intense.
9. Jewel in The Palace
The story is about a legendary girl, Jang Geum, who became the first woman to be the royal physician. Despite being a low-class girl in the male-dominated society, she landed herself as a royal cook, later becoming the royal physician, then ultimately the physician in charge of the king.
Cast –
- Lee Young Ae as Seo Jang Geum
- Ji Jin Hee as Min Jung Ho
- Hong Ri Na as Choi Geum Yeong
- Im Ho as King Jung Jong
No. Of Episodes – 54
Watch On – Viki
10. Moon Embracing The Sun
A love story between a king & a female shaman. She was born into a noble family and became the crown princess, but was entrapped and faced execution. Now trained as a shaman, she returns to reclaim her rightful position as queen.
Cast –
- Han Ga In as Heo Yeon Woo
- Kim Soo Hyun as Lee Hwon
- Jung Il Woo as Yang Myung
- Kim Min Seo as Yoon Bo Kyung
No. Of Episodes – 20
11. The King’s Affection
The story of a pair of royal twins, one male, and one female. Although the sister is initially abandoned for being female, she later disguises herself as a man to become the crown prince when her brother dies & develops feelings for her teacher.
Cast –
- Park Eun Bin as Lee Hwi
- Rowoon as Jung Ji Woon
- Nam Yoon Su as Lee Hyun
- Bae Yoon Kyung as Shin So Eun
No. Of Episodes – 20
Watch On – Netflix
12. Queen For Seven Days
Based on the tragic Joseon legend, this drama is about the love story between King Jung Jong and his Queen Dangyeong, daughter of a powerful politician who was crowned and deposed within a week due to rival political factions that controlled the king’s rule.
Cast –
- Park Min Young as Shin Chae Kyung
- Yeon Woo Jin as Yi Yeok
- Lee Dong Gun as Yi Yoong
- Jang Hyun Sung as Shin Soo Geun
No. Of Episodes – 20
13. The Red Sleeve
A historical drama that tells the romance of a royal court between Sung Deok Im, a court lady who wants to protect the life she chose and Yi San, an emperor who believes his duty is to his country first above love.
Cast –
- Lee Jun Ho as Yi San / King Jung Jo
- Lee Se Young as Sung Deok Im
- Kang Hoon as Hong Deok Ro
- Lee Deok Hwa as King Young Jo
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Viki
14. 100 Days My Prince
Hangul: 백일의 낭군님
Year: 2018
Crown prince Lee Yul falls off a cliff and nearly dies in an attempted assassination. He loses his memory and wanders for 100 days under a new name and personality. During this period, he meets Hong Shim, head of the first detective agency in Joseon.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Do Kyung Soo as Lee Yul
- Nam Ji Hyun as Hong Shim
- Kim Seon Ho as Jung Jae Yoon
- Han So Hee as Kim So Hye
No. Of Episodes: 16 (70 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
Short Review: The drama deals with themes of love, sacrifice, and the struggles of power and politics. The chemistry between the main actors is good, and the plot is interesting. The drama got good reviews for its beautiful portrayal of the Joseon era. Overall, it’s a worth-watch for fans of the genre.
15. Gu Family Book
Kang Chi is a half-human and half-mythical-creature who was adopted. Yeo Wool is a martial arts master. They meet and fall in love with each other. He discovers the truth about his origins and searches for the mystical Gu Family Book, which holds the secret to becoming fully human.
16. Tale Of Nokdu
Set in the Joseon dynasty, a man disguises as a woman to enter a mysterious women-only village in search of the truth about his birth. He meets a young woman who does not want to become a gisaeng in pursuit of revenge for her family.
17. My Country: The New Age
Set during the end of the Goryeo period to the early Joseon period. Seo Hwi is a warrior and does not compromise when it comes to injustice. Sun Ho is smart and talented. Due to a corruption scandal, he loses his dream. Making things worse, he comes into conflict with Seo Hwi over a misunderstanding.
Cast –
- Yang Se Jong as Seo Hwi
- Woo Do Hwan as Nam Seon Ho
- Kim Seol Hyun as Han Hee Jae
- Jang Hyuk as Lee Bang Won
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Netflix
18. Under The Queen’s Umbrella
The drama follows queen Hwa Ryung, the wife of a great king and the long-suffering mother of five troublemaking sons who cause nothing but headaches for the royal family and are about to be turned into crown princes.
Cast –
- Kim Hye Soo as Im Hwa Ryeong
- Kim Hae Sook as Queen Dowager
- Choi Won Young as King Lee Ho
- Kim Eui Sung as Hwang Won Hyeong
No. Of Episodes – 16
Watch On – Netflix
19. Iljimae
Yong acted as a hooligan in the marketplace by day but at night he was a thief who robbed corrupted government officials. Eun Chae is a government official’s daughter who met him by chance and couldn’t help admiring him.
Cast –
- Lee Joon Gi as Yong / Iljimae
- Han Hyo Joo as Byun Eun Chae
- Lee Young Ah as Bong Soon
- Park Shi Hoo as Byun Shi Hoo
No. Of Episodes – 20
Watch On – Viki
20. Hwarang: Poet Warrior Youth
The drama tells the story of beautiful-looking young men called Hwarang in Silla, one of the three kingdoms of Korea. The warriors include a man from the lowest class of Silla and the hidden king who secretly joins. The men also fall for the maiden Ah Ro.
21. Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung
Set in the early 19th century, Goo Hae Ryung works as a historian. Female historians are generally looked down upon because of their gender. Along with the fight of the female palace historians, the drama will tell her romance with Prince Yi Rim who has a secret of his own.
Cast –
- Shin Se Kyung as Goo Hae Ryung / Hui Yeon
- Cha Eun Woo as Prince Yi Rim / Maehwa
- Lee Ji Hoon as Min Woo Won
- Park Ki Woong as Yi Jin
No. Of Episodes – 40
Watch On – Netflix
22. Alchemy Of Souls
Hangul: 환혼
Year: 2022
Set in a fictional country called Daeho, Jang Wook of the noble Jang family has an unpleasant secret about his birth. He meets Mu Deok, an elite warrior trapped within a physically weak body who becomes his servant and secretly begins teaching him how to fight.
Rating:
Main Cast (Characters):
- Lee Jae Wook as Jang Wook
- Jung So Min as Mu Deok Yi
- Hwang Min Hyun as Seo Yul
- Shin Seung Ho as Go Won
No. Of Episodes: 20 (80 min. each)
Streaming Options (region-specific):
Short Review: The personalities of the characters and the way they interact with each other are interesting and just right. The idea of alchemy and controlling earthly elements with the flow of energy, instead of just calling it magic, was a very new way to show fantasy. A high-rated fantasy drama that you should definitely watch.
Wrapping Up
So, these were the best historical Korean dramas to watch over this weekend. These period dramas are perfect. Get ready with your snacks & let the binge-watching game begin.
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