Haarini Angappan Balasubramaniam, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
The historical genre of films and dramas in Korea is usually known as Sageuk. The word ‘Sageuk’ contains two characters Sa and Geuk. Sa means history and Geuk means theatre play. The Korean television industry produces a variety of historical dramas varying from Goguryeo in the 1st century to the Korean Empire in the 1900s. Sageuks are usually of two types, Fusion and Period. Fusion dramas are based on real historical events and figures with fictional elements. Period dramas are only set in the past and do not include any historical events that actually took place. It is completely fictional.
Picture Credits: MyDramaList
Why should you watch Sageuks?
The Wide Variety of Genre
Though Sageuk is a genre in itself, it includes a lot of other genres like romance, action, comedy, medical, sci-fi, fantasy, and even horror. A lot of people have a misconception that Sageuks are old and boring because it is all about history. But the truth is there is a mix of genres that are not usually seen in period or historical pieces. There are Sageuks about time travel, astronomy, physics, medicine, and even vampires and zombies.
The Vibrant Back-Drop
Sageuks are very colourful and picturesque. The beautiful costumes and the lavish palace simply mesmerize the viewers. The eye-catching hanboks (traditional outfits), alluring ornaments, lively and bustling marketplace, simple yet attractive hanoks (traditional houses), and the traditional arts and performances make it impossible not to fall for them.
Picture Credits: riNux
The History
The history shown in Sageuks may not always be 100% accurate but it does give us a glimpse of the history. There are dramas based on historical events such as the creation of hangul (the Korean alphabet) and the foundation of Hwarang (a group of elite warriors of the Silla dynasty). There are also dramas based on the life of historical figures such as Dae Jang-geum (a royal female physician), Empress Ki (a Korean-born Chinese empress), Heo Jun ( the greatest physician of Joseon), Jang Yeong-Sil (a scientist), and Hwang Jini (a gisaeng and poet).
The Star Cast
The most famous actors and actresses are cast in Sageuks. A lot of these dramas have a large number of star cast. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo and Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth are two very famous Sageuks. Moon Lovers’ cast includes IU, Lee Joon-gi, Ji-soo, Kang Ha-neul, and Baek-hyun. The drama Hwarang stars Go Ara, Park Seo-joon, Park Hyung-sik, Choi Min-ho, and V. The action-loving actor Lee Joon-gi is known as the ‘Prince of Sageuk’ as he has done a lot of sageuk dramas.
Picture Credits: MyDramaList
The Charms of Sageuks
Gender Bender
Gender benders are extremely popular in the K-Drama world. Be it a drama set in the 21st century or the Joseon dynasty, gender benders are always fun. It is so common in Sageuks which makes the viewers wonder, ‘Was gender bender a real thing in the Joseon dynasty?’. Some of the most popular gender-bender Sageuks are Mr. Queen, Tale of Nokdu, Love in the Moonlight, Sungkyungwan Scandals, and Splash Splash Love.
The Palace Politics
Every Sageuk has a bit of thriller in it. The thriller part comes in the form of palace politics. Palace politics are extremely interesting to watch with all the power struggle that goes on in the palace. It usually involves birth secrets, assassins, poisons, executions, manipulations, deceptions, seduction, and mind games. Empress Ki, Jang Ok Jung’s Living by Love, A Tree with Deep Roots, and The Great Queen Seon Deok are some dramas with intense palace politics.
The Rom-Com
Sageuk rom-coms contain 30% of romance and 70% of comedy. There are so many types of romance like first love, childhood love, selfless love, selfish love, obsessive love, forbidden love, and at last (my favorite) self-love. The male leads in Sageuks are the icons of self-love. This self-love turns into the comedy part of rom-com. The Moon Embracing the Sun, Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryeong, 100 Days My Prince, and My Sassy Girl are some famous rom-coms.
Picture Credits: MyDramaList
Sageuks offers a variety of content to the viewers. Those who are hesitating to watch Sageuks because you think it might be boring and old, I would like to say that it is anything but boring. So go ahead and give it a try and if you don’t know where to start, here are some recommendations and don’t forget to tell us about your favourite sageuks in the comment section.
- Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (Drama)
- Kingdom (Zombie)
- Mr. Sunshine (Melodrama)
- Jewel in the Palace (History)
- Gu Family Book (Fantasy)
- Empress Ki (Drama)
- Six Flying Dragons (Action)
- Haechi (Politics)
