5 Historical K-dramas You Must Watch on Netflix

Bagmita Gogoi , Tinsukia, Assam

Do you fancy historical K-dramas? Does your delulu heart long for fantasy-filled periodic dramas? Then here is the solulu for your next binge-watching marathon on Netflix. Check out some of the best historical Korean Dramas here:

Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth (2016)

This coming-of-age story set in the sixth-century Silla Kingdom involves a special group called Hwarang. This band of young men helped protect the monarchy as well as determine the political direction for it.

In this drama, some heart-melting scenes occur between the friendship of the Hwarang group. The ‘enemies-to-friends’ trope is brilliantly executed by Park Seo-joon as Moo Myung (Sun Woo) and Park Hyung-sik as King Jinheung. This drama presents an action-based plot featuring well-fleshed-out individuals with distinct narratives and intrigues that give meaning to the whole play and captivate the audience’s attention. Another notable cast in this drama includes Choi Min-ho of SHINee and Kim Tae-hyung of BTS, who makes his acting debut in this drama.

The picturesque sceneries encompass scenic landscaping and well-decorated buildings, palaces, and dresses. One might find some unevenness in the pacing but the high level of entertainment value, visual elements, and engaging characters allow one to easily forgive such minor flaws.

Starring: Park Seo-joon, Go A-ra, Park Hyung-sik 

Love in the Moonlight (2016)

Set in the nineteenth-century Joseon Dynasty, it is a historical rom-com coming-of-age drama based on the novel Moonlight Drawn by Clouds. This drama is a compelling narrative that weaves around crown prince Lee Yeong (Park Bo-gum) and Hong Ra-on (Kim Yoo-jung), who disguises herself as a eunuch in the palace to escape a dire situation. The narrative keeps the viewers engaged and emotionally invested right from the beginning. 

There is impeccable chemistry between the two leads, and the setting and costumes delightfully recreate the essence of those times, from the grandeur of the royal palace to the detailed traditional attire, all-in-all upholding the themes of identity, love, and duty. 

The soundtrack infuses emotion and resonance into key moments, complementing the story beautifully. Although the plot occasionally leans on familiar K-drama tropes, the overall execution and the strong chemistry between the leads leave viewers with a smile on their faces and a fondness and deep appreciation for the magic of historical romance.

Starring: Park Bo-gum, Kim Yoo-jung, Jung Jin-young

Mr. Queen (2020)

The drama very artistically revolves around a modern man, Jang Bong-hwan, who finds himself trapped inside the body of Cheorin, a queen of the Joseon era, played by Shin Hye-sun. It takes the viewers on a hilarious and heart-warming journey as Bong-hwan navigates the complex world of the palace while making numerous failed attempts to find a way back to his own time.  Based on the Chinese web series Go Princess Go, the two leads have an unusual chemistry between them that adds a layer of mystic romance with fun-filled moments.  Elements of time travel, comedy, and romance are very well combined in the plot. 

The soundtrack has a blend of traditional and contemporary music that enhances the emotional impact of key moments. This drama makes an audacious attempt at genre-blending and creatively reinterprets historical figures, although occasionally one might find the humour exaggerated. The viewers are left both entertained and reflective, craving a more refined balance between humour and storytelling, offering an escape into the past with a modern twist.

Starring: Shin Hye-sun, Kim Jung-hyun, Bae Jong-ok, Kim Tae-woo

Alchemy of Souls (2022)

The Alchemy of Souls is a marvellous blend of fiction, fantasy, and romance in one memorable storyline. This is where the story revolves around an outcast Jang-uk in a wonderland called Daeho. The drama features an exceptional cast of swoon-worthy characters with intense drama but with some occasional fluff thrown into the mix. One outstanding characteristic of this series is the idea of shifting between parallel universes. This creates some excitement for viewers, as they wait to see one twist after another.

Through exceptional performance by the cast, especially the leads, the complex individualities come alive and a tangible emotional tension is developed within the plot. With superb special effects and high-quality productions backed by outstanding soundtracks skillfully facilitates the viewers’ attention and emotions. The themes covered include identity, love, friendship, unrequited love, consequences of our choices, and also hate, jealousy, greed, power struggle, and betrayal. Amazingly, however, all this is incorporated into the story with a touch of emotion that leaves the viewer in contemplation for days later on why destiny favours some over others.

Starring: Lee Jae-wook, Jung So-min, Go Youn-jung, Hwang Min-hyun

Kingdom (2019)

The zombie tale set in the period of the Joseon dynasty offers something different as an element of history has been added to the usual story of zombies. The production of the series succeeds in creating an atmosphere of tension and suspense. It presents to you how the world is ravaged by an unidentified scourge as people struggle to stay alive. Furthermore, the series explores complicated characters, particularly Prince Yi Chang (Ju Ji-hoon) whose character evolves significantly during this show. Despite being about the zombie apocalypse, it delicately blends political maneuvering, moral conflict, and horror.

Additionally, the subsequent season incorporates new storylines as well as characters. However, it is easy to feel overloaded by the narrative, and sometimes pacing seems uneven. Fans of the classic genre of zombie films and culturally rich series will find the drama’s fresh look on this popular genre with impressive production level and well-created characters very entertaining.

Starring: Ju Ji-hoon, Ryu Seung-ryong, Bae Doo-na, Kim Sang-ho, Kim Sung-kyu, Kim Hye-jun

Let us know which Korean Historical K-dramas captivated your interest and what aspect of these K-dramas resonated with you in the comments!