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.
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
In the present day, Bong Hwan works as a chef at the President’s Blue House. He has a free spirit, but his spirit somehow finds its way into the body of Queen So Yong in the Joseon period. So Yong will come to discover that her husband harbors some secrets, and is not as gentle as he seems.
Cast –
- 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
Watch On – Viki
2. Kingdom
Set in the Joseon period, the deceased king rises and a mysterious plague begins to spread; the prince must face a new breed of enemies to unveil the evil scheme and save his people. It has season 2 as well.
Cast –
- 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
Watch On – Netflix
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
A fiction historical drama depicts the ambitions and success stories of 6 people with Lee Bang Won as the central figure. He was the third king of the Joseon Dynasty in Korea. He helped his father King Taejo establish the Joseon Dynasty.
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.
Cast –
- Ha Ji Won as Ki Yang
- Ji Chang Wook as Toghon Temur
- Joo Jin Mo as Wang Yoo
- Baek Jin Hee as Tanashili
No. Of Episodes – 51
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 – Free Streaming Sites
8. The Bridal Mask
In the 1930s, Lee Kang To lives in Korea, which is oppressed under Imperial Japanese rule. Despite being Korean, he works with the Japanese police in order to capture “Bridal Mask,” a mysterious rebel who fights for Korean independence.
Cast –
- 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
Watch On – Free Streaming Sites
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. Red Sleeve Cuff
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
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.
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. 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
19. 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.
Cast –
- Park Seo Joon as Moo Myung / Kim Sun Woo
- Park Hyung Sik as Sam Maek Jong
- Go Ah Ra as Ah Ro
- V as Suk Han Sung
No. Of Episodes – 20
20. 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
21. Alchemy Of Souls
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.
Cast –
- 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
Watch On – Netflix
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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