35 Best Korean Historical series like Jumong that you should see + IMDB rating

Ancient times or modern times, however, those involved in the creation of entertaining film and television works always managed to create brilliant recreations that amazed viewers from all over the world. Series centered on adventurous, romantic or epic stories that reflect the ups and downs of this country’s history and showcase its unique social and cultural values.

In this area, we are going to go to a selection of the best historical series of Korea, each of which managed to take a special place in the hearts of the audience. Thanks to the presence of tasteful directors, prominent actors and diverse and attractive stories, these works became famous even at the international level. Join us in this fascinating journey to the world of historical collections and rich culture and traditions of this country. But before starting the article, as always, we remind you that during the introduction of each work, we may have references to a part of the story, so take this spoiler warning seriously.

35. Haechi

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Action
• Director: Lee Yong-seok
• Actors: Jung Il Woo, Go Ara and Kwan Yeol
• Release year: 2019
• Average rating of Haechi on IMDB: 7.6

Hechi series is the story of people from different classes of society who stand tall and rise up against adversity. Prince “Yi Gum” because he was born from a mother from the lower classes of society, has no possibility to progress. Along with him, we meet another character named “Yu Ji” who is skilled in martial arts and is one of the best researchers in the country. “Dal Moon” is a clown who is also skilled in the field of martial arts and finally we have “Park Moon” who is trying to be accepted into the officer’s exam, although he is not very smart and achieving this goal is a difficult task for him. However, he is a kind man who behaves honestly.

These four people come together to consolidate the prince’s position and thereby help him take the throne and correct the disordered state of society.

34. Queen For Seven Days

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Romance
• Director: Lee Jong-sub- Song Ji-won
• Actors: Park Min Young, Yeon Woo Jin and Lee Dong Gun
• Publication year: 2017
• Average rating of Queen For Seven Days on IMDB: 7.6

The historical drama Queen of Seven Days is based on a true story and had a bittersweet ending. The story is about the symbolic love of the daughter of a powerful Joseon Dynasty politician who falls in love with a prince who lives under the strict supervision of his half-brother. Finally, these two people get married and after sitting on the throne, the prince makes Lady Shin his queen. However, due to the emergence of problems among the different political sections of the court and internal conflicts among the family members, the prince was dethroned very soon and only after seven days.

The Seven Days Queen series may not be one of the best Korean historical dramas, but as a biographical historical film, it presents important issues and uncovers the details of a dirty and true story that is a disgrace in the history of the Chosan Dynasty. This work was nominated for four awards at the 31st KBS Drama Awards, and finally the actor “Lee Dong Gun” won the award for the best lead actor in a drama.

33. Our Blooming Youth

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Mystery
• Director: Lee Jung Jae
• Actors: Park Hyung-shik, Jun Soo-ni and Pyo Yik-jin
• Publication year: 2023
• Average rating of Our Blooming Youth on IMDB: 7/7

In the series Shoofai Jawani Ma, we encounter a complicated situation in a royal family. The older brother of the crown prince dies due to mysterious circumstances, and while the crown prince himself is under suspicion because of this issue, he is also dealing with a bigger problem. An arrow infected with poison wounded the crown prince’s arm and if he does not succeed in treating his injured hand, he will lose the chance to reach the throne. In addition to these issues, there is another complicated issue, in fact, three years ago, the prince received a letter that mentioned the betrayal that would happen to him and the existence of a curse that would cause him to lose his health.

In general, perhaps the series Shoufai Jovani Ma can be considered more of an exciting work than a historical drama, however, there are aspects of it that make this series one of the fascinating historical works. Maybe the storytelling speed of this series is slower compared to other Korean dramas, but thanks to its mysterious and attractive atmosphere, it attracted the attention of the audience.

32. Lovers of the Red Sky

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Romance
• Director: Jang Tae Yoo
• Actors: Kim Yoo Jung, Ahn Hyo Soop and Gong Myung
• Publication year: 2021
• Average rating of Lovers of the Red Sky on IMDB: 7/7

Like many other Korean dramas, the story of Red Sky Lovers takes place during the Chosan Dynasty. In this series, we meet a young girl named “Chun Gi” who is talented in the art of painting, which makes her to be chosen as the first female painter. One day he meets Haram, a young officer who has lost his sight due to a curse, and apparently the removal of this curse is related to the talent of this young woman.

The Red Sky Lovers series is one of the best Korean dramas, whose story is deeply rooted in a fantasy atmosphere, and at the same time, it has a romantic and lovely atmosphere, and also has a corner of an eye to an era in the history of Korea. In this sense, this collection is just like other historical works such as “Gu Family Book” and “Destiny” series, which have a similar atmosphere. Although the slightly sad and emotional ending may seem a little disappointing, but overall this issue makes this work worth watching.

31. The Tale of Nokdu

• Genre: action, historical, comedy
• Director: Kim Dong Hui
• Actors: Jang Dong-yeon, Kim Soo-hyun and Kang Tae-oh
• Release year: 2019
• The average rating of The Tale of Nokdu on IMDB: 7/7

As it is clear from the name of the series, the story of the legend of Nokdu is about a character named Nokdu who lives on an island with his father and older brother. He is an expert in the art of swordsmanship and has high intelligence, however, his father never allows him to study and go to the mainland. However, when his father and brother are attacked by a group of murderers, he goes to the capital in pursuit of one of them, where he meets a girl named “Dong Joo”.

This series is based on the webtoon of the same name written by Hae Jin-young.

30. 100 Days My Prince

• Genre: action, comedy, historical
• Director: Lee Jung Jae
• Actors: Do Kyung Soo, Nam Ji Hyun and Jo Seung Ha
• Publication year: 2018
• Average rating of 100 Days My Prince on IMDB: 7/8

The historical drama of the Hundred Days Prince also takes place in the Chosan era. By watching this work, the audience enjoys the delightful combination of romantic, political and historical issues. Another strength of this work is the performance of its two main actors, Do Kyung Soo, a member of EXO, and Nam Ji Hyun, who captured the hearts of the audience with their performances.

My Hundred Days Prince series is full of stunning visual effects and carefully designed narratives that depict the story of the formation of forbidden love between two young people and captivate the viewers.

29. Love in the Moonlight

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Comedy
• Director: Kim Sung Yoon
• Actors: Park Bo Gum, Kim Yoo Jung and Jung Jin Young
• Publication year: 2016
• Average rating of Love in the Moonlight on IMDB: 7/8

Love in the Moonlight series is based on a popular novel called “Moonlight Drawn by Clouds” and features popular actors.

The presence of jealous characters, an interesting story line, and a romantic theme have made Love in the Moonlight an entertaining work that is popular with viewers who like to learn about Korean history in this way. This series won the best drama series award at the 22nd Asian Television Awards. Also, the popularity of this work led to the formation of the term “Moonlight Syndrome” among the press, which is another reason for the influence and popularity of this work among the audience.

28. Faith

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Fantasy
• Director: Kim Jong-Hak
• Actors: Lee Min Ho, Kim Hye Sun and Ahn Jae Wook
• Publication year: 2012
• Average rating of Faith on IMDB: 7/9

Fate Series is about the love between a warrior from the Goryeo era and a medic from the modern age, a love that transcends time and space. After the queen is injured, the commander of the royal guard travels to the present day through a gate called heaven to save the queen’s life by finding a doctor. He meets a doctor named Yoon-soo and forcibly takes him to the past with the promise that he will return him to his own time after saving the queen. This is the beginning of the acquaintance of these two people and the beginning of the events that they experience together. As the story progresses and these two people go through the ups and downs in front of them, we witness the creation of a romantic bond between them.

Fate series has managed to attract the attention of the audience by combining interesting historical elements and a fantastic perspective and has become one of the popular historical series of the audience. In this work, we see the deep attention of the production team to issues such as depicting the exact details of the clothes and stage design, which help the audience to connect more with the mood of that historical period. At the same time, the performance of the two main actors of this series attracted a lot of attention and made this work more and more popular. So, if you enjoy watching historical works with a romantic theme, we suggest you don’t miss watching Fate series.

27. The King’s Affection

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Romance
• Director: Song Hyun Wook
• Actors: Park Eun-bin, Kim Ro-won and Nam Yoon-soo
• Publication year: 2021
• Average rating of The King’s Affection on IMDB: 8

The story of the movie “Feeling of the King” is about the birth of twin children who get different fates due to the superstition of the twins. To protect the interests of the royal family, the girl child is abandoned, although years later an incident causes the heavy burden of maintaining the monarchy to fall on the same abandoned girl’s shoulders.

The feeling of the king series begins with a very dark atmosphere and the display of death, but gradually we see the return of color and glaze to the atmosphere of the story. So that bright colors replace the original dark colors and we see a colorful and amazing show that is a sign of change and transformation. Apart from this issue, the plot of this series has a special charm that we will not discuss much to avoid spoilers. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a gender swap in a Korean drama, but it’s one of the few times where the switch is done incredibly well. The chemistry of the actors is among other issues that have doubled the appeal of this work.

26. The Crowned Clown

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Romance
• Director: Kim Hye-won
• Actors: Yoo Jin Goo, Kim Sang Kyung and Lee Se Young
• Release year: 2019
• The average rating of The Crowned Clown on IMDB: 8

In the Crowned Clown series, we visit the land of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. When the country is in chaos and disorder due to the uprising and the wars formed around the attempt to seize power. At this time, when the emperor’s life is in danger, a clown called “Ha Sonem” who looks a lot like the king is brought to the palace to take his place for a while.

As a child, Ha Sun lost his parents due to the outbreak of the disease, and while he was dying of starvation, he was saved and raised by a group of clowns. Now he suddenly finds himself in the role of the king and realizes the serious responsibility that he has, while in the meantime he also falls in love with the beautiful queen.

25. Rebel: Thief Who Stole The People

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Action
• Director: Kim Jin Man
• Actors: Yoon Kyun Sung, Chae Soo Bin and Kim Sang Jung
• Publication year: 2017
• Average rating of Rebel: Thief Who Stole The People on IMDB: 8

The story of the rebel historical drama: The Thief Who Steals from the People takes place during the reign of the 10th King of the Chosan Dynasty. Many audiences who watched this work compare it to the story of Robin Hood in many ways.

The story is about the son of a servant who does not have a high position in society and has no place to progress and reach high levels in society. In order to compensate for the injustice that the wealthy classes do to the lower class of society, he steals from the rich and helps the poor in return. In the end, he decides to lead a group of thieves who take a step further and confront the cruel king who oppresses his people.

Rebel series: A thief who steals from people also has a romantic theme that explores an old and seemingly forgotten love. While the Yaghi series is not among the outstanding historical works, it was praised by critics and won a total of eleven awards.

24. Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth

• Genre: Drama, Action, Historical
• Director: Yong Sung Shik-Kin Yong Joo
• Actors: Park Soo Joon, Go Ara and Park Hyung Shik
• Publication year: 2016
• Average rating of Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth on IMDB: 8

Hwarang series is another historical romance about a group of elite young men. The events of this series take place during the Silla kingdom. It is at this time that the queen takes her son away from the events of the royal palace to stay safe. Even though her child is growing up and reaching puberty and is slowly getting ready to accept his title, the queen is still worried about the powerful nobles who once tried to take over the throne. As a result, he formed a group of elite warriors and called it Hwarang. The queen believes that this group is able to overcome the power factions and protect the throne, but the main thing is that they do not know that the future king is also a member of their group.

Hwarang may not be the best K-Drama historical work, but it was noticed during its airing and received a good rating. Unfortunately, this series did not receive any awards.

23. My Country: The New Age

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Action
• Director: Kim Ji-won
• Actors: Yang Se-jung, Woo Do-hwan and Kim Sol-hyun
• Release year: 2019
• Average rating of My Country: The New Age on IMDB: 8.1

The story of the My Country: New Age series takes place between the end of the Goryeo period and the beginning of the Joseon period. “Seo Hui” is a warrior and the son of a famous commander. He does not remain silent in the face of injustice and this issue has made life difficult for him, yet he continues his way with a smile.

On the other side of the story, we have Sun Ho, who is smart and talented, but because his mother is from the lower classes of society, he is often humiliated by others. He seeks to pass the military exam, but loses his dream due to the scandal involving his father. Meanwhile, the occurrence of a misunderstanding brings these two face to face.

22. Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Comedy
• Director: Kang Il-soo, Han Hyun-hee
• Actors: Shin Se-Kyung, Cha Eun-Woo and Park Ki-Wong
• Release year: 2019
• Average rating of Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung on IMDB: 8.1

The budding historian Go Hae-ryong is one of the fascinating Korean historical dramas that aired on Netflix. While this work may be considered as a comedy and romance, it also mentions many historical facts that are worth paying attention to. Although this series is not one of the works of time travel, it shows two different storylines. One takes place in the early 19th century during the Chosan Dynasty, and the other takes place twenty years before the previous storyline.

In this collection, we see flashbacks that provide details of unjust treatment of citizens and their suppression. Meanwhile, these events are connected with the romantic relationship between a woman who aspires to be a historian and a prince who is secretly writing a story. Rookie Historian was nominated for eight awards at the MBC Drama Awards, one of which was Best Couple.

21. Dong Yi

• Genre: Adventure, Drama, Historical
• Director: Lee Byung-hoon
• Actors: Han Hyo-joo, Lee Soo-yeon and Ji Jin-hye
• Release year: 2010
• Dong Yi’s average score on IMDB: 8.1

As the name of the series suggests, Dongyi is a historical drama about the life of a girl named Dongyi, later known as Seokbin Choi. At first, he worked as a servant in the royal palace, until he caught the attention of the king. The result of this acquaintance was the birth of the king’s second son, the child who became the future king of Korea. The broadcast of this series in Asia was accompanied by a significant success, and its reception in Japan was especially impressive.

20. The Princess’ Man

• Genre: Action, Drama, Romance
• Director: Kim Jong Min
• Actors: Park Shi Ho, Moon Chae Won and Kim Yong Chul
• Release year: 2011
• The average rating of The Princess’ Man on IMDB: 8.1

The Princess Love series is a 24-episode historical drama that, unlike other works of this genre, does not pay much attention to the ruling policies of the court and its overt and hidden intrigues. Perhaps the main reason for this low importance of these issues is the main focus of this series on the romantic aspects of the story. The best way to describe this drama is to compare it with a work like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, because here it is also about the love between two young people whose families are enemies.

At the time of its release, Princess Love was a significant hit and a critical favorite, garnering fifteen KBS Award nominations for the work. In the end, this series won seven awards, including the best actor award for “Park Shi Ho”, the best actress award for “Moon Chae Won” and the best couple award.

19. Empress Ki

• Genre: Drama, Romance, Action
• Director: Han Hee
• Actors: Ha Ji-won, Joo Jin-moo, Ji Chang-wook
• Release year: 2013
• Average rating of Empress Ki on IMDB: 8.4

The Queen K series is a historical drama that achieved significant success both in Korea and internationally due to its impressive performances and memorable story. This is a historical drama about the life of a woman born in Korea who became the powerful queen of the Mongol Empire ruling China in the midst of issues such as love, war and politics. A woman who achieves such success despite the limitations of the class system of that time.

Queen Ki is one of the historical dramas of Korea that has shown the leading role of women in an impressive way. By watching this work, the audience gets involved in the show of the emperor’s deep-rooted love and his ambitious motives. Queen Ki has also been successful in winning awards and has been nominated to receive awards from ceremonies such as MBC Drama Awards, Seoul International Drama Awards, and Korean Drama Awards and finally won seven awards.

18. Under the Queen’s Umbrella

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Comedy
• Director: Kim Hyung Shik
• Actors: Kim Hae-soo, Kim Hae-suk and Choi Won-young
• Release year: 2022
• Average rating of Under the Queen’s Umbrella on IMDB: 8.5

The historical drama under the umbrella of the queen again deals with the Chosan era, although it has used a relatively modern charm to portray this era. This series is based on the life of a hard-working queen who tries to educate her children correctly so that they can become experts in politics and become familiar with the ruling mechanism of the royal court while competing with others.

Beneath the Queen’s Umbrella shows how parents don’t give up any effort and face hardships for their children’s success. In the meantime, many viewers described this work as a version of the Chosun era series “SKY Castle”, a work again centered on parents trying to pave the way for their children to enter Korea’s top universities.

17. The Red Sleeve

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Romance
• Director: Jung Ji In, Song Yoon Hua
• Actors: Lee Junho, Lee Se Young and Kang Hoon
• Release year: 2021
• The average rating of The Red Sleeve on IMDB: 8.5

The next work in this list is Red Cuff. The story of a young prince who is determined to become a benevolent king and find a way to reform the laws after taking the throne from his cruel grandfather. Still not recovered from the bitter effects of his father’s death, he thinks that the preservation of the country and the welfare of the people is a priority. On the other hand, we meet a young woman from the court who enjoys her days of freedom. The familiarity of these two people is the key to a romantic relationship, although both of them face problems due to their wishes and decisions.

The Red Cuff series is a beautiful drama that deals with issues such as the emotional damage caused by the loss of parents and shows that love is not always a fairy tale and that it also comes with suffering. This work has many tense and exciting moments due to the general atmosphere of its story, although its pace sometimes seems a little slow. Finally, this is one of the best Korean historical dramas, which portrays a bitter atmosphere in a romantic and beautiful drama.

16. Mr. Queen

• Genre: comedy, fantasy, romance
• Director: Yong Sung Sik
• Actors: Shin Hye Sun, Kim Jong Hyun and Bae Jung Ok
• Release year: 2020
• The average score of Mr. Queen on IMDB: 8.6

In Mr. Queen Chef, a modern-day chef named Jang Bong-hwan suddenly finds himself in the body of a Korean queen from the Joseon era on an unwanted trip. In the meantime and before he gets a chance to understand this different physical condition and time period, he should be aware of the way and customs of life in the royal court and learn the politics and customs of the past. The queen must also influence the king to prevent chaos.

The interesting thing to note about Mr. Queen series is that this work is not only a historical show centered on body movement, but also shows the political and social situation of the Joseon era royal court, the struggle for more power and complex politics. For this reason, the creators of this work were not afraid to combine historical themes with comedy and humor, and with this method, they managed to attract the attention of the audience.

15. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Fantasy
• Director: Kim Kyo Tae
• Actors: Lee Joon Gi, IU and Kang Ha Nol
• Release year: 2016
• Average rating of Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo on IMDB: 8.6

The Moon Lovers series: The Red Heart of Rio is one of the best works on this list for those audiences who like to enjoy watching a fantasy world with romantic colors while traveling to the past and reviewing historical facts. The work, which was well received outside of Korea, is about a young twenty-five-year-old woman who travels back in time hundreds of years and meets the royal family.

Ashaghan Mah series is a historical drama that, like many other similar works, came to life with the presence of a love triangle and good and bad characters. While the young woman initially falls in love with one of the seemingly kind princes, before she realizes it, she is seduced by the seemingly evil prince who hides his face behind a mask. The series had a dazzling shine at the SBS Awards and received twelve nominations, eventually winning seven awards. In total, this series has won eleven awards from various television ceremonies and awards.

14. Alchemy of Souls

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Action
• Director: Park Joon-hwa
• Actors: Lee Jae-wook, Jung Soo-min and Go Eun-jung
• Release year: 2022
• Average rating of Alchemy of Souls on IMDB: 8.7

The story of Alchemy of Spirit series takes place in a fictional country called “Daeho” and the main focus is the story of love and maturity of young magicians who seek to overcome obstacles and overcome the complexities of their destiny.

The alchemy of the soul series skillfully combines historical issues with supernatural elements and changes the path of destiny through this passage. With its special and unique perspective, the presence of attractive characters and a well-made story line, this series attracted the attention of the audience and was among the best television works.

13. Mr. Sunshine

• Genre: Drama, Romance, Action
• Director: Lee Yongbok
• Starring: Lee Byung Han, Kim Tae Ri and Yoo Yeon Seok
• Release year: 2018
• The average score of Mr. Sunshine on IMDB: 8.7

Mr. Aftab’s series has a melodrama atmosphere and has mixed historical facts with the elements of the romantic world in a fascinating way, and for this reason, it easily captured the hearts of Korean drama lovers. It was so popular that at the time of its release, the series was recognized as the third highest-rated series in the history of Korean cable television. Also, this work won many awards, including Korean Drama Awards, Asian Artist Awards, and Seoul Awards.

Unlike other historical dramas, the story of this series takes place in the late 19th century. The story is about Eugene Choi, who was once a slave, but escaped to the United States, where he becomes one of the marines. He returns to Korea to do a mission, but soon falls in love with the grandson of one of the nobles. Now he is at a crossroads and has to choose between love and hate.

12. Six Flying Dragons

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Action
• Director: Shin Kyung Soo
• Starring: Yoo Ah-in, Kim Myung-min and Byun Yoon-han
• Release year: 2015
• Average rating of Six Flying Dragons on IMDB: 8/8

The historical and medieval TV drama Six Flying Dragons is actually a loose prequel to the series Tree with Deep Roots, which we also mentioned in this list. This is because the story focuses on real and fictional characters and their role in the rise of the Chosan Dynasty. However, Six Flying Dragons gained more popularity compared to the Deep Rooted Tree series and met with widespread critical acclaim.

In this series, we meet Prince Won who helps his father plan a new dynasty. This is a collection of various issues such as the rise and fall of characters, action and exciting sequences, political conflicts and story details that have made it more attractive. In the 23rd edition of SBS Awards, this work was nominated for awards in eighteen different categories and finally won ten awards.

11. My Dearest

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Romance
• Director: Kim Sung-yong
• Actors: Nam Kong Min, Ahn Eun Jin and Lee Hak Joo
• Release year: 2023
• Average rating of My Dearest on IMDB: 8.9

In the series Dearest, we meet a man named “Lee Jung Hyun” who is known for his lack of interest in marriage. But his acquaintance with a young and beautiful woman from a noble family changed his thinking and gradually we see the blossoming of a love story between these two people. At the same time, in the background of the story, we see the Qing’s invasion of their village and new problems that threaten this fledgling relationship.

The thing that makes the Aziz Arrinim series so interesting is its historical accuracy and its romantic and enchanting narrative. In fact, everything about this series is real, from the relationship chemistry and love formed between the two main characters to the attention to detail of the period on which the series is based. In addition to the values ​​that this work respects, as well as the lessons it has for the audience, it makes watching it more memorable. In general, the Azizari Tarinim series deals with social issues and challenges that our heroes face in their small town, a perspective that seems to be liked by the audience.

10. Moon Embracing the Sun

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Romance
• Director: Kim Do-hoon
• Actors: Kim Soo Hyun, Han Ga In and Jung Il Woo
• Release year: 2012
• Average rating of Moon Embracing the Sun on IMDB: 7.9

The historical drama The Legend of the Sun and the Moon is a historical series full of romantic moments that takes place during the Chosan Dynasty, which was the longest imperial dynasty in Korean history. The story is about a love triangle formed between a prince, his half brother and a female shaman. This work has a strong romantic side, however, in terms of historical events, enough attention has been paid so that the story is close enough to reality.

Compared to other historical dramas, this work benefits from various advantages, including the production team’s attention to the precise details of the desired era. Even during filming, they try to make the overall look of the work a reflection of that particular time period. The story line of this work is almost perfect and did not cause fatigue and boredom of the audience. At the time of publication, this work won 22 awards, which showed its popularity among both audiences and critics.

9. Emperor of the Sea

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Action
• Director: Kang Il Soo
• Actors: Choi Soo-jung, Song Il-guk and Park Soo-ae
• Release year: 2004
• Average rating of Emperor of the Sea on IMDB: 7.9

In Emperor of the Sea, we see the efforts of a slave of Sheila named “Jang Bo Gu” who fights to achieve freedom and love. As a teenager, he was kidnapped by pirates and trained as a slave gladiator. Luck turned to him and he became known as a successful businessman thanks to meeting honest people and his efforts and perseverance. He even confronts pirates to advance his goals and pushes them out of his way.

Sea Emperor is a 50-episode drama based on the novel of the same name written by Choi In-ho. At the time of broadcast, this series was well received by viewers and was one of the top titles.

8. Lee San, Wind of the Palace

• Genre: Drama, Historical
• Director: Lee Byung-hoon
• Actors: Lee Seo Jin, Han Ji Min and Lee Sun Jae
• Release year: 2007
• Average rating of Lee San, Wind of the Palace on IMDB: 8

Isan series depicts the life of Jeongju, the 22nd ruler of the Joseon Dynasty. This Korean king is known for his sympathy for the people who were struggling with difficult conditions at the time. This issue is especially important because he was pampered as a member of the royal family, yet he made many reforms for the welfare of the people and the improvement of their living conditions. The story of the series delves into the political and personal issues of his life and shows how to overcome difficulties with intelligence and courage and become known as one of the great kings in Korean history.

The careful design of the costumes and attention to the details of each scene, along with the strong performances of the actors and a story full of political and emotional complications, made this series one of the best Korean historical dramas.

7. Deep Rooted Tree

• Genre: Drama, Historical
• Director: Jang Tae Yoo
• Actors: Han Suk Kyu, Jang Hyuk and Shin Se Kyung
• Release year: 2011
• Average rating of Deep Rooted Tree on IMDB: 8.1

The series A Tree with Deep Roots was adapted from a historical novel of the same name written by “Lee Jung Myung”. Watching this series is especially attractive for audiences who love exciting dramas.

The story of this work revolves around the life of a royal guard who is investigating the serial murders of scientists “Jiphyeonjeon” (Jiphyeonjeon), while at the same time seeking revenge for his family’s unjustly shed blood. In addition to the criminal and exciting discussion of this work, there are also romantic references in it, which of course are not in the main focus of attention. The tree series with deep roots met with critical acclaim during its broadcast and won eleven awards. It may not be the best Korean historical drama, but it is undoubtedly one of the most acclaimed.

6. Jumong

• Genre: Drama, Biography, Historical
• Director: Lee Joo Hwan
• Actors: Song In Guk, Han Hae Jin and Kim Seung Soo
• Release year: 2006
• Average rating of Jumong on IMDB: 8.1

The Legend of Jumong is a spectacular epic based on the life of a mythical character named Jumong, known as the founder of the ancient kingdom of Goguryeo.

The story takes place in an atmosphere where we witness the emergence of differences and enmity between different tribes. It is during this period that Jumong steps in to establish a new kingdom by looking at the past glory of the old Chosan. Jumong is a hero who is ready to go against different armies to achieve his goal, and in the meantime, apart from the presence of loyal companions who are always ready to die, love is also an influential element. It is true that love may fade with time or be damaged by the biased views of the society, but at the time of fighting with the adversities of life and being put in the testing bush, the presence of true love can make the steps more stable than ever. This is the perspective we see in the Legend of Jumong series.

5. Dae Jo Yeong

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Biography
• Director: Lee Byung-hoon
• Actors: Choi Soo Jung, Park Yik Jin and Jung Bo Suk
• Release year: 2006
• Average rating of Dae Jo Yeong on IMDB: 8.1

This drama is a story about the character Dae Jo-yeong (Dae Jo-yeong), who is known as the founder of the kingdom of “Balhae”. In this story, we are with this character from birth to death. Dae Joo-yong’s series was one of the successes of its time and had a lot of shine in the ratings. The amount of this popularity was such that the series was released in the form of 134 episodes instead of the planned 100 episodes.

4. Dae Jang Geum

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Biography
• Director: Lee Byung-hoon
• Actors: Lee Yong-ae, Ji Jin-hye and Hong Ri-na
• Release year: 2003
• Dae Jang Geum average score on IMDB: 8.5

To understand how Korean dramas became so popular among Western audiences, we need to look at series such as Jewel in the Palace, also known as Yangum. This series is one of the works that gained considerable fame at the time of its publication on the world stage. This work is still popular and known among the Iranian audience.

The story of this collection happened during the Joseon Dynasty and revolves around the true story of a woman named Yangum, who managed to get the title of the first female royal physician in all of Korea. In this work, we see Yangum’s struggle to achieve his goals, in a democratic society where women do not have much opportunity to expand their bodies. For this reason, Jewel in the Palace can be mentioned as one of the prominent Korean dramas that deals with the concept of leading women. The story line of this historical drama, along with the attractive performance of the actors of this work, helped to attract the attention of the audience at the global level. This popularity even influenced South Korea’s tourism industry, and for this reason, the series Jewel in the Palace can be mentioned as a cultural success for this country.

3. The Slave Hunters

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Action
• Director: Kwan Jung-hwan
• Actors: Jang Hyuk, Oh Ji Ho and Lee Da Hee
• Release year: 2010
• The average rating of The Slave Hunters on IMDB: 8.6

The story of the slave hunters series is about a noble man named “Dae Gil” who falls in love with a young slave named “On Nyon”. When another slave sets Dae Gil’s house on fire and lets the slaves escape, he becomes a slave hunter filled with anger and revenge. However, in the meantime, he is looking for a way to find Niyon, who is his first and last love.

On the other hand, we get to know another character named “Tae Ha” who is an army general, he was convicted and forced into slavery for a crime he did not commit. Tae-ha escapes and Dae-gil is hired to find her, though in the meantime the three become involved in a love triangle that changes their personalities and lives forever.

2. The Great Queen Seondeok

• Genre: Drama, Historical, Biography
• Director: Kim Geun Hong
• Actors: Lee Yoo-won, Go Hyun-jung and Park Yik-jin
• Release year: 2009
• The average rating of The Great Queen Seondeok on IMDB: 8.6

Queen Seondeok series has one of the highest ratings among Korean historical dramas and is definitely among the top and popular titles. This drama is about a world full of unrest and political and periodic turmoil, centered on the presence of women in the role of leader and leader. Princess “Dukman” is sent to a safe place due to security conditions. A loyal servant is tasked with raising him, although he gradually discovers his true identity. Now she not only seeks to reclaim her rightful place among the royal family, but she also wants to bring justice to her twin sister.

The beautiful drama Queen Seondeok takes viewers on this journey with this character and depicts her struggles behind closed doors. Although the drama is older than some of the works on this list, it is still critically acclaimed. Let’s not forget that this work won 30 awards during its broadcast period and was recognized as one of the most watched TV series.

1. Taejo Wang Geon

• Genre: Drama, Historical
• Director: Kim Jong Sun
• Actors: Choi Soo-jung, Kim Yong-chul and Kim Hae-ri
• Release year: 2000
• Taejo Wang Geon IMDB average score: 8.6

The story of the Taeju Wang Gun series is based on the real history of Korea, this series also has a heavy religious theme about Buddhism, which, considering the extent of the territory that this series deals with, is narrated with the least amount of complexity and does not confuse the viewers. . However, to make the story more interesting, part of it is mixed with imagination.

This Korean drama is also a long work that told its story in the form of two hundred episodes and therefore had enough time to develop the characters, although this length may not suit all audiences. For this reason, we see a good characterization, which, along with the acceptable performance of the actors, is one of the reasons for the appeal of this work. However, from the point of view of some critics, the predictability of the story is one of its weak points.

By reviewing this series, we have reached the end of this article. As always, I hope this review and companionship with Zumji was fun for you. What do you think about the best historical dramas in Korea? What is your favorite historical series? If you see a vacancy for your favorite series in this list, we will be happy to share it with us and your friends. We appreciate your support in advance.