Summary

• Historical K-dramas provide Western audiences with captivating stories set in unfamiliar South Korean periods.
• Thanks to streaming sites like Netflix, viewers worldwide can easily enjoy the best historical K-dramas.
• The diverse narratives of historical K-dramas offer unique entertainment not often seen in popular US and UK shows.

K-dramas come in many genres, and historical K-dramas give Western audiences stories set in unfamiliar and exciting South Korean periods. Period dramas have always been popular, but European and American history has been thoroughly explored on-screen. So has South Korea's past, but it's only in the last few years that historical K-dramas set during the Choson dynasty or the Later Three Kingdoms period began to captivate US viewers en-masse. The best historical Korean drama storylines can involve conspiracies of the throne, political unrest, and maybe even some love and comedy.

The historical K-drama is just as binge-worthy as any modern tale. Thanks to streaming websites like Netflix and Rakuten Viki, the best historical K-drama can be easily viewed by audiences all over the world. From the Netflix K-drama worldwide hit Squid Game to the thrilling adaptation Money Heist: Korea – t Economic Area, K-dramas have provided viewers with a diverse kind of entertainment and allowed them to enjoy narratives not usually seen in popular shows from the US and the UK. These include historical K-dramas that feature rich Korean culture and traditions.

30 The Hymn of Death (2018)

A Tragic Romance Inspired By Real Events

• Currently unavailable to stream

This historical K-drama is set during a time that not a lot of K-dramas revisit: the 1920s. In the 1920s, Korea was still occupied and ruled by the Japanese. Most of the K-dramas that focus on the Japanese occupation of Korea take place in the 1930s and spotlight Korean rebel groups. The Hymn of Death, however, is a tragic romance that plays out over three episodes.

It is inspired by the real love story of playwright Kim Woo-jin (Lee Jong-suk) and the first professional soprano singer in Korea, Yun Sim-deok (Shin Hye-sun). While the story is romantic, these real figures both died in 1926, so the audience should know going in that there won’t be a neatly wrapped happy ending. The miniseries also serves as a good snapshot of the era because it’s easier to see how those who became famous were allowed more freedom by Japanese officials than the average Korean citizen.

"The Hymn of Death" is a song released in 1926 and is said to be Korea’s first popular song, capturing the attention of the entire country.

29 Capital Scandal (2007)

A Playboy Becomes A Freedom Fighter After Falling In Love

• Stream On KOCOWA

Instead of being set in Korea’s ancient history as so many historical K-dramas are, Capital Scandal is set in the 1930s during the Japanese occupation of Korea, specifically, in Korea’s capital city. The series follows a playboy (Kang Ji-hwan) who sets out to seduce a freedom fighter (Han Ji-min). While real feelings emerge, their relationship plays out against the backdrop of the changing Korean society. They both revolutionaries fighting against the Japanese occupation of the country.

It must be noted that Capital Scandal is first and foremost a romance instead of a historical K-drama. That means, despite the important chapter of Korean history playing out on screen, the romance gets the spotlight. The series was highly acclaimed, winning six of the 10 KBS Drama Awards for which it was nominated. It also received three Baeksang Arts Award nominations.

28 Our Blooming Youth (2023)

A Rom-Com Meet Cute Gets A Historic Thriller Twist

• Stream On Rakuten Viki

Our Blooming Youth might not have been nominated for a slew of awards like some of the other historical K-dramas, but it’s got a great concept and the cast has great chemistry. The series takes a modern rom-com idea that’s been used more often in action-comedies than it has historical dramas to fuel its story.

Here, the crown prince is under suspicion of killing his brother, but he’s also been poisoned by the tip of an arrow and is worried about losing the use of his arm. At the same time, a young woman is on the run and framed for the murder of her entire family. When the two cross paths, they agree to help one another find the answers they’re searching for. What follows is something along the lines of a political thriller, but their romantic connection also makes them compelling to watch.

27 Faith (2012)

Sci-fi And Romance Collide With Korean History

• Stream On KOCOWA

History, romance, and science fiction collide in one of the best-known time-travel K-dramas. Because of one main character’s journey to the past, and that character being a plastic surgeon, it’s also recognized as a historical K-drama and a medical K-drama. The genre-bending series is also called The Divine Doctor after its main character.

A modern plastic surgeon is kidnapped and transported to the 14th-century Goryeo period in Korea. One of the royal guards is her abductor and insists that the doctor save the queen. As she works to survive in the past, she also begins to fall for the very guard who brought her there.

The series and its actors received several award show nominations following its run from the Baeksang Arts Awards, the Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards, and the SBS Drama Awards, among others. Faith ended up winning five of the 15 for which it was nominated.

26 Chicago Typewriter (2017)

1930s Resistance Are Reincarnated

• Stream On Pluto

Chicago Typewriter is not strictly a historical K-drama. Its story is split between two timelines - modern Korea and 1930s Korea. That means, of course, that the historical spotlight is on the Japanese occupation of the country, but just how that is explored is unusual here.

Three of the resistance fighters from the 1930s find themselves in the modern day. They are not there, however, because of the usual time travel trope, but because they have been reincarnated as a writer, a fan of the writer, and a ghostwriter. They each work to unravel the mysteries of their pasts and how their previous life might affect the modern day. It’s a fascinating story of connection and history.

Allowing the story to switch back and forth between the present and the past means that the audience gets to see the characters explored fully and uniquely. They all get their time to shine in the storyline.

25 The King In Love (2017)

Two Best Friends Fall In Love With The Same Woman

• Stream On Rakuten Viki

In the historical K-drama The King in Love, the future king in question has one close friend in his life and that friendship is thrown into turmoil when they both fall in love with the same woman. What makes it harder is that she loves both men. The Crown Prince Won and Wang Rin are the closest of friends, and they know they are the only people they can rely on in life. That is when San comes along and threatens to sever this close relationship.

This 40-episode series followed their friendship, trials, and tribulations, as they had to figure out what their future held. While it proved very popular, it fell a little short of other historical Korean dramas at awards time, winning only two awards at the MBC Drama Awards, one for Nam-Da-raum as the younger version of Crown Prince Wang Won and the other for Jeong Bo-Seok, as his father, King Chungnyeol.

24 Gunman In Joseon (2014)

A Story Of Revenge and Love

• Stream On Rakuten Viki

Gunman in Joseon is a historical K-drama that is part tragic revenge tale and part romantic drama. Park Yoon Kang is a young swordsman whose life is turned upside down when his father, the palace head guard, is murdered. He swears vengeance for his father's death and sets out to save his enslaved sister. What really makes this stand out from other Korean dramas is that this young man gives up his swords and takes up a gun. After this, he soon becomes a hero to his people.

The story is unique, mostly because this was a time (1876) when guns were new weapons for this hermit kingdom and Park Yoon-kang brings them into the present-day in what can only be considered a Western movie for Eastern cultures. The historical K-drama took home three awards at the KBS Drama Awards and also won the Outstanding Korean Drama award at the 10th Seoul International Drama Awards.

23 Gyeongseong Creature (2023-)

Season 1 Explores Korea In 1945

The struggle against the monster and the medical experiments line up with the Korean citizens struggling to reclaim their own identity...

Netflix has already confirmed that the second season, which was filmed in 2024, of Gyeongseong Creature is set in the modern day. The first season, however, takes place in a unique time in Korean history. Set in 1945, the first season occurs during the end of the Japanese occupation of Korea instead of right in the middle of it as the other few historical K-dramas in this era do.

The series uses a real tragedy as a jumping-off point for a fantasy series. In Gyeongseong Creature, the Japanese medical officials who are part of the Korean occupation do experiments on people, creating monsters in a hospital where loved ones never see their relatives emerge. The series kicks off because Jang Tae-sang (Park Seo-joon) and Yoon Chae-ok (Han So-hee) are trying to find some of those missing people. What they discover instead is a creature they have to find a way to survive against.

The struggle against the monster and the medical experiments line up with the Korean citizens struggling to reclaim their own identity under Japanese occupation, making the fantasy story a great parallel to real-world events.

22 The Forbidden Marriage (2022)

A Matchmaker Defies A King’s Ban

• Stream On Rakuten Viki

At only 12 episodes, The Forbidden Marriage is one of the shorter historical K-dramas, but it’s also one with an interesting concept. Set during the Joseon Era, the heartbroken king decides to ban marriage. He does so after his wife dies by suicide, and he believes she was actually murdered. Despite his ban, a scam artist acts as a matchmaker, running a marriage compatibility service, completely ignoring his rules right up until she is caught and imprisoned.

The scam artist manages to make the king believe that she’s actually being possessed by the spirit of his dead wife, so he keeps her close, believing he’s got his wife back. While the idea seems ridiculous, the short series is incredibly funny. Of the seven MBC Drama Awards it was nominated for in 2022, The Forbidden Marriage won three, including acting awards for leads Kim Young-dae and Park Ju-hyun.

21 The Princess' Man (2011)

A Romantic Tale Like Romeo & Juliet

• Stream On Rakuten Viki

The best way to describe this Korean drama is to compare it to Romeo & Juliet.

The Princess' Man is a shorter historical K-drama at 24 episodes and, unlike others in the genre, it doesn't care as much about the politics and intrigue as others, as it focuses almost exclusively on the romantic aspects. The best way to describe this Korean drama is to compare it to Romeo & Juliet, a love story between the daughter of a grand prince who wants to become the king and the son of his greatest enemy.

The series was a huge hit when released with an average audience share of around 18.9% nationwide in South Korea. It was also a critical darling, winning seven awards with 15 total nominations at the KBS Drama Awards. This included the Top Excellence Award for Actor (Park Si-hoo) and Actress (Moon Chae-won) and the Best Couple Award.