In the last couple of days, I decided to stay away from my writing. That meant I had to leave my desk and do something else.

This process allows me to recharge my batteries, which could take a few days to weeks, depending on how stressed I was previously.

In this case, from the last year to early this year, I didn’t do anything besides writing my books and managing my writing business almost simultaneously.

That said, this month, as the world celebrates love, I chose to exercise self-love and make it a habit.

This could be the right time to give me space and go back to working or relive the hobbies or things I used to like: watching Kdramas.

Table of Contents

• Updated List of Historical Korean Dramas on Netflix 2023
  • 1. Under the Queen’s Umbrella
  • 2. The King’s Affection
  • 3. My Only Love Song
  • 4. Alchemy of Souls
  • 5. Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung
  • 6. My Country: The New Age
  • 7. 100 Days My Prince
  • 8. Moon Embracing the Sun
  • 9. The Crowned Clown
  • 10. Love in the Moonlight
  • 11. My Sassy Girl
  • 12. Hwarang
  • 13. Kingdom
  • 14. The King: Eternal Monarch
  • 15. The Tale of Nokdu
  • 16. Queen for Seven Days
  • 17. Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency
  • 18. Live Up to Your Name
  • 19. Mr. Sunshine
  • 20. Rooftop Prince
  • 21. The Bride of Habaek
  • 22. The Empress Ki
  • 23. Bulgasal: Immortal Souls
  • 24. The Last Empress
  • 25. Arthdal Chronicles
  • 26. Hymn of Death
  • 27. Kingdom: Ashin of the North (Film)
  • 28. Steel Rain (Film)
  • 29. The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure (Film)
• Final Thoughts about the Best Korean Drama on Netflix + Films

Updated List of Historical Korean Dramas on Netflix 2023

I came up with the idea of creating a list, which ended up with 30 historical Korean dramas on Netflix in 2023. I hope you’ll enjoy watching or binge-watching this series as much as I felt excited when I wrote this article.

Let me know your thoughts about this list in the comment section below. Thank you, and have a great day! 🙂

1. Under the Queen’s Umbrella

Aired on tvN, this Korean drama series is about a spirited queen who tries to rein in her rowdy sons to make one of them the next king of Joseon while her competitors vie to snatch the throne.

2. The King’s Affection

This is yet another new Kdrama series on the list, and here’s what this is about.

During the Joseon Dynasty, the Crown Princess Consort gives birth to twins but sends the girl away to spare her life.

Years later, the twin son dies in an accident, and his sister must assume his identity and throne while hiding her true self.

3. My Only Love Song

Although this series is five years old, it’s still worth including in the list. So, if you like to watch it, here’s what this is about.

When things don’t go her way during the shooting of her new show, a top actress runs away in an old van that guides her on a time-traveling journey.

4. Alchemy of Souls

This historical Korean drama series aired its first episode on June 18, 2022, and ended only a month ago, on January 8, 2023.

The story revolves around a powerful sorceress in a blind woman’s body who encounters a man from a prestigious family who wants her help to change his destiny.

5. Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung

In the previous days, I binge-watched Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung out of curiosity about Cha Eun Woo’s acting. Other than that, I had no interest in the beginning.

Yet, I unconsciously noticed myself indulging from episode to episode until I reached the end. And because of my incredible experience with this great Korean historical drama, it deserves a space on the site.

Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung is an excellent Korean historical drama that projects modern journalism. If you want to find out the reason, read the entire post.

6. My Country: The New Age

In 2019, this Korean drama aired on JTBC before it was available on Netflix. So, the story takes us to the end of the Goryeo period, where people lead the charge to proclaim reforms for a new age.

Among them would be two friends who would later become enemies when they disagreed on the direction of their country.

7. 100 Days My Prince

This sageuk was aired on tvN in 2018 before the dawn of Netflix. This historical Korean drama series is about Crown Prince, who falls off a cliff and nearly dies in an attempted assassination, resulting in memory loss.

During this time, he wanders for 100 days under a new name and personality, wherein later, he meets Hong Sim, the head of the first detective agency in Joseon.

8. Moon Embracing the Sun

I remember this when it was crowned as one of the most successful and popular Korean drama series, “Moon Embracing the Sun,” which was aired on March 15, 2012.

Based on the book of the same title, written by Jeun Eun-gwol, it is set against the backdrop of a traditional Korean palace. This fantasy drama tells the poignant love story between a king and a female shaman.

9. The Crowned Clown

Here’s another crowned historical Korean drama series with a list of nominations and awards after its successful release in 2019, such as the Baeksang Arts Awards.

The story is about the king, a non-rightful heir who suffers insomnia and manic paranoia as he fears the actions he has committed.

As a result, he plans to replace himself with an identical jester to eliminate the assassination threat.

10. Love in the Moonlight

Based on a novel called “Moonlight Drawn by Clouds” by Yoon Yi-soo (story) and Kim Hee-kyung (illustrations), this is among the best historical Korean drama series takes us to the wondrous world of Lee Yeong.

He is a young prince who bonds with his political eunuch, Ra-on, who happens to be a girl pretending to be a man. However, he realizes that he’s falling for her over time.

11. My Sassy Girl

Since the film “My Sassy Girl” was released in 2001, starring Jun Ji-hyun and Cha Tae-hyun, many versions of this story have had different twists.

That also means even though the first version would inevitably serve as the story’s foundation, the following titles, including the one on Netflix, would have completely different plots.

The newer “My Sassy Girl” version is a historical Korean drama series aired in 2017 and is currently available on Netflix.

The story revolves around a young Joseon scholar whose life has been turned upside down after rescuing a princess who later accuses him of taking something valuable.

12. Hwarang

In ancient Korea, called Silla, the Hwarangs, which translates to “Flowering Knights,” were an elite group of noble warriors.

The group comprises brave young warriors, carefully selected from the royal court and taught to defend their beliefs and serve the king.

On the same note, this Korean drama series, created by Han Suk-won and Park Sung-hye, is precisely about these young men, airing its first episode in mid-2016 and the last episode in 2017.

13. Kingdom

With 8.3 out of 10-star ratings on IMDb, “Kingdom” is a Joseon series on Netflix that aired in 2019 South Korean horror streaming television series created and written by Kim Eun-hee.

Starring Ju Ji-hoon, Bae Doona, and Kim Sungkyu, this historical Kdrama series will take us to the strange rumors about their ill king, gripping the kingdom from progress and peace.

The story develops into preparing the Crown Prince as he becomes the only hope against a mysterious plague overtaking the land.

14. The King: Eternal Monarch

According to Netflix, “The King: Eternal Monarch” is a historical Kdrama series about a modern-day Korean emperor who passes through a mysterious portal and into a parallel world, where he encounters a feisty police detective.

15. The Tale of Nokdu

With a 91% rating on Google, “The Tale of Nokdu” caught my eye, resulting in adding this series to the list.

While curious about it, I also noticed Viu’s 9.4 out of 10-star ratings during my research. With all these considered, I wondered why, so I figured it out.

This is a romantic comedy historical Korean drama series aired in 2019. Starring Jang Dong-yoon, Kang Tae-oh, and Kim So-hyun.

It is about a man named Jeon Nok-du who disguises himself as a woman to escape into a village of widows and meets Dong Dong-ju, a kisaeng trainee who is more fond of crafts than singing or dancing.

16. Queen for Seven Days

This series will take us to Chae-kyung’s life as a noblewoman. In the story, she marries the crown prince, who eventually becomes the king.

After being a queen for only seven days, she becomes a victim of a conspiracy and gets expelled from the palace.

17. Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency

Aired in 2019 on JTBC, this historical Korean drama series is about an ordinary blacksmith’s son who was kidnapped and selected to become the king of Joseon.

Unfortunately, he fails to marry his childhood sweetheart, Gae-ttong, due to her low status. His desperation compels him to turn to Joseon’s best matchmakers in a request to make her into an eligible lady.

18. Live Up to Your Name

Interestingly, “Live Up to Your Name” is a time-travel, romantic comedy Korean drama series that brings us to a traditional acupuncturist’s life.

Her journey begins with mystery and fate, as she is transported to Seoul 400 years into the future and meets a young surgeon who only believes in modern medicine.

19. Mr. Sunshine

After the Shinmiyangyo tragedy in 1871, a poor Korean child from an immigrant family who ended up in the US returned to his country at a crucial time in history.

Eugene, now a military commander in the United States, falls in love with Ae-sin, an aristocrat’s daughter, and learns of a sinister plan to conquer the nation he once fled.

As Ae-sin muses over the definition of “love” in English, he tries to determine whether Eugene is a friend.

20. Rooftop Prince

“Rooftop Prince” is another time-travel series and one of the most popular classic historical Korean drama series aired in 2012, starring Han Ji-min, Park Yoochun, Choi Woo-shik, and Lee Tae-sung.

The story is about Crown Prince Lee Gak traveling 300 years into the future after the passing of his wife, without knowing he would arrive in 21st-century Seoul.

During that time, he meets Joo Se-Na, a woman who bears an eerie likeness to the late princess.

21. The Bride of Habaek

Even though many netizens believe this Korean series failed to impress audiences, it’s still worth including “The Bride of Habaek” on the list.

It’s about a selfish god seeking his rightful throne who comes to the Earth to search for a powerful stone and enlists the help of a psychiatrist destined to become his wife despite her skepticism of his divine origins.

22. The Empress Ki

Known as the unforgettable, if not iconic, best, most-watched Korean drama series when it aired in 2013, it isn’t surprising to hear that this could become the most-watched Korean drama on Netflix.

Based on a true story, this series tells a story of a Korean-born warrior girl who had to be a servant at the Mongol Yuan court but somehow overcame her low status to become an empress in another land.

23. Bulgasal: Immortal Souls

“Bulgasal: Immortal Souls” is a fantasy historical Kdrama series aired in 2022 on tvN before Netflix.

The story is about an immortal man’s life becomes intertwined with a woman who lives in a cycle of death and reincarnation.

24. The Last Empress

With over 9 out of 10-star ratings among netizens, “The Last Empress” is a Korean drama series packed with romance, action, comedy, thriller, and mystery.

Its success was notable, earning several awards, such as SBS Drama Award for Top Excellence in Acting.

The story brings us to the life of a musical actress who marries the emperor of the Korean empire while she uncovers a world filled with sinister secrets.

25. Arthdal Chronicles

After a troubled divorce, Song Joong-ki returned to the acting scene with a leading role in “Arthdal Chronicles,” aired on tvN in 2019.

This historical Kdrama series is set in the mythical land of Arth, where the inhabitants live. The story develops as they build a new society.

26. Hymn of Death

Although this is a Korean miniseries with only three (3) episodes, “Hymn of Death” remains a widely acclaimed historical drama series worth noting and sharing.

Aired in 2018, starring Lee Jong-suk and Shin Hye-sun, this series is based on Kim Woo-Jin and Yun Sim-actual Deok’s story.

While Japan was occupying Korea, Kim Woo-Jin wrote theatrical plays. Even though he is already married, he falls in love with Yun Sim-Deok.

The first Korean soprano is Yun Sim-Deok. In 1926, she released the song “Praise of Death,” which became the first Korean pop song. Tragically, Kim Woo-Jin and Yun Sim-fate Deok’s is sealed.

27. Kingdom: Ashin of the North (Film)

This is a spinoff film based on the “Kingdom” series released in 2021 on Netflix.

Unlike the series, it focuses on the tragedy, betrayal, and mysterious discovery that fuel a woman’s vengeance for the loss of her tribe and family.

28. Steel Rain (Film)

According to Netflix, “Steel Rain” is a Korean period series which tells a story about a North Korean agent attempting to flee southward with the country’s injured leader and prevent a Korean war.

29. The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure (Film)

This Kdrama film takes us to the journey of a fearless crew during the Joseon period, wherein they encounter and fight against bandits while puzzling clues and fierce rivals in search of royal gold, which they believed was lost at sea.

Final Thoughts about the Best Korean Drama on Netflix + Films

What do you think you would love among the 30 historical Korean drama series and historical Korean movies on Netflix?

As a writer, watching these shows inspires me, wherein I become motivated to tell better stories as they did.

For instance, if a specific performance or a scene in a particular TV series or film stunned me, I would later take notes of what the writer had possibly done to leave such a feeling or impression on me. How about you?

Personally, it’s a healthy distraction besides reading, though I understand many people would disagree with me. So, if you like to share your thoughts about the list, let me know in the comment section below.