The Best Romance Historical K-Dramas To Watch In 2021

Let's talk about Korean dramas. The heart-pounding love element is essential.

The editors, in particular, love the romance in historical dramas! Is anyone else just as obsessed as us?

So, here's a list of our recommended historical romance dramas.

We chose dramas that our editors have seen and loved, so please take a look at them in your free time!

MR.QUEEN
철인왕후

Adapted from the Chinese drama Go Princess Go, Mr. Queen holds its place as one of the 10 Korean dramas with the highest viewer ratings.

The drama follows a famous chef named Jang Bong-Hwan, who is being framed and chased after. While being hunted down, he falls into a pool. His soul then travels into the Joseon era and he finds himself in the body of Queen Cheorin, who drowned in the lake the day before her wedding ceremony.

When Queen Cheorin regains consciousness, the people around her notice a sudden personality change. She'd become informal, rude and suddenly amazing at cooking! Her cooking skills get her a position in the imperial dining room.

So what happened to Queen Cheorin's soul?

HWARANG: The Poet Warrior Youth
화랑

KBS 화랑

Moo-Myung (Park Seo-Joon) lives in a commoner village and invades the capital with his best friend Mak-Moon (Lee Kwang-Soo), who searches for his separated family. However, the royal army ultimately kills Mak-Moon.

Moo-Myung takes the identity of his best friend "Sun-Woo" to protect his best friend's younger sister, Ah-Ro (Go Ara).

The 24th king of Silla, King Jinheung (Park Hyung-Sik), suffers from insomnia yet can sleep while listening to the storyteller of town, Ah-Ro; he becomes interested in Ah-Ro.

Meanwhile, an announcement of the forming of the King's guard, "Hwarang" was made. Sun-Woo (or Moo-Myung) vows to take revenge on those who took the life of his best friend and joins the guard. King Jinheung also joins under the pseudonym, Ji-Dwi, to recapture the king's power from his mother.

Sun-Woo and Ji-Dwi create a strong bond as they continue to bump into each other through the show. The synopsis follows: Hwarang is a drama revolving around a group of young men in Hwarang who train to be elite warriors during the Silla era.

Starring: Park Seo-Joon, a former member of ZE:A Park Hyun-Sik, SHINee's Min Ho, and many other handsome men. World idol BTS member V also cameos in the series.

Seeing the visuals of all these handsome guys makes my heart pound! It's a story depicting love and friendship, a drama you can watch whenever you'd like.

LOVE IN THE MOONLIGHT
구르미 그린 달빛

Source: KBS2 구르미 그린 달빛

Ra-On was a young girl raised as a boy, and she grows up to become a relationship counselor under the name Sam-Nom.

One day, Ra-On goes to meet the one who requested for a written love letter, but what appeared was the heir to the throne, Lee Yeong!

However, Ra-On was unaware of that fact and pushed Yeong to reveal his identity.

Later on, Ra-On is chased by a debt collector, and so she applies to become a eunuch or a king's official. She then reunites with Yeong in an awkward encounter.

Ra-On tries to escape, but Yeong prevents that from happening. And so, the distance between the two becomes closer without knowing each other's true identities.

Watch for our cute and mischievous Yeong, played by Park Bo-Gum, and Kim Yoo-Jung, who plays Ra-On. The former member of B1A4 Jinyoung also appears!

It will be a screenful of handsome eye candy.

100 DAYS MY PRINCE
백일의 낭군님

Source: tVN 백일의 낭군님

During the Joseon Dynasty, young Lee Yul, prince of the royal family, falls in love with Yi-Seo, the daughter of a high-ranking official.

To put Yul's father on the throne, a senior vassal starts a rebellion. During the chaos, Yi-Seo's father gets killed, and she goes missing.

Yul's father becomes king, and he is now the heir to the throne. However, when he learns that his mother has also been killed, he becomes a cold and distant prince.

Sixteen years later, now that Yul is an adult, he becomes targeted by the same senior vassal who brought his father the throne. He escaped with the help of a local village. When he awoke, his memories were gone.

The drama is about a temporary marriage between the adopted daughter of a villager and a crowned prince, who loses his memories.

It's an interesting love comedy full of existing highlights with EXO member Do Kyung-So, and Nam Ji-Hyun. It becomes a complicated love triangle with the actor Kim Seon-Ho (also starring in the hot new drama, Startup).

THE TALE OF NOKDU
조선로코-녹두전

Source: KBS 조선로코-녹두전

In the 17th century, during the Joseon Dynasty, Jeon Nok-Du (Jang Dong-Yoon) lived on a remote island with his father and brother.

One day, a mysterious armed group attacks his family. Nok-Du chases after them, only to reach a widowed village where only women are allowed to live.

Nok-Du dresses as a woman and disguises himself as a widow who lost her husband. He enters the village and meets Dong-Joo. Dong-Joo (Kim So-Hyun), an apprentice to become a Kisaeng (courtesan), with whom he shares a room.

We follow the story of Nok-Du disguised as a woman, searching to reveal the secrets of the village.

The same screenwriter also wrote our other recommended drama, Love in the Moonlight. This drama won the KBS Grand Prize for Best Acting!

Not only do we have the goddess of historical dramas, Kim So-Hyun, but we also have a rising star, Jang Dong-Yoon dressed as a beautiful woman.

LIVE UP TO YOUR NAME
명불허전

Source: tvN 명불허전

During the reign of King Seonjo, there lived Heo Im (Kim Nam-Gil), a well-known acupuncturist. He provided medical treatment to the poor during the day, and to high-ranking officials in the imperial court at night.

However, he failed to treat the king and was branded as a criminal. He escapes but is fatally shot by the soldiers who chased after him. He regains consciousness in modern Seoul, the year 2017!

Heo Im wanders around the city and encounters an injured person.

He attempts to save the person’s life with acupuncture, but a surgeon named Choi Yeon-Kyung (Kim Ah-Joong) stops him. From there, the story of these two begins...

Modern-day living Yeon-Kyung, Joseon dynasty Heo Im travels back and forth in time, a period of 400 years. It’s a historical drama twist with a time slip to modern-day Korea.

Camoed by Moon Ga-Young, star of the popular dramas, Goddess Descend and True Beauty.

In the end, how will two people of different eras help their patients? Watch the actor Kim Nam-Gil's comedic performance and the heart-pounding scenes between the two.

It’s a love affair that transcends time.

ROOFTOP PRINCE
옥탑방 왕세자

Source: SBS 옥탑방 왕세자

Hwa-Young (Jeong Yu-Mi), King Lee Gak's (Park Yoochun) wife, was found dead in the palace pond.

After losing his beloved queen, Gak is convinced that she was killed. He begins an investigation by hiring three subjects with unique talents.

Gak and his three subjects were suddenly attacked during the investigation and ultimately jumped off a cliff. However, they arrived in modern Seoul in the year 2012!

一Meanwhile, Park Ha (Han Ji-Min), a single living Seoulite, comes home after work, only to see four men dressed like historical actors on her rooftop apartment!

The story revolves around Park Ha and four suspicious men dressed in traditional clothes. Lee Gak finds the one who resembles the wife he lost in modern-day Korea and tries to solve the mystery of her murder.

It's a time-slip drama with elements of love, comedy, mystery, and history!

Choi Woo-Sik, the actor from the winning film Parasite, appears in the drama as a subject!

MOON LOVERS: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
달의 연인-보보경심 려

Cosmetics saleswoman, Go Ha-Jin (IU) falls into a lake attempting to save a child but is dragged into the depths of the lake by a mysterious power. When she awoke, she time-slipped into the Goryeo Dynasty! She wakes up in the body of Hae Soo.

She meets the eight royal princes of the Wang family and the first king of Goryeo. She initially becomes attracted to the eighth prince, Wang Wook, but later falls for the fourth prince, Wang So, when she sees his true personality.

Go Ha-Jin, who originally lived in present-day Korea, knows the history and strives to change the past for the better.

This drama includes Lee Joon-Gi, the prince of historical dramas, Kang Ha-Neul, Nam Joo-Hyuk, and EXO member Baek-Hyun.

These characters are based on real historical figures. Our protagonist, Hae Soo is played by the beautiful IU! It’s a tear-jerking drama that makes your heart pound for the princes in the show. One of our editors said that this drama had such a strong impact that she ended up watching it twice.

MOON EMBRACING THE SUN
해를 품은 달

Source: MBC 해를 품은 달

Heo Yeon-Woo (Kim Yu-Jung) is the daughter of the king's trusted advisor living in the Joseon Dynasty. She visits the palace to celebrate her brother passing the state examination.

Yeon-Woo follows a butterfly around the imperial court and runs into the crown prince, Lee Hwon, escaping from his studies. He hides his true identity from Yeon-Woo.

She gradually becomes attracted to Lee Hwon, and he falls in love with her at first sight.

Wise and kind-hearted Yeon-Woo passes the trials to become the fiance of the crown prince. Lee Hwon and Yeon-Woo will officially meet at the wedding. However, she falls ill with an unknown cause.

Eight years after Yeon-Woo’s passing, adult Lee Hwon (Kim Soo-Hyun) still cannot forget about his love for her.

一However, Yeon-Woo did not die. In truth, she lost her memories and lived as a shaman named Wol (Han Ga-In)...From there, fate begins.

The ratings for this drama are a whopping 46.1%. In addition to the beautiful cast, it’s an incredible story of heartrending, pure love that resonates with my heart!

This drama is so wonderful that I have seen it twice and purchased the original soundtrack. I really recommend listening to the soundtrack!

JANG OK-JUNG, LIVE BY LOVE
장옥정 사랑에 살다

Source: SBS 장옥정 사랑에 살다

Ok-Jung (Kim Tae-Hee) was born into a poor family, but she had the skills to create beautiful hanboks.

Taking advantage of her talent, she became independent and entered the imperial court as a hanbok designer and worked as a court lady.

There, she meets the crown prince Lee Soon (Yoo Ah-In), who she once met as a child. Lee Soon takes an interest in Ok-Jung, not remembering why she looked familiar to him.

Those around her, including Lee Soon’s fiance, have started to envy her, and so Ok-Jung faces many obstacles and challenges for being the receiver of Lee Soon’s love.

Even so, Soon’s unwavering feelings towards Ok-Jung remains. However, it will take much for them to overcome all of the trials and tribulations.

This drama is based on Jang Hye-Bin, one of the three great villains of Korea.

Get excited to see Tae-Hee and all her glory dressed in beautiful hanboks. It has been said that the shoot used over 300 different kinds of clothing items.

I love to see strong female leads on the screen. Also, the sexy prince played by Yoo Ah-In is definitely a bonus and the reason why many have become a fan of this drama.

EMPRESS KI
기황후

Source: MBC 기황후

Nyang (Ha Ji-Won), as a young girl, was offered from Goryeo as a tribute.

Prince Wang Yoo was taken hostage but was able to help women escape including Nyang. However, her mother was killed by the warlord chasing her.

Now that she was left alone without a mother, Nyang decides to change her name to Seung-Nyang. She disguised herself as a man to serve as a vassal for the pro-Yuan faction.

Wang Yoo, the leader of another group, is reunited with Nyang, but as Seung-Nyang. Their bond deepens without knowing each other’s identity.

Wang Yoo ascended the throne, and Seung-Nyang was entrusted with the exiled bodyguard of the former crown prince, Ta Hwan.

Empress Ki is based on a real woman from Goryeo who was sent to Yuan as a tribute. She ultimately became empress to the 15th emperor of Yuan.

The historical drama depicts the triangular relationship with Nyang and the grand history between Yuan and Goryeo. Watch the beautiful Ha Ji-Won and Ji Chang-wook act in this mesmerizing drama.

I became interested in the plot and ended up completely addicted! It’s an interesting drama and worth watching.

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SUNGKYUNKWAN SCANDAL
성균관 스캔들

Source: KBS2 성균관 스캔들

On the exam day, Yoon-Hee gets caught by another student named Lee Sun-Joon. However, acknowledging her skill and intelligence, he encourages her to take the exam.

She takes the exam under her brother’s name and is enrolled in the school.

She is forced to live in the dormitory and has to deal with constant mischief from her upperclassman, Goo Yong-Ha (Song Joong-Ki), and her moody roommate Moon Jae-Shin (Yoo Ah-In).

Watch Yoon-Hee overcome her life as a student in Sunkyunkwan, the most prestigious education institute in the Joseon Dynasty, while enjoying the romantic comedy amongst the characters played by Park Yoo-Chun, Song Joong-Ki, and Yoo Ah-In.

It’s a romance historical drama that's loved to this day. Even those who do not usually watch historical drama can enjoy it.