Five Historical K-Dramas to Check Out If You Were Obsessed with Bridgerton
Bridgerton was on everyone's lips this year. The costumes, the scenery, the — ahem — acting. It was all so beautiful. If you loved and binged this show and are looking for your next historical fix, look no further than this page. Here are some historical K-Dramas to check out if you were obsessed with Bridgerton.
River Where the Moon Rises
River Where the Moon Rises is a love story between two classic Goguryeo folktale characters, Pyeonggang and On Dal. Pyeonggang (Kim Sohyun) was born a princess but leaves home after losing her memories and identity. She is then raised as a soldier and is very ambitious, dreaming of becoming the first female to lead Goguryeo. She meets On Dal, who is peace-loving, but goes against his principles to protect Pyeonggang. Pyeonggang uses On Dal's feelings to achieve her goals, but becomes confused as she also develops feelings for him, which is something new for her. River Where the Moon Rises is available on Viki.
100 Days My Prince
Lee Yul (EXO’s D.O.) begrudgingly becomes the crown prince of Korea after his uncle dies and his father takes the throne. As part of his duties, Lee Yul issues a mandate that forces everyone in the kingdom to get married before they turn 28. Hong Shim (Nam Jihyun) has difficulty following this new law. In true K-Drama fashion, a bizarre twist of fate brings her together with the prince. While passing through the village, Lee Yul is attacked, but his life is saved by a quick-thinking official, who dresses the crown prince in peasant garb. After falling unconscious, the prince wakes up and finds himself in Hong Shim's house. She and her father treat his wounds, unaware of who he is. The attack has left him with yet another K-Drama trope: memory loss and, taking him for an unmarried commoner, the villagers wonder if he could marry Hong Shim and save her from her predicament, unaware of his true identity. 100 Days My Prince is available to watch on Viki.
The Tale of Nokdu
The family of a young noble heir named Jeon Nokdu (Jang Dongyoon) is attacked by female assassins. During his pursuit of one of these assassins, Jeon Nokdu finds himself in a village populated by widows. Needing to look for clues in the town, he goes undercover by disguising himself as a woman, and meets Dong Dongju (Kim So Hyun), who was running away from a courtesan apprenticeship that is not going in her favor and discovers Nokdu’s true identity. Dongju has mastered practical tasks, but is terrible at singing, dancing, and other artistic skills required of a courtesan. Will the unlikely duo succeed in keeping each other’s identities a secret? The Tale of Nokdu is available on Viki.
King Maker: The Change of Destiny
During the Joseon Dynasty, Choi Cheonjoong (Park Shihoo) is Korea's leading fortune teller and face-reading physiognomist. He's also a skilled gambler and martial artist as well as a fierce patriot who seems to be loved by all. He takes it upon himself to replace the country's corrupt regime, hoping to replace them with a young prince from a minor royal line, with belief that the prince is the ideal man to take the Joseon throne. Cheonjoong also finds the perfect royal consort. He must use all of his abilities to help the couple take power, which sounds like a difficult task, but luckily he has the help of a princess named Hwang Bongryun (Go Sunghee). As the duo proceeds with the bold plan, they begin to develop feelings for one another. King Maker: The Change of Destiny is available on Viki.
Sungkyunkwan Scandal
Women weren't allowed to be smart, or permitted to be educated, during the Joseon Dynasty. After her father passes away and her brother becomes ill, Kim Yoonhee (Park Minyoung) disguises herself as a boy and takes on her brother's identity to get jobs to support her family. When she realizes that she can make more money, Yoonhee decides to take the prestigious Sungkyunkwan University entrance exams. After passing the exam and getting into the university, Yoonhee meets her roommate, Lee Sunjoon (Park Yoochun). As Yoonhee begins to attend classes, she befriends the playboy Goo Yongha (Song Joongki) and the rebellious Moon Jaeshin (Yoo Ahin). She starts to develop feelings for Sunjoon, and things get complicated as she tries to keep her true gender a secret. Can Kim Yoonhee keep up this charade long enough to get the education she desires and keep her emotions at bay? This classic drama is available on Viki.