The famous Media Collider average has recently published a list of the first 20 Korean dramas of Romance Historical of the last five years, showing titles acclaimed by critics and preferred by fans. While the list includes both the settings of the era of the period and the first modern, it is dominated by Korean historical series.
1. The red sleeve – Lee Jun Ho, Lee if Young
Released at the end of 2021, the red sleeve tells the heartbreaking story of King Lee San and his love for the court of court Sung Deok im. Their love story is sweet and sour, he dreams of strengthening his kingdom, while he craves freedom outside the palace. The drama is adapted by a novel with the same name and is praised for its narrative depth, emotionally charged acting and visual narration.
With Lee Jun Ho and Lee if Young, the series saw a phenomenal success with average assessments of 11% and a peak of 17.4%. He earned 7 nominations at the Baeksang prize, including the best actor, the best actress, the best director and the best drama. Lee Jun Ho won the first prize (Daesang) to the MBC Drama Awards, where the show also brought home 8 prizes of 12 nominations.
2. The King’s affectation – Rowoon, Park Eun Bin
Based on a Manhwa, the king’s affection offers a refreshing turning point on the traditional policy of the palace and on gender standards. The story follows Dami, a woman forced to mask herself as her late twin brother to become a hereditary prince. In this way, he brings the burden of leadership hiding his identity.
Rowoon plays Jung Ji Woon, the lively and intelligent real tutor who unconsciously falls in love with the “male” prince. The series explores forbidden love, identity and human desire for freedom in a society linked by rules and tradition.
The representation of Park Eun Bin of a woman who lives as a man, balancing emotional vulnerability and royal authority, won his widespread consensus. The emotional arches of the drama, the political intrigue and the poetic graphics have made it a favorite of the fans and the critic.
3. Opening the King – Jo Jung Suk, Shin Se Kyung
A recent addition to the genre, which fascinates the king provides a history of crack, manipulation and resilience within the royal court. Jo Jung Suk plays a tormented king who struggles with betrayal, solitude and power, while Shin if Kyung portrays a noble woman with a row that captures both the attention of the king and the heart of the public.
The drama stands out for its mature themes, strata characters and emotionally guided narrative. It focuses less on light romanticism and more on the consequences of love in a world governed by power, offering a dramatic and sometimes painful look in the life of the palace.
The fans praised the chemistry between the protagonists and the introspective gaze to what it means to love someone when the entire identity is a weapon or a secret.
The best top 20 rankings (from 4th to 20th)
- Alchemy of souls – Lee Jae Wook, Jung So Min, Go Yoon Jung
- Our Florentian young – Park Hyung Sik, Jeon So Nate
- River where the moon stands – na in woo, kim so hyun
- Lovers of the red sky – Ahn Hyo Seop, Kim Yoo Jung
- Bossam: Destiny steals – Jung the woon, kwon
- The forbidden marriage Ji · Young Young, Payk Yygu
- Moonlight – Yoo Seung Ho, Hyeri
- Dyed with you – Park Jun Hee, Yoo Hyun Woo
- My dear – Nam Goong Min, Ahn Eun
- Mr. Queen – Choi Jin Hyuk, Shin Hye Sun
- The secret romantic pension – Rina, Shin Eunch.
- Love song by illusion – Park Ji Hoon, Hong Ye Ji
- Joseon lawyer – Woo Do Hwan, Bona
- Gyeongseong creature – Park Seo Joon, Han So Hee
- Secret Royal Inspector & Joy – Ok Taec Yeon, Kim Hye Yoon
- Youth of May • Blessed be the load?
- The matchmaker – Rowoon, Cho Yi Hyun
Korean historical dramas remain a global phenomenon thanks to theirs Emotional narrative mixture, rich story and timeless themes. Whether it’s the forbidden love of the palace or rebellion against fate, these dramas connect with the public of generations and borders.
Collider’s ranking He reflects not only spectators and evaluations, but also the cultural excellence of impact and narration, which remains fans of why K-Drama Sageuks Continue to enchant year after year.
