The Historical K-Drama Challenge

(This is a new challenge and may still be subjected to change as I'm trying to figure out what works the best.)

Hi, dear fellow historical K-drama lovers! 

This challenge is a way for you to watch Korean dramas/movies from all periods of Korean history. It is inspired by Rillas' List of Korean K-Dramas/Movies on Historical Timetable (thanks a lot for this great overview), and inspired by my own Historical C-Drama Challenge and my wish to make another challenge for K-dramas.

Because many more dramas are set in Joseon than in other dynasties, this challenge will have a bigger focus on the Joseon dynasty than on other dynasties/kingdoms.

Where to find dramas for this challenge:

• Rillas' List of Korean K-Dramas/Movies on Historical Timetable (It has all dramas and movies of all historical periods sorted by the date the drama is set in or starts with. It, however, doesn't show it when a drama is set during multiple time periods (e.g. Six Flying Dragons starts during U's reign (1374–1388) of the Goryeo dynasty, but continues until Taejong's reign (1400–1418) of the Joseon dynasty). If you realize a drama is also set during another time, you could choose yourself to which period you want to add the drama.)
• My List of K-Dramas/Movies based on Joseon Kings (It is not totally complete, so I recommend to use it next to Rillas' list, but this list has ordered dramas and movies according to which Joseon kings are in the cast or during which kings reign the drama is set. (If the king is written in Bold, that king is the main lead. If the king is underlined, the story mostly takes place during his reign. If neither, then either the king has a minor role in the drama, or doesn't have a role in the drama, but it still takes place during his time.))
• List of K-Dramas/Movies based on Goryeo Kings.
• Check for dramas on the Wikipedia pages of Korean kings: Many kings have a part on their Wikipedia pages where it shows in which Popular Culture this king has been portrayed.
• Use the Explore feature of MDL: use the Advanced Search function to add a specific dynasty to the Themes/Tags. Then check yourself whether the drama is based on history or is fictional.

Rules:

This challenge is ordered in categories of historical periods. It’s up to you whether you want to follow the order to progress further into history or to watch the dramas in a random order. 

If you cannot find a (good) drama for a certain kingdom/dynasty, either ask others/me, look at what others watched, or skip that challenge (for now).

Some dramas take place during multiple dynasties, e.g. when a drama starts in one dynasty and it changes to the next dynasty. Also some dynasties overlap with others. Feel free to choose to which dynasty you add a drama. Try to not add a drama to multiple challenges. 

To make it more difficult, don’t add dramas you already watched. However, this may not always work as for some periods, there are not enough dramas yet, so I will allow you to add dramas you already watched.

I have added a few optional challenges, feel free to do them or delete them to make it easier. (If possible you can add a movie to the optional challenges.) 

You could also choose to only watch one item per part to make the challenge easier.

Feel free to play around and make some changes to the challenge :) 

Badges:

You can find the badges made by Rien on this page: Historical K-Drama Challenge Badges.

The Historical K-Drama Challenge

Started: xx/xx/xxxx | Completed: xx/xx/xxxx
Finished categories: 0/5
Total finished dramas: 0/53

Category 1: The Three Kingdoms of Korea/Samhan
Goguryeo 고구려 (37BC - 668AD):
>(watch two titles for Goguryeo, add titles here)
>

Baekje 백제 (18BC - 660AD):
> (watch two titles for Baekje)
> (optional)

Silla 신라 (57BC - 935AD):
> (watch two titles for Silla (including Unified Silla))
>

Gaya 가야  (42 - 532):
> (optional)

Balhae 발해 (698 - 926):
> (optional drama or movie)

Three Kingdoms of Korea:
> (optional: watch a movie or another drama from the Three Kingdoms period of Korea)

Completed: 0/9

Category 2: Goryeo 고려 (918 - 1392)
The Founding and Rise of Goryeo (918 - 993):
>
>
> (optional)

The Khitan, Jurchen and Mongols (993 - 1274):
>
> (optional)

The Late Period (1274 - 1392):
>
>
> (optional)

Completed: 0/8

Joseon 조선  (1392 - 1897) + The Korean Empire (1897 - 1910)
(There are two options for Category 3, 4, and 5: the first option is to watch one drama or movie for every king of Joseon (just copy the List of Joseon kings on this page and add a drama to every king). The second option is written out here below. (Both have the exact same amount of total dramas to watch (27), but to make it easier you can delete the optional challenges here below, which will make it less.))

Category 3: The Early Period
The Founding Period (1392 - 1418):
>
>
> (optional)

Sejong (1418 - 1450):
>
> (optional)

A period of weakening (1450 - 1494):
>
>
> (optional)

The Tyrant (Yeonsangun) and his half-brother (Jungjong) (1494 - 1544):
>
>
> (optional)

Completed: 0/11

Category 4: The Middle Period
Factional Struggles and Japanese Invasions (1544 - 1608):
>
>
> (optional)

Manchu Invasions (1608 - 1659):
>
>
> (optional)

Completed: 0/6

Category 5: The Late Period
Rebuilding Joseon Society (1659 - 1724):
>
>

Yeongjo - Sado - Jeongjo (1724 - 1800):
>
>
> (optional)

In-law Government (1800 - 1863):
>
> (optional)

The Fall of the Dynasty (1863 - 1910):
>
>
> (optional)

Completed: 0/10

Category 6: Modern Korea (1910 - Now)
Japanese Rule (1910 - 1945):
>
>
> (optional)

Division and Korean War (1945 - 1953):
>
> (Optional)

Modern South Korea (1953 - Now):
>
> (Optional)

Modern North Korea (1953 - Now):
>
> (Optional)

Completed: 0/9

【✓】= Completed | 【✗】= Not Started | 【...】= Ongoing | ✔️/ ❌ 

Category 1: The Three Kingdoms of Korea/Samhan			2/5
Components	Titles	Notes	Status
Goguryeo 고구려 (37BC - 668AD)	Jungjong (1506–1544)	Queen Woo	8 eps ✓ 11/04/25 - 14/04/25 7.5/10 Recommend:✔️
	Goguryeo Dynasty Tag	Sword, the Sword of Godumakhan	Not released yet
Baekje 백제 (18BC - 660AD)	Set in 645AD	The Great Battle	2hrs, 15min ✓ 04/04/25 - 05/04/25 9.0/10 Recommend:✔️
Silla 신라 (57BC - 935AD)	Silla Dynasty tag	River Where the Moon Rises	20 eps PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
	Silla Dynasty tag (unification period)	The Records of the Silla-Tang War	Not released yet
Balhae 발해 (698 - 926)	Balhae Dynasty tag	Shadowless Sword	1hr, 44min PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
Three Kingdoms of Korea	Three Kingdoms of Korea (57 BC - 688 AD)	Love Song for Illusion	16 eps PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️

Category 2: Goryeo 고려 (918 - 1392)			0/3
Components	Titles	Notes	Status
The Founding and Rise of Goryeo (918 - 993)	Fictional Fantasy/Sci-Fi set during the Goryeo dynasty.	Alienoid 1	2hrs, 20min PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
The Khitan, Jurchen and Mongols (993 - 1274)	Mokjong(997–1009), Hyeonjong (1009–1031)	Korea-Khitan War	32 eps PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
The Late Period (1274 - 1392)	Mokjong(997–1009), Hyeonjong (1009–1031)	My Country: The New Age	16 eps PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
	King U (1374–1388)	The Warriors	2hrs, 40min PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️

Category 3: The Early Period			1/7
Components	Titles	Notes	Status
The Founding Period (1392 - 1418)	Taejo (1392–1398),Taejong (1400-1418)	The Pirates	2hrs, 10min ✓ 06/04/25 5.5/10 Recommend: ❌️
	Taejo (1392–1398),Taejong (1400-1418)	The Queen Who Crowns	12 eps PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
Sejong (1418 - 1450)	Taejong (1400-1418), Sejong (1418–1450)	Joseon Exorcist	2hr, 30min PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
A period of weakening (1450 - 1494)		Joseon Attorney: A Morality	Length PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
		Behead the King	Length PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
The Tyrant (Yeonsangun) and his half-brother (Jungjong) (1494 - 1544)	Jungjong (1506–1544)	Monstrum	1hr, 45min PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
		Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People	Length PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️

Category 4: The Middle Period			1/6
Components	Titles	Notes	Status
Factional Struggles and Japanese Invasions (1544 - 1608)	Seonjo (1567–1608), Gwanghaegun (1608–1623)	Uprising /The Flower in Prison	2hrs, 6min PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
	Seonjo (1567–1608), Gwanghaegun (1608–1623)	The Crowned Clown	16 eps PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
	Seonjo (1567–1608)	Live Up to Your Name	16 eps PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
Manchu Invasions (1608 - 1659)	Gwanghaegun (1608–1623), Injo (1623-1649)	The Tale of Nokdu	32 eps PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
	Injo (1623–1649)	The Night Owl	2hrs ✓ 17/02/25 8.0/10 Recommend:✔️
	Injo (1623–1649)	My Dearest	21 eps PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️

Category 5: The Late Period			0/7
Components	Titles	Notes	Status
Rebuilding Joseon Society (1659 - 1724)			Length PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
			Length PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
Yeongjo - Sado - Jeongjo (1724 - 1800)	Yeongjo (1724–1776)	The Singer	2hrs PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
	Yeongjo (1724–1776)	The Age of Blood	1hr, 40min PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
In-law Government (1800 - 1863)	Cheoljong (1849–1864)	Mr. Queen	20 eps PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
The Fall of the Dynasty (1863 - 1910)	Gojong (1864–1897)	The Map Against the World	2hrs, 9min PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
	Gojong (1864–1897)	The Sound of a Flower	1hr, 50min PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️

Category 6: Modern Korea (1910 - Now)			0/5
Components	Titles	Notes	Status
Japanese Rule (1910 - 1945)	1930s	Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938	12eps PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
	1940s	Birthday Letter	2hrs PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
Division and Korean War (1945 - 1953)			length PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
Modern South Korea (1953 - Now)	1970s	Cobweb	2hrs, 15min PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️
Modern North Korea (1953 - Now)	1970s	Serve the People	1hr, 30min PTW xx/xx/xx - xx/xx/xx x.x/10 Recommend: ❌/✔️

Other Challenges

Want to try!

The Historical K-Drama Challenge
Summary and notes:
Only dramas	Total finished dramas: 0/0 Finished categories: 0/4
Started: 08/03/2025	Completed:

Completed: 0/0

Completed: 0/0

Completed: 0/0

Completed: 0/0