Five (5) Best Korean Dramas For Fans of Shin Se-kyung

Who is Shin Se-Kyung?

Shin Se-kyung is a popular South Korean actress who started her career in the entertainment industry as a child. However, my first introduction to her was in the award-winning television series Six Flying Dragons (2015–2016). She was the woman the king loved but he could never possess. Her performance was impressive. After watching that series, I earnestly searched for her in other Korean dramas.

Shin Se-kyung began as a child actress. Her acting career spans close to two decades and includes films and TV series. From a combined total of 25 movies and TV series, fans can surely choose her “best five Korean dramas”. Even though Shin Se-kyung has accepted roles in various different genres, in my opinion, she shines brightest in fantasy or historical period Korean dramas. For this reason, my recommendations for the best five (5) K-dramas to watch are:

1. Six Flying Dragons (2015–2016)
2. Tree With Deep Roots (aka Deep Rooted Tree ~2011)
3. Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung (2019)
4. The Bride of Habaek (aka Bride of the Water God ~ 2017)
5. Queen Seondeok (2009)

For the year 2023, Shin Se-kyung was chosen to play the female lead in two highly anticipated TV series:

• Tan-ya in Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramoon (Season 2) (fantasy); and
• Kang Hee Soo in Sejak (aka Spy) (historical period).

You should add these two 2023 series to your watch list as well.

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Six Flying Dragons (2015–2016)

Shin Se-kyung plays Boon Yi. She is not of the noble class but she has a noble heart. Although she is uneducated, her wisdom is reflected through her boundless compassion and concern for others. That’s why members of her village honor her by calling her their “Leader”. Lee Bang-Won would become Taejong of Joseon (1367 – 1422), the third ruler of Joseon. But he met Boon Yi they were young children.

As they grew into adults, their friendship turned into love. But Boon Yi refused to become his concubine. She preferred her independence because she believed she could do more for the common people by not being shackled and trapped in the palace as “the king’s woman”. The king loved her so much that he accepted her decision. They had a bond that was unbreakable. Their onscreen chemistry was so believable that it won them the Best Couple Award, the 2015 SBS Drama Awards. In addition, she won the Excellence Award for Actress in a Serial Drama.

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Tree With Deep Roots (aka Deep Rooted Tree ~2011)

Shin Se-kyung plays So-yi/Dam. She had a childhood friend named Ddol-bok. Her family was attacked and murdered, however, she escaped. The queen saved her life and allowed her to serve as a court lady. The trauma of her family being murdered caused her to become mute. She was unable to speak for many years. Her friend Ddol-bok thought she had died.

The king was a progressive thinker during the Joseon Era. He wanted to study the human body; mainly he wanted to know if it was possible to find a way to help So-yi speak. He also wanted to teach the common people how to read and write. There were many scholars and nobles who opposed his reforms and were willing to kill in order to stop the king.

So-yi could see clearly and understand what was happening around her. But she maintained her silence for years until something more shocking happens that causes her to cry out. So-yi serves the queen faithfully and also works closely by the king’s side. For her performance, Shin Se-Kyung was:

• nominated for the 20’s Female Drama Star, 2012 Mnet 20’s Choice Awards;
• nominated for Outstanding Korean Actress, 2012 Seoul International Drama Awards; and
• won Excellence Award, Actress in a Drama Special, 2011 SBS Drama Awards.

This series was a prequel to Six Flying Dragons.

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Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung (2019)

Shin Se-kyung plays Goo Hae-ryung, a female historian. She is a modern woman in Joseon who does not wish to marry and wants to work. There is a corrupt court official who wants a method of spying on the queen dowager without making his intentions obvious. He proposes that the king create positions for female historians. He is not thinking about reforms or allowing women to have their independence.

He’s thinking that females can freely enter the chambers of the queen, the queen dowager, the concubines, etc. He plans to use female historians as spies. Although these women do not know the secret motive, they gladly take the test to qualify. Four women are chosen. Goo Hae-ryung is one of them. She’s a bit more headstrong than the other three female historians and tends to get into more trouble.

She and Prince Dowon (or Yi Rim) cross paths. Their relationship blossoms into love. But they also realize that the tragedies they suffered in their young lives are connected. Both had fathers who died violent deaths. The adults around them try to hide the truth. But the couple is determined to uncover the truth. Shin Se-kyung (along with the leading male actor, Cha Eun-woo) won the Best Couple Award, the 2019 MBC Drama Awards.

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The Bride of Habaek (aka Bride of the Water God ~ 2017)

Shin Se-kyung plays Yoon So-ah. She’s a doctor. More specifically, she’s a psychiatrist who is having a hard time keeping her medical practice open because she can’t pay her bills. Her father left her land and she wants to sell the property. Her plan is to close her office and use the money to move to a place called Vanuatu (a South Pacific Ocean nation comprised of 80 islands).

There is a small problem with her Grand Plan. She doesn’t know it, but she is destined to be the bride of Ha-baek, the water god. He has been sent from the realm of the gods to the human realm (earth) to retrieve the divine stones and his bride. When he arrives on Earth, she is the first person he meets. At first, neither of them knows that their destinies are connected.

He’s in love with a goddess called Moo Ra. He insists on calling Yoon So-ah his servant, so based on her initial interactions with him, she makes a medical diagnosis concluding that he is delusional. However, her mind changes when a deranged man throws her off the top of a building and Ha-baek uses his divine powers to save her life. She still does not know that she is his intended bride but she does know now that he is not delusional. He really is a god. Water god or not, she makes it plain that SHE IS NOT HIS SERVANT!

From that point, their relationship goes through a lot of ups and downs before they eventually become united as god and bride. Shin Se-kyung (along with the leading male actor, Nam Joo-hyuk) was nominated for the Best Couple Award, the 2018 Soompi Awards.

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Queen Seondeok (2009)

Shin Se-kyung plays the teenage Princess Cheon-myeong in the Silla Kingdom. She has a twin sister who will grow up to become Queen Seondeok. This was a supporting role and her character was assassinated. But her performance was brilliant. Rolling Stone India published an article dated titled Actor You Need to Know: Shin Se-kyung. She was commended for her performance in several TV series, including Queen Seondeok. The RSI stated that she “has seamlessly evolved from a well-known child artist to a well-regarded Korean actress.”

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Are you a fan of Shin Se-Kyung. Do you agree with my picks for her best Korean dramas?