Historical K-Dramas That Slipped Under the Radar (Pt 3 of 5)

Continuing with the list of historical K-dramas, gems that may have slipped under your radar. This is a 5-part series. In total once the series is completely published, seasoned K-drama lovers and newbies will have 25 historical Korean dramas to add to their watch list.

• (1) The Magician (2015); Korean movie 2 hours and 2 minutes
• (2) Moonshine (2021-2022); 16 episodes
• (3) Monstrum (2018); Korean movies 105 minutes
• (4) My Sassy Girl (2017); 32 episodes
• (5) The Nokdu Flower (2019); 48 episodes

(1) The Magician (2015); Korean movie 2 hours and 2 minutes

This historical K-drama movie has magic, romance, and twists of fate. A magician, Hwan-Hee (played by Yoo Seung-Ho), rescues a princess, Cheong-Myung (played by Go Ara), doomed to a loveless marriage and she brings the true meaning of love into his life. It’s kind of like an enchanting fairy tale. It has magic!

The story film is set during the Joseon Era. Hwan-Hee has a friend from childhood, Bo-Eum (played by Jo Yoon-Hee). When they were young, they escaped from a wicked magician. They found work and mutually protected each other for years. Although Bo-Eum is blind, she is ruthless and controlling. She won’t allow anyone to break the bond that is between her and Hwan-Hee and claims that whatever she does (even if it’s murder) is for their protection and happiness.

In an attempt to maintain good relations between Joseon and the Qing Dynasty, a young princess is being forced into an arranged marriage. Cheong-Myung’s family is very controlling. To them, she is nothing more than a pawn to be used in their power plays. Her happiness does not matter.

Happiness? Both Cheong-Myung and Hwan-Hee are miserable until they meet each other.

While traveling to meet your husband-to-be the group stops to rest. She leaves the group for a walk and is contemplating if death would be better than marriage. Hwan-hee sees her in the forest and tries to save her. Their first encounter results in a misunderstanding. However, despite the major difference in their social statuses, they fall deeply in love. But can their love conquer all? Can magic help them change their fate?

(2) Moonshine (2021-2022); 16 episodes

This historical K-drama series is set during the Joseon Era. A corrupt palace official has convinced the king to enforce prohibition laws, making the selling and drinking of alcohol illegal. Knowing that people will find it difficult to obey this law they will be arrested if caught and have to pay fines and penalties. The revenue collected from these lawbreakers will be used to help the king build an army. The majority of the court officials are against him building up the military, so the king came up with an alternative way to accomplish his goal.

The storyline for ‘Moonshine’ revolves around four characters: Nam Young, Kang Ro-seo, Lee Pyo, and Han Ae-jin.

• Nam Young (played by Yoo Seung-ho) is a government inspector who is very straight-laced and strict about enforcing the letter of the law. He is also from an insignificant family and political party and the burden rests on his shoulders to bring honor to them all.
• Kang Ro-seo (played by Lee Hye-ri) is a young woman from a noble family but her father was murdered and they (she and her brother) are now poor. Even though it is illegal, she brews and sells moonshine to pay off debts and support her family.
• Lee Pyo (played by Byeon Woo-seok) is the rebellious crown prince who defies the prohibition laws by sneaking out for a drink.
• Han Ae-jin (depicted by Kang Mi-na) is a pampered daughter of a government minister, straightforward and very stubborn. She refuses all the marriages her father tries to arrange for her because she intends to marry the crown prince.

The Nam Young/Kang Ro-seo Connection: It isn’t bad enough that Kang Ro-seo is breaking the law, but her competitors want to destroy her lawful means of income as well. Her competitors are dangerous criminals who are protected by corrupt government officials, so they don’t fear punishment.

Kang Ro-seo’s first encounter with Nam Young is on the streets of Hanyang where she is boldly defending her right to work and challenging a gang leader. She grabs Nam Young’s bow and arrow and plans to use it to defend herself. Nam Young is shocked that a young noblewoman could be so brazen.

Since he is new to the city he needs a place to stay and ends up renting a room at her home. He’s an inspector but does not know that he is living with a moonshiner. What will he do when he discovers she is breaking the law? Romance develops even though initially, Kang Ro-seo can’t stand the sight of him.

Also, as time passes, they discover that there is a connection between them since childhood. Kang Ro-seo only knew her father was murdered. Nam Young was an eyewitness to the murder. But because it was such a terrifying event as a child, his memory is in bits and pieces and distorted. SLowly, they pu the pieces of the puzzle together and solve the murder mystery.

The Lee Pyo/Han Ae-jin Connection: One of Han Ae-jin’s proposed marriages was to Nam Young. They both wanted out and needed to get their parents to break it off. At first, the crown prince is attracted to Kang Ro-seo whom he met when he was outside the palace buying illegal moonshine.

No matter. Han Ae-jin is determined to marry the crown prince. Not to gain a high position among the palace ladies. No! It’s because she loves him and is certain she can persuade him to fall in love with her. She also crossed paths with Kang Ro-seo and later joined her in the moonshining business.

The corrupt palace official who protects the moonshiners is his uncle. He is the one who suggested the prohibition laws but he also has other ambitions. She wants to make his nephew, the crown prince, his puppet king.

There are secondary relationships and connections woven into the stories of the main characters. All of the complicated relationships are why this Kdrama is so entertaining.

(3) Monstrum (2018); Korean movies 105 minutes

This historical K-drama is a horror film set in the 16^th century, during the reign of King Jungjong (played by Park Hee-Soon). A deadly plague is killing the people. But there is “fake news” being spread that a terrifying monstrous creature called “Monstrum” is also roaming around the country and killing people. Monstrum is the direct cause of the deadly plague.

The king does not trust his court officials. He thinks they made up the story so that they could control people with fear. They would accuse him of not being a righteous king and that’s the reason for this horrific tragedy. Then when they rebelled to replace him, they would not deemed traitors and accused of treason.

The king does not trust anyone in the palace, so he calls on Yoon Gyeom (played by Kim Myung Min), a trusted general who had retired. The general is assigned to investigate the matter. He must determine once and for all if Monstrum is real or just a figment of someone’s imagination.

(4) My Sassy Girl (2001); 32 episodes

In this historical drama, set during the Joseon period, the entire storyline is wrapped around one line: “The blind mother ruined everything”. That statement ruined the life of the queen, who was loyal and faithful to her husband, the king, and a loving mother to her daughter, the princess.

The queen was expecting her second child. She was accused of being in an adulterous relationship and there was a question as to who was the child’s father. Although the king loved his wife and wanted to protect her, he could not stop her from being deposed and sent into exile. That daughter was traumatized by this and when she grew up, she would sneak out of the palace and get drunk.

But who wrote that statement? It did not matter to the corrupt officials who had been circulating fake tabloid news about the queen. They used that anonymous statement to forge a letter implying that the queen was in an illicit relationship and showed it to the queen dowager and the king. Based on this fabricated evidence, the queen was deposed.

However, that wasn’t enough. The queen’s enemies intended to kill her and the unborn child. But she was rescued and gave birth to a son. The king disregarded everything that had been said about the queen and accepted the son as his own, making him the rightful crown prince.

His sister, Princess Hye-myung (played by Oh Yeon-Seo) accepted him as legitimate because she new her mother was not an adulteress. She loved her brother dearly and they developed a close relationship. As a young adult, she often snuck out of the palace and got drunk. It was her way of coping while searching for answers about what really happened to her mother, the queen.

Late one night, she was standing on a bridge in a drunken stupor when Gyeon Woo (played by Joo Won) saw her for the first time. His encounter with her landed him in jail and she falsely accused him of trying to sexually assault her. He was only trying to help her.

Gyeon Woo would not stand for having his reputation tarnished. He was a gifted child and when he grew up he became a scholar and was chosen by the king to study in Qing. When he returned the king appointed him to teach the crown prince.

During his first encounter with the princess, he did not know she was a member of the royal family. Whenever they crossed paths their meetings were very contentious. On his first day entering the palace to tutor the young crown prince, she was introduced as the princess. He was shocked! But he still did not back down or back away from her. They were both strong-willed.

Although they were at odds with each in the beginning, the more Gyeon Woo learned about Princess Hye-myung, the more he wanted to help her find the answers surrounding her mother’s dethronement. They grew closer and eventually, they fell in love. But their efforts to uncover the truth caused the enemies of the royal family to scheme and commit ruthless acts to keep the truth buried.

The uncovering of the truth leads them to finally discover who wrote that line: The blind mother ruined everything”.

(NOTE: There is also a Korean movie by the same name but it is not historical.)

(5) The Nokdu Flower (2019); 48 episodes

In this historical drama series, the peasants are revolting against corruption in high places. The setting is a real historical event: Donghak Peasant Revolution against the Japanese in 1894. The peasants rebelled against corrupt political powers and foreign powers. It’s a story about two half-brothers. One son was born from a lawful wife and the other was the child of a lowborn. Even though the parents reminded them of their class differences, the half-brothers were close to each other. Until … the revolt made them choose sides.

Baek Yi-hyun (played by Yoon Shi-yoon), is the legitimate son. His father sent him to Japan to be educated. When he returned, his father wanted him to take the national civil service exam. When he passed and received an appointment this would lift the family’s status.

Baek Yi-kang (played by Jo Jung-suk) is the illegitimate son, born out of wedlock to his father’s wife’s handmaid. Sadly, his father thought that his only value was in training him to be a thug. He was one of the most vicious thugs on the streets. His job was to collect money that people owed his father.

Instead of passing the national civil service exam, Baek Yi-hyun is conscripted, forced to serve in the military, fight and kill. The military changed him and he became angry, hardened, and killing became easy.

By contrast, Baek Yi-kang, learned that he did have value. That fighting for a righteous cause was better than being a thug and he could be someone his mother would be proud of.

The Battle of Ugeumchi is a pivotal event that occurred in 1894 during the Donghak Peasant Revolution. At this battle, the brothers find themselves on opposite sides. They have to choose between loyalty to the cause or loyalty to each other as brothers.

♦ Click here to view the lists for Part 1 and Part 2.

Thanks for reading.