The historical fantasy K-drama Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo has gained immense popularity since its release. It premiered on August 29, 2016, on SBS. The series stars renowned K-pop soloist Lee Ji Eun, aka IU and actor Lee Jun Gi as the central characters. The story of the historical drama unfolds when Go Ha Jin (IU), a 21st-century woman time travels to the Goryeo dynasty.
Some other notable K-dramas similar to Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo in terms of theme and set-up include The King: Eternal Monarch, Splash Splash Love, Mr. Queen, Love Song for Illusion and more. Let’s take a closer look at some of the Korean series below.
The King: Eternal Monarch
The King: Eternal Monarch is one of the most classic K-dramas of all time. It is a fantasy romance starring highly popular South Korean actors Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun as the main pair. The series debuted on April 17, 2020, on both SBS TV and the streaming platform Netflix.
The King: Eternal Monarch chronicles the fascinating love story between the Emperor of Corea, Lee Gon, aka Lee Ji Hun and a police detective named Jeong Tae Eul, aka Luna.
The King’s Affection
Another popular historical romantic K-drama is The King’s Affection. It first aired on October 11, 2021, on KBS2 and Netflix. Song Hyun Wook has served as the director of the series. It stars Rowoon as Jung Ji Woon and Park Eun Bin as Dam Yi.
Set in the Joseon dynasty, The King’s Affection centres around a love story between a crown prince’s twin sister, Dam Yi and her royal tutor, Jung Ji Woon.
Mr. Queen
Mr. Queen is another highly entertaining historical fantasy romance K-drama. It premiered on December 12, 2020, on tvN. Kim Jung Hyun and Shin Hye Sun star as the main characters of the series.
Mr. Queen revolves around the fascinating story of Queen Cheorin and King Cheoljong of the Joseon dynasty. The story begins when a modern male head chef finds himself in the body of Queen Cheorin. The K-drama is available to stream on Netflix and Viki.
Splash Splash Love
Splash Splash Love is a fantasy romance K-drama with the concept of time slip or time travel. It is also quite similar to Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo in terms of its main themes. It first aired on a web platform, Naver TV Cast. The series also aired on December 13, 2015, on MBC. It stars Kim Seul Gi and Yoon Doo Joon.
Set in the Joseon dynasty, Splash Splash Love follows the intense love story between a high school student, Jang Dan Bi, and King Yi Do. The story unfolds when Dan Bi time travels to the Joseon dynasty. Viewers can watch the K-drama on Viki.
Love Song for Illusion
Love Song for Illusion is a popular period fantasy romance K-drama that premiered on January 2, 2024, on KBS2. The series stars Hong Ye Ji and Park Ji Hoon as the central couple. Lee Jung Seop acted as the director of the series.
Love Song for Illusion revolves around the intensely woven love story between an assassin named Yeon Wol and the crown prince Sajo Hyun, who has an alternate personality. The K-drama is available to stream on Viki, Wavve, and Viu in selected regions.
Some other noteworthy K-dramas, similar to Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, include The Forbidden Marriage, Bloody Heart, Lovers of the Red Sky and more.
