Best South Korean war series

Get ready to binge. We've found a collection of must-watch war shows from South Korea, now streaming on Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Prime Video, and other top services!

  • Poster for Scarlet Heart: Ryeo

    Scarlet Heart: Ryeo 2016

    A story of a 25-year-old Go Hajin who is transported back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty. She then wakes up in the body of Lady Hae Soo and finds herself amongst the ruling princes of the Wang Family.

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  • Poster for Love in the Moonlight

    Love in the Moonlight 2016

    A young Joseon woman who's lived her whole life as a man ends up as a eunuch in the royal palace, where she begins to bond with the crown prince.

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  • Poster for Snowdrop

    Snowdrop 2021

    In 1987, bloodied man Soo-ho jumps into a women's university dormitory in Seoul. Yeong-ro, a female student who fell in love with him at a group blind date, tends to his wounds as the dormitory is ensnared in intense surveillance. As Soo-ho's secrets unravel, he must eventually face the conflict between his heart to Yeong-ro and responsibility to his comrades, as well as to his sibling who awaits him in his home country. What will be of their fate?

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  • Poster for Empress Ki

    Empress Ki 2013

    A woman born in Korea navigates her way through love, war, politics and national loyalties to become a powerful empress in China's Yuan dynasty.

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  • Poster for Designated Survivor: 60 Days

    Designated Survivor: 60 Days 2019

    An explosion at the National Assembly kills everyone in the cabinet, leaving Park Mu-jin, the Minister of Environment, to become the next president. Park Mu-jin is a scientist-turned-politician who has no ambitions in politics, but as the acting president for 60 days, he is compelled to investigate the truth behind the attack. Based on the popular American series, Designated Survivor.

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  • Poster for Captivating the King

    Captivating the King 2024

    Amid a royal and political power struggle, a king entangles with an intriguing woman — whose hidden desire for revenge transforms into unintended love.

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  • Poster for Into The Ring

    Into The Ring 2020

    A poor young woman decides to try her hand at civil service when she hears that a district representative position has an annual salary of 50 million won. She teams up with the newly-demoted Seo Gong Myung to penalize corrupt politicians.

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  • Poster for Chief of Staff

    Chief of Staff 2019

    As a chief of staff in the National Assembly, Jang Tae-jun influences power behind the scenes while pursuing his own ambitions to rise to the top.

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  • Poster for Jumong

    Jumong 2006

    Jumong  examines the life of Jumong Taewang, founder of the kingdom of Goguryeo. Few details have been found in the historical record about Jumong, so much of the series is fictionalized.

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  • Poster for River Where the Moon Rises

    River Where the Moon Rises 2021

    Born a princess and raised a soldier, Pyeong Gang is a woman with big dreams and limitless ambition. Determined to become the first Empress of Goguryeo, Pyeong Gang will stop at nothing to make her dream come true. Clever and level headed, Pyeong Gang is well aware of the obstacles that stand in her way and she’s more than capable of taking them on. With meticulous planning, she sets out to make her dream come true. But things take an unexpected turn, the day she meets On Dal.

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  • Poster for The Whirlwind

    The Whirlwind 2024

    A whirlwind power clash between the prime minister and deputy prime minister unravels the day the president suffers an assassination attempt.

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  • Poster for Emperor of the Sea

    Emperor of the Sea 2004

    Emperor of the Sea is a South Korean television drama series directed by Kang Il-soo and Kang Byung-taek and starring Choi Soo-jong, Chae Shi-ra, Song Il-gook and Soo Ae. It aired on KBS2 from November 24, 2004 to May 25, 2005 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:50 for 51 episodes. The historical drama is based on Choi In-ho's novel of the same title, which depicts the life of Jang Bogo, who rises from a lowly slave to a powerful maritime figure who dominated the East Asia seas and international trade during the Unified Silla Dynasty. The drama was received extremely well, holding the number one spot in the ratings for majority of the weeks it aired. It was also exported to eight countries earning approximately US$1.8 million in profits. The filming set in Wando County, South Jeolla Province also became a tourist attraction.

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  • Poster for Bloody Heart

    Bloody Heart 2022

    It is a fictional historical drama about the story of King Seonjong who ascends to the throne due to a rebellion, and Lee Tae who becomes the King after him.

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  • Poster for King Maker: The Change of Destiny

    King Maker: The Change of Destiny 2020

    In the late 19th century, the Joseon Dynasty is in peril because the Kim Family abuses power. The king's power has already weakened, and the people are suffering famine and hardship. Choi Chon-joong is Joseon's best fortune teller and physiognomist, who lost people he loves to Kim Family. He swore to overthrow the Kims and reform the country. He read the hunger to power in Lee Ha-eung, a humble-looking member of the royal family, and decides to help him to set his son on the throne. Meanwhile, the Kims also find the heir to the throne, using Bong-ryun's special gift. Bong-ryun, the daughter of the current king, has the power of psychometry. While the royals and powerful politicians are making and breaking alliances to get ahold of the thrones, Chon-joong focuses on kingmaking that can bring Chosun a new era.

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  • Poster for Queen Insoo

    Queen Insoo 2011

    Queen Insoo focuses on the fierce power struggle among three women in the royal court of the Joseon Dynasty.

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  • Poster for The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won

    The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won 2021

    A work that sheds new light on the figure of Lee Bang-won, a leader who took the lead in the founding of the nation.

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  • Poster for Emperor Wang Gun

    Emperor Wang Gun 2000

    Taejo Wang Geon was a 200-episode Korean drama starring Choi Soo Jong in the title role. It became very successful, reaching very high ratings, around 60%.

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  • Poster for The Iron Empress

    The Iron Empress 2004

    Empress Cheonchu is a 2009 South Korean period television series based on the titular character, an actual historical figure and her lifelong struggle to protect the country her ancestors built. The granddaughter of Goryeo Dynasty founder Taejo Wanggeon, the empress ruled as the regent for her son Mokjong, the dynasty's seventh ruler. Determined to realize her ambitious goals for the kingdom of Goryeo, she dons armor, battles against foreign invaders, and tramples her lover, her son and brother in her rise to power.

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  • Poster for Korea-Khitan War

    Korea-Khitan War 2023

    King Hyeonjong and Kang Kam-chan led the 8-year-long 2nd and 3rd Goryeo-Khitan Wars to victory and began an era of peace in East Asia and prosperity in Goryeo.

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  • Poster for Eyes of Dawn

    Eyes of Dawn 1991

    During the Japanese control of Korea during WWII and before, they used Korea women as prostitutes for their Military Officers and Korean men as grunt soldiers to fight in the trenches during the war with the USA.

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  • Poster for Tears of the Dragon

    Tears of the Dragon 1996

    This drama depicts the turbulent period spanning from the reign of King Taejo (born Lee Seong Gye), the founder of the Joseon dynasty, to King Sejong.

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  • Poster for Im Kkeok Jeong

    Im Kkeok Jeong 1996

    This historical drama talk about the life of Im Kkeok Jung who was from the low class and he was the leader of a group of gang, people from the same class that wish to live a decent life.

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  • Poster for The Jingbirok: A Memoir of Imjin War

    The Jingbirok: A Memoir of Imjin War 2015

    Jingbirok, the name of a book written by real-life Joseon historian and scholar Ryu Seong Ryong (Kim Sang Joong),detailing the Imjin War (1592-1598). The drama will be a telling of historical events with the scholar as the central character, in the samevein as “Jung Do Jun”(who influenced the founding of the Joseon dynasty). Ryu Seong Ryong was an official who served during King Seonjo’s reign in the late 16th century. He was a brilliant Confucian scholar who was put in charge of military operations during the Imjin War, and greatly influenced AdmiralLee Soon Shin.

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  • Poster for Ladies of the Palace

    Ladies of the Palace 2001

    This drama depicts the in-fighting between women in the palace from the reign of Jungjong to Injong, particularly the power struggle featuring Queen Munjeong and Jung Nan Jung, her sister-in-law, and the way they pulled the strings behind the scenes.

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  • Poster for King and Queen

    King and Queen 1998

    This drama depicts the power struggle between various members of the royal family between the reigns of King Sejong and Yeonsangun, for the ultimate prize: the throne.

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  • Poster for Ssulzun

    Ssulzun 2016

    A new concept issue review talk show tailored to the viewers' eye level! It is a high-quality media critique program of gossips from all walks of life with diverse perspectives without sanctuary and taboo.

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  • Poster for Yeon Gaesomun

    Yeon Gaesomun 2006

    The series follows the life of Yeon Gaesomun, a powerful military dictator in the waning days of the Goguryeo kingdom.

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  • Poster for 한국사 시간여행

    한국사 시간여행 2011

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  • Poster for The King’s Woman

    The King’s Woman 2003

    This drama centers around Lady Kim, a scheming concubine, and the events from the reign of King Seonjo to Prince Gwanghae, which were filled with acts of immorality and bloodshed; all in the name of protecting the throne.

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