Bride of the Century (2014) ~ An Old But Gold Fantasy Korean Drama About Curses and Charms

"Bride of the Century" is an old but gold 2014 Korean drama series, with 16 episodes. It blends romance, mystery, and fantasy into a story centered on identity, fate, and the weight of family expectations.  Where to Watch

Main Characters:

• Na Doo-Rim / Jang Yi-Kyung (played by Yang Jin-Sung)

• Choi Kang-Joo (played by Lee Hong-Ki)

• Jang Yi-Hyun (played by Sung Hyuk)

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 7 out of 10 stars

• My Drama List: 7.8 out of 10 stars

• Viki viewers rated the series 9.3 out of 10 stars

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STORYLINE:

A century-old curse shapes the lives of those connected to the influential Choi family. According to legend, the first bride of the family’s eldest son is destined to die—a chilling prophecy that has haunted generations from the Joseon Era and continues to cast a shadow over the present.

Choi Kang-Joo, the aloof and impeccably groomed heir to Taeyang Group. Choi Kang-Joo is intelligent and capable, yet emotionally distant due to past trauma and the heavy burden of his family’s legacy. His arranged marriage to Jang Yi-Kyung, a poised and calculating heiress, is intended to strengthen business ties and uphold tradition. However, Jang Yi-Kyung mysteriously disappears just before the wedding, throwing both families into crisis.

To preserve the engagement and avoid scandal, the Jang family secretly recruits Na Doo-Rim, a cheerful and hardworking young woman from a small island village who happens to be Jang Yi-Kyung’s doppelganger. Na Doo-Rim's personality is the complete opposite of Jang Yi-Kyung. She is warm, sincere, and refreshingly honest and in need of money. Jang Yi-Hyun, Jang Yi-Kyung’s half-brother agrees to provide financial support for her grandmother’s medical needs, if Na Doo-Rim would impersonate his missing sister. Of course, she is unaware of the dangerous curse tied to the first bride. But no matter. She does not plan to actually marry the chaebol heir. It's just a temporary gig.

But the best-laid plans often don't go as planned.

Na Doo-Rim enters Choi Kang-Joo’s world, and her genuine personality begins to soften his guarded exterior. Their interactions shift from formal and tense to unexpectedly tender, creating a slow-burn romance filled with emotional nuance. Choi Kang-Joo, who initially views her as a strategic match, finds himself drawn to her authenticity—never suspecting her true identity. Meanwhile, Na Doo-Rim struggles with guilt and fear, torn between her growing feelings and the deception she must maintain. Jang Yi-Hyun, the half-brother, becomes increasingly entangled in the unfolding mystery.

Before meeting anyone in the Jang or the Choi family, Na Doo-Rim helped a woman in distress. The woman gave her a good luck charm and told her it would bring her love. Love is great.  But can a charm break a century-old curse?

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TRAILERS/TEASERS:

Viki Global TV. (2020). BRIDE OF THE CENTURY - OFFICIAL TRAILER [Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=2lbdPS2WbHc.

♦- Thanks for reading.

The Cosmic Charm of Do Min‑joon: How the Korean Drama 'My Love From the Star' Became Iconic

The keyword for "My Love From the Star" is "destiny".

This classic Korean drama, released in 2013, is about Do Min‑Joon (played by Kim Soo-Hyun, “The Moon Embracing the Sun”,  “Queen of Tears”), a centuries‑old alien living secretly on Earth.  He is just months away from returning to his home planet when his quiet, carefully controlled existence is upended by Cheon Song‑Yi (played by Gianna Jun, “The Legend of the Blue Sea”), a glamorous actress whose chaotic life keeps pulling him closer.  Their "connection" is rooted in a girl he once failed to save in the Joseon Era.

When Cheon Song‑Yi crosses his path in modern-day Seoul, it forces him to confront emotions he has avoided for 400 years. His interactions with the snobby actress are further complicated by the people in her life who get tangled up in his quiet life.  

• a best friend who is really not a friend, 
• a close friend who insists he's her boyfriend, and 
• the brother of the alleged boyfriend who is murderous and ruthless.

Complications involving Song‑Yi’s "circle of friends(?)" threaten to expose the alien's true identity. 

As Do Min‑Joon struggles between duty and desire, "My Love From the Star" unfolds as a modern tale of star‑crossed lovers—destined to meet yet destined to suffer. 

The series remains beloved not only for its cosmic romance but also for its compelling characters, sharp humor, and, as of 2026, the real‑world resilience of actor Kim Soo‑Hyun, who overcame damaging AI‑generated allegations before returning to the screen.

This 2013 sci-fi romance is Kim Soo-Hyun’s most iconic role.

⭐

See full article at PopGeeks

Korean Drama TV Series: The King Loves (2017)

This Viki Original series is binge-worthy: “The King Loves” (or “The King in Love”) (2017). This series is based on the novel of the same name and is set during the Goryeo Dynasty historical period.

• What's the major theme of this series? Simply put, IF you have to choose between power, friendship, and love, which would you choose?

There are very intricate relationships that were developed in this series: between parents and their child, between BFFs (best friends forever), and between people who fall in love. You know what? It doesn't matter if you're a seriously wicked and evil scheming conniving person, or a ruthless murderous assassin, you still have a heart, and there can still be room for somebody in your life that you truly love who can reach your “tender spot”.

The 3 main characters are:

~ Wang Won (played by Im Siwan), the Crown Prince, heir to the throne and future king;

~ Wang Rin (played by Hong Jong Hyun), his BFF since childhood, who is also of royal blood, which means he could be chosen as king, instead of the Crown Prince, if the conniving power-mongering people who plot and scheme behind the scenes have it their way; and

~ So Ha, also known as Lady San (played by Yoona), is the woman who completes the love triangle.

Of course, Wang Won and Wang Rin both fall in love with her.

Image credit: Soompi

Crown Prince Wang Won's parents are King Chungnyeol, 25th king of Goryeo (played by Jung Bo-Suk), and Princess/Queen Wonsung (played by Jang Young-Nam). The mother is Chinese, and she is the daughter of the Chinese emperor, Kublai Khan. The royal marriage was clearly arranged to form a strong political alliance between the kingdoms of Goryeo and Yuan.

• (REAL HISTORY NOTE: I had to do research to understand the significance of the royal marriage. Kublai Khan (Born  1215 – Died 1294) was also known by his temple name as Emperor Shizu of Yuan. He was the fifth khagan-emperor of the Mongol Empire, reigning from 1260 to 1294. He founded the Yuan dynasty of China in 1271 and ruled as the first Yuan emperor until he died in 1294. From 1231 to 1273, Goryeo (Koryo) was invaded six times by the Mongols. Goryeo became a tributary of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty ( 元朝) in China. Goryeo was under Mongol Rule,  but this ended in the 1350s when the Yuan Dynasty itself began to disintegrate, and King Gongmin of Goryeo seized the opportunity to begin to reform the Goryeo government by removing pro-Mongol aristocrats and military officers.)

The Crown Prince's parents make the mistake that most royal parents make. Instead of loving and nurturing their son like any parent should, they use their child as a pawn in a power play. It does not make for a loving parent-child relationship, and the very objective they want to accomplish, i.e., raise their child to one day become a great ruler who cares for and protects the people, but gets lost in all the vicious palace intrigue and infighting. Interactions between either parent and the child were always INTENSE!!

So! Here's the PLOT. The Crown Prince is a HALF-BREED!! A child born from the union of a Goryeo king and a Chinese queen. Some of the folks in Goryeo don't like that! There is a clear divide. Those who will be loyal to the monarchy no matter who reigns as long as it's a good person who cares for and protects the people, AND those who want a “pure-blood” Goryeo person to be the leader of the nation, as if only a person born without mixed heritage would possibly be the best person to rule the kingdom. Their excuse is that they fear the land of Goryeo will be taken over by a strong foreign power, Yuan, and they will cease to exist as “the true people of Goryeo”. That means they need to get rid of Wang Won, the half-breed. But how do they do that? Can it be done using:

~ Plan A: Place a pure-blood king on the throne without incurring the wrath of the Chinese Emperor and causing a bloodbath ... OR ...

~ Plan B: If they do make the Emperor angry, can they stand against him with their own military might? There will still be blood … but it will be worth it in The End because it will result in a Goryeo nation free from Chinese domination.

The series is 20 episodes. Definitely binge-worthy. I agree with the rating of 8.8 out of 10 stars reported by Viki.com viewers. To be honest, even though the king is the main person, if it were not for the character, Wang Rin, the king's BFF (best friend forever), I would not have been interested. From the moment of being introduced to this character, I wanted him to be my best friend forever! I liked him that much! So I had to follow this series through to The End because I needed to know what was going to become of him. Was he going to be killed OR would he survive the power struggle?

OFFICIAL TRAILER

What others have to say about “The King Loves”.

((WARNING! Some of these content links contain “spoilers”.)

• The King Loves (Series) - TV Tropes

• The King Loves Review: When Loyalty to Friends and Family is Put to the Test - The Silver Petticoat Review

• The King Loves Korean Drama Review | Kdrama Kisses

• Final Review: What “The King Loves” Did Right And Where It Missed The Mark | Soompi

Original Source

Rakuten Viki - Free TV Drama & #Movies #Asiancinema #Koreandrama #Tvseries #subtitles for multiple languages ~ https://t.co/LitmnR8PwO ~ #Apps #giftshopping pic.twitter.com/aOnyJacXhb

— My Shopping Channel (@goshoppingbees) December 24, 2021

K-Drama Review: L.U.C.A.: The Beginning (2021) | Make the World Better By Making Better Humans

L.U.C.A.: The Beginning is a Korean drama about a mad scientist who thinks he's good enough to be like God. In fact, he's convinced himself that he can make better humans than God.

This series is 12 episodes, released in 2021, currently streaming on Viki. As for the genre? It has elements of crime and mystery and elements of science that might have the viewer wondering if it's science fact or science fiction. 

January 2 is National Science Fiction Day.

• According to current science, the Last Universal Common Ancestor, L.U.C.A. Is the ancestor of all living things, and is estimated to have lived some four billion years ago, when Earth was a mere 560 million years old.

First, a woman supplied her ovum and a man supplied his sperm. You don't need to be a scientific genius to know that is the beginning of human life. But! Suppose after you joined the ovum and the sperm, you combined human DNA with DNA from jellyfish, fruit flies, electric eels, and other animals. Now! Is the baby a human? A monster? A half-human, half-monster?  

Ryu Joong-kwon (played by Ahn Nae-sang) is a scientist who thinks that ethics hinder the research and advancement of science. He found people who were willing to fund his unrestricted research, so he was able to perform numerous kinds of scientific experiments. Only one of his experiments was successful. He genetically engineered an artificially enhanced child who was named Ji Oh. 

• L.U.C.A. stands for Last Universal Common Ancestor. Ji Oh (played by Kim Rae Won) is L.U.C.A.  This is his beginning.

Nine (9) Must-Watch Historical Fantasy Korean Dramas (Part 3 of 3)

Part 3 of the 3-part list of nine (9) must-watch historical fantasy Korean dramas.

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(7) Kingdom (2019) & Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021)

A Joseon-era zombie thriller where political corruption, a deadly resurrection plant, and one woman’s revenge unleash a kingdom-ending plague.

Set in 17th-century Joseon, three years after the Imjin War, Kingdom reimagines the zombie genre through historical horror. A mysterious plague spreads across the land, turning the dead into flesh-eating monsters. The source is not demonic possession or alien parasites, but a deceptively beautiful “resurrection plant” capable of reanimating corpses. As the outbreak worsens, corrupt ministers conceal the truth because the king himself has been infected. The crown prince, isolated and unsure whom to trust, sets out to uncover the origin of the disease and save the kingdom.

The prequel, Kingdom: Ashin of the North, reveals how the horror began. Ashin, a young girl from a border village, loses her family after Joseon officials betray her father and massacre her people to appease the Jurchens. As the sole survivor, Ashin learns the truth and plots devastating revenge—using the resurrection plant that turns humans into monsters. Her tragedy becomes the catalyst for the kingdom’s collapse.

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(8) Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016)

A modern woman time-travels to the Goryeo era, where palace intrigue, tragic romance, and destiny shape a love that defies time.

In modern-day South Korea, Hae-Soo is questioning the value of her life when she impulsively jumps into a lake to save a drowning stranger. Instead of resurfacing in her own world, she awakens in the Goryeo era, surrounded by royal princes bathing in the palace. Disoriented and vulnerable, Hae-Soo must quickly adapt to a dangerous world governed by rigid hierarchies, political intrigue, and ruthless power struggles.

Her fate becomes intertwined with Prince Wang So, a feared and enigmatic royal who will later rise to the throne through bloodshed and betrayal. As Hae-Soo grows closer to him, she realizes that her knowledge of future events gives her insight—but not control. Though she foresees tragedy, changing history may be impossible. Love blossoms amid violence, betrayal, and forbidden desire, leading to irreversible consequences. The series asks whether fate can be rewritten or must be endured, and whether love can survive in a world where power always comes at a terrible cost.

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(9) The Haunted Palace (2025)

A Joseon fantasy where ghosts haunt the palace, a fallen dragon possesses a man’s body, and a reluctant shaman holds the key to salvation.

The Haunted Palace blends Joseon-era intrigue with supernatural fantasy. Yeo-Ri, a young woman born with the ability to see ghosts, is the granddaughter of a powerful shaman. Despite her gifts, she longs for a quiet life selling eyeglasses in the countryside. Her childhood friend Yoon Gab, now a palace official, seeks her help to cure the king’s tormented son—but deceives her about the true purpose of her visit.

Tragedy strikes when Yoon Gab is murdered in the forest, and a fallen dragon, Gang Cheol—an imugi who has followed Yeo-Ri for years—possesses his body. Unaware of the possession, Yeo-Ri awakens in the palace amid ghostly attacks and mounting danger. As spirits haunt the royal family, Yeo-Ri must confront her shamanic destiny while struggling with her feelings for Yoon Gab’s body and Gang Cheol’s presence within it. Trust, identity, and love blur as she fights to protect the palace from restless spirits.

Nine (9) Must-Watch Historical Fantasy Korean Dramas (Part 2 of 3)

Part 2 of the 3-part list of nine (9) must-watch historical fantasy Korean dramas.

(4) Our Blooming Youth (2023)

A Joseon-era mystery where a cursed crown prince and a fugitive noblewoman uncover conspiracies, false crimes, and a hidden truth from the past.

Set during the Joseon dynasty, Our Blooming Youth follows Crown Prince Lee Hwan, a man haunted by rumors and fear. Whispers claim he murdered his brother to secure his position, and when he receives a mysterious “ghost letter” predicting his downfall, he begins to believe he is truly cursed. A series of frightening incidents only deepens his paranoia and isolation.

Min Jae Yi, a noblewoman with a sharp mind, faces her own nightmare after being falsely accused of murdering her family. Hunted as a fugitive, she remembers her father’s dying words: “Protect the crown prince.” To reach him, she disguises herself as a eunuch named Go Soon Dol. Jae Yi convinces Lee Hwan that the curse and ghostly events are elaborate tricks rooted in science, not superstition. They form an alliance—he will help clear her name if she helps uncover the truth. Their investigation reveals a dark incident from a decade earlier that links both their fates.

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(5) The Forbidden Marriage (2022)

A Joseon romantic comedy where a grieving king bans all marriages and a bold con artist pretends to channel his dead queen’s spirit.

Set in the Joseon era, The Forbidden Marriage tells the story of King Lee Heon, who remains devastated seven years after the death of his beloved queen. Declared a suicide, her death left him so traumatized that he refused to remarry—effectively banning marriage throughout the kingdom. Each year, on the anniversary of her death, another young woman is found hanging, reopening the king’s wounds and worsening his fragile mental state.

Ye So-rang, a clever con artist imprisoned for fraud, sees an opportunity for survival. Claiming to be possessed by the spirit of the late crown princess, she convinces the desperate king that she can channel his beloved from the afterlife. In truth, it is all an act. Ye So-rang is a noblewoman presumed dead after her stepmother’s failed murder attempt, now living by her wits alone. Her plan is simple: deceive the king long enough to escape the palace. But as emotions deepen and secrets unravel, the line between deception and healing begins to blur.

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(6) Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead (2018)

A Joseon-era mystery comedy where a brilliant detective investigates vampire rumors, strange deaths, and a sinister quest for immortality.

In Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead, eccentric genius Detective Kim Min and his loyal assistant Seo-pil are summoned by the king to investigate a string of mysterious deaths in a remote village. The victims have been drained of blood, sparking rumors of a vampire—or “living dead”—terrorizing the countryside. As fear spreads, the unlikely duo encounters suspicious villagers and a mysterious woman with possible ties to the undead.

Though this is Detective K’s first brush with the supernatural, he remains firmly grounded in logic and reason. Refusing to believe in vampires, he searches for a scientific explanation behind the horrors. The investigation leads to a hidden laboratory where rogue scientists are experimenting with an immortality potion. As secrets surface, Detective K must determine whether the living dead truly exist—or whether fear itself is being used to disguise darker human crimes.

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Nine (9) Must-Watch Historical Fantasy Korean Dramas (Part 1 of 3)

Follow this 3-part list of nine (9) must-watch historical Korean dramas that weave fantasy and the supernatural into epic tales of love, power, and destiny.

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(1) Alchemy of Souls (2022, 2 Seasons)

A historical fantasy K-drama set in Daeho, where forbidden soul shifting, magic, political intrigue, and a dangerous romance collide.

Set in the fictional nation of Daeho, Alchemy of Souls revolves around soul shifting—an illegal form of black magic that nearly everyone secretly practices, including royalty and assassins. Naksu, a legendary and ruthless assassin, is hunted by powerful mages determined to eliminate her. To survive, she performs a last-minute soul shift into the body of a weak, blind servant girl, losing her powerful sword in the process. Though physically fragile, Naksu regains her sight and begins plotting her comeback.

She soon crosses paths with Jang Uk, a nobleman who recognizes her soul-shifted identity by the telltale blue in her eyes. When he realizes who she truly is, they strike a deal: Naksu will train him in her lethal skills, and he will help her recover her sword. As their partnership deepens, they become entangled in palace conspiracies, corrupt rulers, rival mages, and hidden powers tied to Naksu’s borrowed body. Amid political chaos and danger, Naksu and Jang Uk fall in love, complicating everything.

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(2) Arthdal Chronicles (2019; Season 2 – 2023)

An epic historical fantasy set in Bronze Age Arthdal, where prophecy, tribal conflict, and hidden identities shape the rise of a kingdom.

Set in the fictional land of Arthdal during the Bronze Age, Arthdal Chronicles draws inspiration from the legend of Dangun, Korea’s mythical founder. Before Arthdal became a kingdom, it was a land of rival tribes and brutal power struggles. Eunseom, a member of the Wahan Tribe, endures hardship from birth before discovering his true identity: he is a hybrid descended from a mystical race and the child of an ancient prophecy. His existence places him at the center of Arthdal’s fight for power.

Tanya, a noble-hearted priestess and successor of the Wahan Tribe, grows stronger through adversity and becomes a key leader devoted to her people. Together, Eunseom and Tanya oppose Tagon, a ruthless war hero who dreams of ruling Arthdal as king. Tagon claims to be the reincarnation of Aramun Haesulla, the god-like founder of Arthdal, while hiding his own half-breed origins. If his secret is revealed, the fearful populace would likely execute him, destroying his ambitions.

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(3) Lovers of the Red Sky (2021)

A mythological romance in the Dan Dynasty, blending divine art, demons, fate, and love amid royal politics and supernatural forces.

Set in the fictional Dan Dynasty, Lovers of the Red Sky blends romance, mythology, and political intrigue. Hong Cheong-Gi and Ha Ram meet as children but are separated by fate. As adults, they reunite and fall in love. Cheong-Gi, once blind, becomes a gifted “divine painter” chosen to restore a royal portrait that once sealed the god of death. When the painting was damaged by fire, the demon escaped, setting dark forces in motion.

Ha Ram, born with the power of water, was nearly sacrificed in a ritual meant to appease the gods. Instead, the demon partially possesses him, leaving him blind yet gifted as an astrologer able to read fate through the stars. On the same day, Cheong-Gi miraculously gains her sight. This exchange was orchestrated by protective spirits who intend to recapture the demon. As red skies signal supernatural upheaval, the lovers are trapped between deadly court politics and an ancient battle between good and evil.

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Angel's Last Mission: Love (2019); An Award-Winning Korean Drama

"Angel’s Last Mission: Love"

Kim Dan is an angel who knows the rules of the heavenly realm. He must never touch a human. If he does, he'll disappear, as in “cease to exist”. He doesn't want that. He wants to go to heaven. But even though he knew the rules, the female was badly injured and pleading for someone to save her. Lee Seul-hwa was blind but she could hear that someone was there at the accident and they were close enough to help her. She used to be a prima ballerina, but while performing on stage one night there was a terrible accident which resulted in her losing her eyesight. People are afraid to be around her because she is an angry, bitter, cold-hearted former ballet dancer who takes out her frustration on everyone else, as if it's their fault. What is even worse is that the Fantasia Ballet Company that her parents built for her to inherit has almost been stolen from her by greedy relatives.

Image credit

So many times Lee Seul-hwa had wanted to die. But now that she might actually die, she's begging to live. Her pitiful pleas were too much for Kim Dan and he yielded to temptation. He broke the rules and touched a human to save her life. When Lee Seul-hwa woke up in the hospital she could see! Meanwhile Kim Dan was getting ready to receive his punishment. But wait! He didn't disappear! Why does he still exist? It's true, he does exist, but no longer as an angel. Now he is a human who is being given a chance to re-earn his wings. This will be his last mission. If he fails he can forget about a heavenly reward. What's the mission? LOVE. He must find true love for Lee Seul-hwa. Even though she is no longer blind, she is still disgruntled, angry and a terrifying person to be in the same room with.

Lee Seul-hwa has so many emotional scars. She is afraid to love because all of the people she loved have died. Loving someone is too painful so she avoids becoming vulnerable. Kim Dan starts trying to play matchmaker, but starts to develop genuine feelings for her and unintentionally creates a love triangle. This wasn't supposed to happen. Aren't angels only supposed to love God? Will he be punished for loving Lee Seul-hwa?

Genre: Romance and Fantasy or Supernatural

IMDb Rating: 7.7 out of 10 stars

My Drama List: 8.4 out of 10 stars

Viki viewers rated this series 9.5 out of 10 stars

AWARDS: This delightful Korean drama won several awards at the 2019 KBS Drama Awards ceremony. Shin Hae-Sun won Top Excellence Award, Actress. Kim Myung-Soo won Best New Actor and K-Drama Hallyu Star. Together they won Best Couple Award.

Main Characters:

• Lee Yeon-Seo (played by Shin Hae-Sun, “Welcome to Samdal-ri”, “See You in My 19th Life”, “Mr. Queen”, “Don't Buy the Seller”)

• Kim Dan (played by Kim Myung-Soo, “Dare to Love Me”, “Numbers”, “Royal Secret Agent”)

LINKS OF INTEREST:

4 Heart-Fluttering Fantasy K-Dramas To Enjoy During The Fall | Soompi

9 Entertaining K-Dramas That Involve Multiple Worlds |Soompit

Winners Of 2019 KBS Drama Awards | Soompi

WATCH TRAILER:

Viu Singapore. “Angel’s Last Mission: Love 단, 하나의 사랑 TRAILER | INFINITE’S L, SHIN HYE SUN.” YouTube Video. YouTube, May 23, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TSA7zVmmx0.

‌

"Angel’s Last Mission: Love" ~ Finding Love for the Unlovable https://t.co/VzPlpPb7an #kdramas #Koreandrama #allthingshallyu #entertainment #popcornworthy #fantasy

— Treathyl Fox (aka cmoneyspinner) ~ #Freelancer (@cmoneyspinner) August 10, 2024

The Crowned Clown (2019) ~ A remake of 2012 movie "Masquerade" into a KDrama series.

Masquerade (2012) is a Korean version of Mark Twain's "The Prince & The Pauper", only set in the Joseon Era. It WON Best Film-Movie of the Year. No surprise it a made into a series.  The Crowned Clown (2019) has also enjoyed immense popularity worldwide.

Where to Watch

STORYLINE for Masquerade (2012)

King Gwanghae swears that “somebody” or maybe “everybody” is out to get him! He's convinced that a member of the royal court is trying to poison him. Isn't that how they always get rid of members of the royal family? The king comes up with a plan. Find a LOOK ALIKE! Substitute the look-alike on the throne while he goes off to hide somewhere. That way, the doppelganger who looks like him can get murdered instead.

As impossible as the task seems, the king's councilor finds a “twin”. Initially, Ha-Sun tries to imitate the King Gwanghae speaks. It works … for a while, although Queen Heo Gyun immediately suspects. After all, she is a wife, and the man who has entered the bed chamber does not behave like her husband. There's no way he's the king, i.e., the man she married. But??? … Who is he, and what is he doing in the palace? (O.o)

The best-laid plans often go awry. While King Gwanghae is hiding, he becomes gravely ill. That means Ha-Sun has to continue pretending to be King. He finds it too difficult pretending to be someone that he's not, and his true personality emerges. He is nothing like King Gwanghae, and everybody notices the difference. Even so, the king's enemies still want to get rid of him.

Will Ha-Sun end up dying in the king's place anyway?

♦

STORYLINE: The Crowned Clown (2019)

This is the same story as the movie “Masquerade” with a few more details. It tells the story Ha-Sun's childhood and how he became an entertainer. He worked with a group of clowns and they chose him to play the King during their performances because he looked so much like the real king. He was spotted by the king's councilor during a performance and that was the day his life changed FOREVER! One of the best things that happened to him was meeting and falling in love with the queen.

Main Characters:

• Ha Sun / Lee Hun (played by Yeo Jin-Goo)

• Yoo So-Woon (played by Lee Se-Young)

TRAILER/TEASER: Viki Global TV. “THE CROWNED CLOWN - OFFICIAL TRAILER.” YouTube, 22 Aug. 2012, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l2X2dn8wgM. 

♦ Original source

Need a Quick List of Korean Dramas ONLY ON VIKI? Here Are 25 KDramas

When it comes to keeping Korean drama addicts happy, Netflix and Viki continue to duke it out. In my humble opinion, Viki is the GO-TO streaming platform for all the Hallyu-ites and K-drama newbies. To be fair, that's only because Rakuten Viki markets its platform as “The Heart of Asian Entertainment”. Whereas Netflix has lots of other content from all around the world. It's kind of like comparing apples to oranges. 

Even so, Netflix jumped in on the game, so it's kind of fair to make comparisons.  That being said, below is a quick list of Korean dramas that can be found ONLY ON VIKI. Many of them, but not ALL of them, are Viki Originals. ALL of them have been reviewed right here on PopGeeks. To make it easy for reference, the list is in alphabetical order.

1. Bad Memory Eraser

2. Bitter Sweet Hell

3. Brewing Love

4. Check in Hanyang

5. Cinderella at 2AM

6. Dear Hyeri

7. DNA Lover

8. Face Me

9. Good Partner

10. Love Scout

11. Love Your Enemy

12. Motel California

13. My Dearest Nemesis

14. My Military Valentine

15. My Sweet Mobster

16. Namib

17. Perfect Family

18. Serendipity's Embrace

19. Social Savvy Class 101

20. Study Group

21. The Queen Who Crowns

22. The Witch

23. What Comes After Love

24. Your Honor

25. Yumi's Cells: The Movie

♦ 

MY Top 5 Picks From The List?

Good Partner

A top divorce lawyer needed a truly excellent divorce lawyer because she was getting a divorce, and she and her husband both wanted the same thing: custody of their child.

Perfect Family

A perfect family that is nowhere near perfect! Not even a little bit. The mother came straight out of the Stepford Wives movie.

Study Group

I just liked the male lead because he was one of the mage in “Alchemy of Souls”. (The mages are people with special powers who can control the energy of heaven and earth, and are the protectors of country. That was my first time seeing the male lead and I've liked him ever since.)

The Queen Who Crowns

This K-drama shows that even men who are kings have an inflated ego and can still be JERK! The queen was a kingmaker. She did everything within her power to make her husband king and how did he show his thanks? By being a KING-SIZED JERK!

The Witch

OK. Admittedly it is strange that every boy who likes you or tries to be nice to you ends up getting in a tragic accident. That could make guys want to steer clear of you. But the whole town labeling you a witch? That's taking it too far. At least there was one guy who didn't believe it!

If you have watched any of these, do you have favorites?

♦

Featured Image Credit: Top 5 K-Dramas On Viki In February 2025 | Soompi

Rakuten Group. “Rakuten Viki Celebrates K-Drama Fandom Across the Globe.” YouTube, 30 Jan. 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cNHpT4LDTY.

♦

Original source

Historical Period Korean Drama: "Queen for Seven Days" (2017) ~ For Fans of Park Min Young

"Queen for Seven Days" is a Korean drama series released in 2017, with 20 episodes, categorized as Romance, historical period, sageuk, costume and period; and streaming on Viki. It is based on a true Joseon queen who only lasted on the throne for literally 7 days. 

• SUMMARY: A dramatization of the life of Queen Dangyeong. TRUE STORY: Shin Chae-kyung became Queen Dangyeong. She married Grand Prince Jinseong. In 1506, when Prince Jinseong ascended to the throne, he became King Jungjong and Shin Chae-kyung became the queen. Just seven days later, she was deposed and expelled from the palace. Her father, Shin Su-geun, was implicated in a coup against King Jungjong, which led to her deposition. She remained deposed until her death in 1557. Her title was posthumously restored, i.e. she was honored with the title of Queen after her death.

♦ Based on the True Story of Queen Dangyeong

In “Queen for Seven Days”, Shin Chae-kyung is the daughter of the king's most trusted official. That official is also a relative of the queen and is well-connected in many ways. Even so, he did his best to hide his daughter in the countryside and she doesn't know why. She thinks her parents are ashamed of her. However, her parents were told a prophecy. If their daughter married into the royal family, there would be a bloodbath. Her mother and father believed that. (Although, truth be told, during the Joseon Era, weren't there always bloodbaths in the royal family?) Nevertheless, Shin Chae-kyung overheard servants talking and saw that an important document was supposed to be delivered to her father. She stole the document, dressed up like a young boy, and traveled from the countryside to Hangyang to visit her family's home. It would be a surprise! Surprise? More like a SHOCK!

Before she finally reached her home, she had a few misadventures.

• First, she accidentally met Grand Prince Jinseong, the boy who would become her husband and would also become the king and she would be his queen. Having never been to Hangyang or the palace, she was clueless and thought he was just a rude child of a nobleman who acted like a gangster.

• Second, that important document that she was carrying to give to her father was stolen by a pickpocket. She wrongfully accused the grand prince of stealing it. That misunderstanding led to more misunderstandings.

• Third, she thought she was chasing after the grand prince but crossed paths with the current king, the older brother of the grand prince instead. Once again, she was clueless, not realizing that she was interacting with her future brother-in-law.

By the time she finally reached her home, her mother and father were meeting with the royal family, discussing her marriage to the grand prince. She was standing outside the door and could hear her parents making all kinds of excuses about why she was not a suitable match. The grand prince noticed that someone was eavesdropping and when he pushed the door open, she fell down. Her parents were shocked and yelled out her name in the form of a question. “Chae-kyung????“ It was their turn to be clueless. What was their daughter doing in Hangyang? That was their question. Her question was why were her parents saying such terrible things about her? She was a suitable match for the grand prince and she was going to prove it!

Shin Chae-kyung had no idea about the prophecy. She also had no idea that the document she was bringing to her father was the “secret order” of the late king. It was that king's will that the grand prince ascend to the throne. Grand Prince Jinseong was also clueless about these matters. They were both innocents who had unintentionally walked directly into a fire, a hotbed of treachery and treason, and a bloodbath. They would eventually marry but Shin Chae-kyung would not survive?

• If only that young innocent girl had remained hidden in the countryside and/or her parents had told her about the prophecy.

• More importantly, if only the Joseon noblemen, government and court officials, and the royal family didn't always engage in politics based on treachery and treason!

Would her history have been different? We will never know.

Main Characters:

• Shin Chae-Kyung (played by Park Min-Young)

• Lee Yeok (played by Yeon Woo-Jin)

• Lee Yoong (played by Lee Dong-Gun)

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 7.6 out of 10 stars

• My Drama List: 8.2 out of 10 stars

• Dramabeans: 9.3 out of 10 stars

• Google users shared a rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

• Viki viewers have rated this series 9.3 out of 10 stars

Park Min Young has had a loyal following ever since “Healer” but “Marry My Huband” made her even more popular. Fans may want to visit or revisit some of her earlier work like “Queen for Seven Days”.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

FirstImpressions: “Queen For 7 Days” Delivers Sweet Puppy Love AndIntense Family Drama | Soompi

Queenfor Seven Days Korean Drama Review | Kdrama Kisses

SevenDay Queen Finale Review | I Dreamed A Drama

K-Drama Review: "Queen For Seven Days" Reigns With Emotional Love Picture & Standout Portrayals | Hello KPop

5 K-Dramas to Watch If You Enjoyed ‘Marry My Husband’

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“Queen for Seven Days” is Available on DVD

♦ (Original source)