The Story of Ming Lan is one of the most famous and loved Chinese Dramas of all time. The story revolves around a noblewoman named Sheng Ming Lan, the sixth daughter of a Chinese Emperor.
Throughout her life, she has been mistreated by her stepmother and sisters. She is underestimated and looked down upon by everyone despite being very beautiful and intelligent.
However, she has a secret plan that she is working towards. She wants to avenge her mother’s death, and she must keep her patience and work quietly towards her true goal.
The Story of Ming Lan (Credits: Viki)
Drama Like The Story of Minglan
While working towards her plan, she meets Gu Ting Ye. He has a notorious reputation. But they fall in love and get married. Now, both of them are aiming for the same thing: avenging the death of Ming Lan’s mother.
This drama is praised for being centered around a strong female lead. Themes like family, betrayal, and love are explored. Moreover, it also received acclaim as a historical drama.
So, if you want to watch more dramas like these, then we have recommended 12 dramas just like Ming Lan.
1. Ashes of Love
Ashes of Love is a 2018 Chinese Drama based on the book Heavy Sweetness, Ash Like Frost by Dian Xian. It is a fantasy romance drama .
The story revolves around Jin Mi. She is a daughter of two deities: Flower and Water. Since she is the daughter of a deity, she has been guarded by her parents her whole life.
Ashes of Love (Credits: Viki)
When her parents come to know that she will face difficulties in love, they make her swallow a pill that prevents her from feeling any emotions. Thinking that this will prevent their daughter from facing trials in love, they continue with their lives.
The daughter, unable to feel any emotions, lives her life accordingly. One day, after her father’s death, she mistakenly kills the wrong man she believes to be responsible for the death.
After she kills Xu Feng, she spits out the magic pill. However, Xu Feng comes back to life and challenges the Heavenly Emperor. Caught between these two powerful beings, it seems that Jin Mi is unable to escape her destiny after all.
- Director: Zhu Ruibin
- Screenwriter: Ma Jia, Xu Zishan, Liu Gelin, Chen Lusha, Zhang Yuan’ang
- Starring: Yang Zi, Deng Lun, Luo Yunxi, Wang Yifei
- Total number of episodes: 63
- Where to watch: Netflix , Viki
2. Go Ahead
Go Ahead is a romantic comedy Chinese drama. It was released in 2020. Even though it is not a historical drama, it revolves around the same tropes and themes.
The story revolves around three people: Li Jianjian, Ling Xiao, and He Ziqiu. All three of them are unrelated, but circumstances force them into a semblance of familial bond. Three of them come from dysfunctional families, and as they grow up, they start relying on each other like a family.
Go Ahead (Credits: Viki)
They share their troubles, happiness, and sorrows with each other. It shows their journey from childhood to high school till they become adults. They even fix their relationships with other people during this journey, especially their families.
As people grow apart from their families as they try to figure out their lives, they also grow apart from each other. But, like true families, they always come around for each other.
- Director: Ding Ziguang
- Screenwriter: Shui Qianmo, Wang Xiongcheng
- Starring: Tan Songyun, Song Weilong, Zhang Xincheng
- Total number of episodes: 46
- Where to watch: Viki
3. Marvelous Women
Marvelous Women is a 2021 historical Chinese drama centered around a strong female lead, just like The Story of Ming Lan.
It revolves around a few powerful families that rose during China’s growth as a major economic power. These powerful families controlled all of the profitable districts and businesses. One of them, the Ren family, is known for their weaving skills. They are the greatest weaving dynasty, and their skills are well-guarded.
Marvelous Women (Credits: Viki)
Since it is a patriarchal society, the Ren dynasty is run by an incompetent ruler. He is soft and has no talent in the art of ruling. His wife, however, is a fierce woman and runs the dynasty behind the scenes.
However, things become complicated when the emperor’s previous love comes back into his life. Things get more tangled when the emperor’s current wife has to work along with his previous love to keep the family from falling out of respect. These women are out in very difficult positions, and it is a struggle between the head and the heart.
- Director: Guo Hao, Xiao Ming
- Screenwriter: N/A
- Starring: Jiang Qin Qin, Zhang Hui Wen, Xu Hai Qiao
- Total number of episodes: 35
- Where to watch: Viki
4. The Imperial Coroner
The Imperial Coroner is a 2021 historical medical drama based on a book by Qing Xian Ya Tou. The story revolves around Chu Chu, who is from a family of coroners.
Looking to make her own name in the field of coroners, she wants to go to the Imperial Palace as a coroner. But to do that, she has to travel to the Capital, prove her efficiency, and pass a test at the same time. She is ready to do all that and travels to the capital.
The Imperial Coroner (Credits: Viki)
There, she meets an amateur detective who is also a prince. Xiao Jin Yu and Chu Chu then strike a deal; they will help each other do what they want to do. Chu Chu is smart and can assist Xiao Jin Yu in solving his cases. As Chu Chu solves the cases with the prince, she will also get acknowledgment from society, and her name will reach high places.
As they start solving cases, several new pieces of information come to the surface, which changes the course of the drama, as we hope for a romantic relationship between the two at the same time.
- Director: Lou Jian
- Screenwriter: Qing Xian Ya Tou, Qian Xiao Bau
- Starring: Su Xiao Tong, Wang Zi Qi, Zhao Yao Ke
- Total number of episodes: 36
- Where to watch: Viki
5. Empresses in the Palace
Empresses in the Palace, or the Legend of Zhen Huan, is a historical Chinese drama that aired in 2011. It is adapted from the novel of the same name. It revolves around the Yongzheng emperor and his Imperial Harem.
After a long struggle, the new emperor Yongzheng ascends the throne. His mother, the Imperial Dowager, has called upon women to be a part of the Imperial Harem. Zhen Huan initially did not want to be a part of the selection. She gets chosen anyway, primarily due to her resemblance to the emperor’s past love.
Empresses in the Palace (Credits: Viki)
She doesn’t plan on falling in love with the emperor, but it happens gradually. Due to her love, she suffers through various trials. She survives various murder attempts and nefarious plots being hatched to destroy her.
She finally solidifies her place as one of the most influential and powerful women in the Imperial Harem. Even after the emperor’s death, she still remains in a position of power as the Empress Dowager. She continues to advise the emperors and selects women for the Imperial Harem.
- Director: Zheng Xiaolong
- Screenwriter: Liu Lianzi, Wang Xiaoping
- Starring: Sun Li, Ada Choi, Chen Jianbin, Jiang Xin
- Total number of episodes: 76
- Where to watch: Netflix
6. The Sword and the Brocade
The Sword and the Brocade is a 2021 Chinese drama. It was adapted from the novel The Concubine Born Daughter’s Strategies by Zhi Zhi.
It is a love story between a noble General and a daughter of a concubine, set during the Ming Dynasty. The story revolves around Shi Yi Niang, the daughter of a concubine who is set to marry General Xu Ling Yi, who is also a Duke.
The Sword and the Brocade (Credits: Viki)
Different from the rest of the women, she wants to do more than just household work. She is also a talented embroiderer and wants to grow her skills.
As their marriage is arranged, they both fall in love with each other. Though the General’s family is difficult to come around, they soon support the marriage. Even after marriage, they face several challenges, but their love perseveres through thick and thin.
- Director: Wen De Guang
- Screenwriter: Cheng Ting Yu
- Starring: Wallace Chung, Tan Song Yun, He Hong Shan, Tang Xiao Tian
- Total number of episodes: 45
- Where to watch: Viki
7. Nothing Gold Can Stay
Nothing Gold Can Stay is a 2017 Chinese drama. This story is based on a real-life person called An Wu, who was a widow.
The story revolves around Zhou Ying. She is sold by her father into an influential family. Her master, however, is very childish. Zhou Ying wants to escape her master and does that by escaping to Wu Pin’s home.
Nothing Gold Can Stay (Credits: iq)
But her actual master and Wu Pin were involved in a business deal that went horribly wrong. This caused a lot of setbacks, and Wu Pin was put in a coma by Zhou Ying’s master. However, Zhou Ying’s presence puts Wu Pin out of the coma. They soon get married.
However, Wu Pin is soon poisoned to death. The freshly widowed Zhou Ying now wants to get to the truth of her husband’s death. At the same time, she also has to take care of the family. She becomes the sole caregiver of the family and starts her business from scratch to support everyone.
- Director: Ding Hei
- Screenwriter: Su Xiaoyuan
- Starring: Sun Li, Chen Xiao, Peter Ho, Ren Zhong
- Total number of episodes: 74
8. Story of Yanxi Palace
Story of Yanxi Palace is a 2018 Chinese historical drama. It is set in 18th Century Beijing. The story revolves around Wei Ying Luo. She is an embroider, but she has a different motive throughout the series. Her main goal is to enter the Forbidden City.
She wants to investigate the perpetrators behind her sister’s murder and rape. She has a culprit singled out: the Imperial Guard: Fuca Fuheng. She plans to get closer to the guard’s sister in order to have access to him.
Story of Yanxi Palace (Credits Viki)
She successfully carries out the first half of her plan: get into the Forbidden City and get closer to Fuca Fuheng. She does this by being a maid to the Guard’s sister. But she soon realizes that she is wrong. Fuca Fuheng’s sister takes a liking to her and teaches her to read. Fuca Fuheng falls in love with her, too.
She then realizes that it was not these people who murdered her sister but someone else. Now, she has to figure out the true criminal while protecting Fuca Fuheng’s sister from conspiracies at the same time.
- Director: Hui Kai Dong, Wen De Guang, Guo Hao
- Screenwriter: Zhou Mo
- Starring: Wu Jin Yan, Nie Yuan, Xu Kai, Qin Lan
- Total number of episodes: 70
- Where to watch: Viki
9. Weaving a Tale of Love
Weaving a Tale of Love is a 2021 historical Chinese drama with a strong female lead. The story revolves around Liu Liu. The series is set during the reign of Emperor Tai Zong.
Liu’s mother, a cloth maker in the district of Zhenguan, is framed and jailed for a crime she did not commit. An only mother with a daughter, she sends her daughter to an old friend in the Imperial Palace, knowing she will be safe with her friend.
Weaving a Tale of Love (Credits: Viki)
As Liu Liu grows up in the palace without her mother, she becomes a medical professional. Her skills are recognized by the people, and she has been put in charge of epidemic prevention duty. However, she is constantly ensnared and trapped by people who do not want her to succeed.
During one incident, she meets Pei Xing Jian. He helps Liu Liu escape danger. Both of them start looking into the truth of Liu Liu’s mother’s imprisonment and start to fall in love.
- Director: Chan Ka Lam, He Zhen Hua, Wang Zhu Ming, Ho Chun Wah
- Screenwriter: Mei Ying Ju
- Starring: Gulnezer Bextiyar, Timmy Xu, Zhao Shun Ran, Kora Shi
- Total number of episodes: 40
- Where to watch: Viki
10. The Oath of Love
The Oath of Love is a romance medical drama aired in 2022. It is not a historical drama but has similar themes to The Story of Minglan.
The story revolves around Lin Zhi Xiao. She is a very talented cellist who will graduate soon. She works very hard and wants to make her career out of playing the cello, which is something she loves a lot.
Oath of Love (Credits: Viki)
However, her life plans come to a halt when her father gets diagnosed with cancer. She now has to put a stop to her dreams and take care of her father, who is undergoing treatment.
There, she meets Gu Wei, a doctor. Gu Wei has a very antisocial personality. He is cold towards others and not friendly. As Zhi Xiao starts spending more time in the hospital, both of them start to get closer.
Their opposite personalities are a change of perspective for them. Zhi Xiao teaches him to let loose sometimes and enjoy life. Gu Wei teaches her to figure out what she wants from her life.
- Director: Lu Ying
- Screenwriter: Bo Lin Shi Jiang
- Starring: Yang Zi, Xiao Zhan
- Total number of episodes: 30
- Where to watch: Viki
11. The Story of Xing Fu
The Story of Xing Fu is a 2022 Chinese drama. It is centered around Xing Fu and her life in a village that does not accept her.
With a name that literally translates to “happiness,” Xing Fu’s life has been quite difficult. There was a lot of sorrow for someone who is named “happiness.” Her problems during her marriage are glaring.
The Story of Xing Fu (Credits: Viki)
During what is supposed to be the happiest time of her life, she faces judgment from her sister. The entire village is against her, and she is basically driven out of the village.
However, she perseveres. Forced to make a life in the city, she braves through those hardships as well. After living for some time in the city, she returns to the village. She wants to use her knowledge to make the village a better place. But things never go as planned, especially in her life.
- Director: Zheng Xiao Long, Liu Xue Song
- Screenwriter: Zhao Dong Ling
- Starring: Zhao Yi Ling, Liu Wei, Tang Zeng
- Total number of episodes: 40
- Where to watch: Viki
12. General and I
General and I is a critically acclaimed Chinese historical drama. It aired in 2017 and is adapted from “A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting To Be Appreciated” by Feng Nong.
The story is set against the backdrop of warring nations: Jin, Qin, Yan, and Liang. Among them, Jin and Yan get into a terrible war, which forces He Xia and his strategist, Bai Pingting, to escape from the city of Yan. Both of them are seeking revenge for their kingdom’s ruin.
General and I (Credits: Viki)
However, Bai Pingting crosses paths with ruthless General Chu Beijie. Chu Beijie immediately recognizes Pingting as his first childhood love. But things are difficult for them as they are from warring kingdoms, each in a position of power and serving their country.
- Director: Ju Jueliang
- Screenwriter: Zhang Yongchen
- Starring: Wallace Chung, Angelababy, Sun Yizhou
- Total number of episodes: 62
- Where to watch: Viki
Alchemy of Souls was a great Korean drama with over two seasons, and we don’t know when the third season will arrive, maybe in 2024. But instead of waiting for the third season, we can start a new Korean drama, which is the same as Alchemy of Souls.
We will provide you with the best of 10 dramas, the same as Alchemy of Souls, that you will love. Before that, let’s recap Alchemy of Souls; the drama begins with a woman walking into the village, hiding her face from people, and quickly walking away.
While on her way home, she sees a poor mother and her child. The woman offers to help her by feeding them and bringing them home. While the poor mother and child eat their food, they see a scary-looking man who is the woman’s son with the ability of soul shifting.
The shifting son tries to kill the poor woman and child but is saved by the Jang gang, which stops the son with his magic. The soul-shifting son tries to take away her mother’s human energy and is controlled by Jang Gang, killing him.
Alchemy of Souls (Credit: Netflix, tvN)
Later, the Jang gang reports to the King and finds out that the King has only seven days to live and wants an heir. So he asks Jang Gang, the most skilled mage under him, to perform the alchemy of souls, which allows them to transfer their souls to a new body.
Jang gang and King agree, and they exchange souls for seven days; after Jang gang wakes up in King’s body, he sees the King in Jang gang’s body pursuing her wife Dhowa and can’t stop him as the King’s body is weak.
Drama Like Alchemy Of Souls
In the country, Daeho is surrounded by Gyeongcheondaeho Lake, which has tremendous energy from the sky.
One day, a Shadow assassin enters the country, killing many mages, and is finally encountered by the Idaho leader Park Jin; after a fierce fight, the Shadow assassin is injured and decides to retreat. Park Jin orders the men to find the shadow assassin and bring it to him.
Shadow assassins enter the village, creating more mess by killing the guards that are following. Shadow assassin is injured and is on the verge of death, so she suddenly enters a home, sees a woman, and decides to get a new body with the alchemy of souls to spell.
Park Jin later finds her dead body in the house with a blue mark, which means the soul has left her body, and she finds out she is Naksu.
Well, enough with the recap of the Alchemy of Souls. Let’s begin with the best ten dramas you will love, similar to Alchemy of Souls. This list is not ranked.
1. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo drama begins with our female lead, Go ha Jin, sitting near the lake sobbing and drinking soju because of her unhappy life.
Go Ha Jin had a boyfriend who dumped her for a friend, leaving Ha Jin in significant debt. Next to her, she sees a homeless man staring at her soju, and she decides to share some with him and continues to tell him about the unhappy life she is going through.
The homeless man tells her to die and be born again, but she doesn’t pay much attention. Ha Hin sees a child drawing in the river and can’t swim, and no one is looking at him.
Ha Jin decides to save the child, but she thinks she doesn’t need to keep him. Someone will protect him, but no one gets the child’s attention, and he jumps into the lake to save the drawing child.
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (Credit: SBS)
This gets everyone’s attention, and the child boy jumps in to save both of them on a boat. As the father pulls the child and later asks Ha Jin to give him a hand to pull her up, she sees a total eclipse of the sun. That is when she starts to drown under the lake.
While drowning deeper in the water, her life is taking a flashback of the moments that happened to her and slowly fades into the dark.
The next scene happens in the Goryeo era, where she suddenly jumps out of the hot spring where all the princes gather for a ritual and Happens to Ha Jin in the hot spring, which surprises them.
Ha Jin’s friend Chae Ryung asks her to return to her faster before she is caught. They both run out of the hot spring and finally talk to her, called ‘My Lady’ by Chae Ryung, and are confused. Ha Jin thinks that she is dead and this is her afterlife and faints away.
When Ha Jin wakes up in bed, she is in the household of Madam Hae and Chae Ryung, calling her Hae Soo; she tells them that her name is Go Ha Jin, not Hae Soo.
Then she remembers that she is dead and can’t believe she is in the Goryeo era, which surprises her. She jumps out of bed to check the surroundings and finds she is in the Goryeo Era.
Madam Lee asks her to calm down and if she is alright, but Hae Soo doesn’t remember anything, as her memories have faded, which worries Madam Lee, and she asks Chae Ryung to call for a doctor.
- Director : Kim Kyu Tae
- Cast : Lee Jong Gi, Kang Ha Neul, and IU
- Number of episodes and duration : 20 episodes (60 minutes).
- IMDB rating : 8.7/10
- Where to watch : Viki
2. Goblin
Goblin drama begins with an old lady telling a legend to a girl about a man who was punished that his soul could not rest in peace unless he gets himself a bride, and only the bride can remove her sword and make him rest in peace.
The girl laughs at the old lady’s story, thinking it is all a bluff and it’s weird to find a bride even now after so many years.
Later on, the story takes in the city of Paris in 1968 when a man sees a child running out of his home with his swollen face and broken wrist, planning to run away to live alone.
The man stops the child to tell his dad if he has been adopted, he better takes care of him, and running away from home is even worse as he will get his father a rib fracture just now and tells the boy the answers to his next maths test. Surprisingly, the child asks him who she is and how he knows everything.
Goblin (Credit: tvN)
We come to the story’s origin, where and how it all began. General Kim Shin is a brave soldier known to be a god. Kim Shin is fighting a war and fiercely cuts down his opponents, hops on the horse, runs towards the enemy leader, and cuts off the head.
As General Kim Shin comes back to the place with a big victory, he is welcomed by the civilians as a savior. As he reaches the palace, he is asked by the guard to remove his armor, which angers his general and asks him to repeat what he said again, but Kim Shin asks him to calm down and begins to remove his armor, and so does his army but general Kim Shin doesn’t leave his sword.
The guard asks him to leave the sword and get on his knees, calling him a criminal, which angers the arm, but the archers attack him.
Kim Shin goes in alone to meet the King. He sees her lover standing in front, looking at him. King tells Kim Shin to die, or if he takes one step up, he and his men will die. Still, Kim Shin’s lover tells him to move forward with bravery. As he moves, the King commands him to kill the lover and Kim Shin and avoid another conflict. Kim Shin asks his men for the last favor by killing him.
From this point on, the story begins with Kim Shin’s body being thrown away and people praying for his revival.
During the nighttime, Kim Shin is faced with an unknown curse that his soul will not rest in peace unless he gets himself a bride, gets revenge for his lover, and continues to live on forever, as you will see how he meets the reaper.
- Director : Lee Eung Bok
- Cast : Gong Yoo, Kin Go Eun, Lee Dong Wook, Yoo In Na, and Yook Sang Jae
- Number of episodes and duration : 16 episodes (1 hr 22 minutes).
- IMDB rating : 8.8/10
- Where to watch : Viki
3. Hotel del Luna
Hotel del Luna drama begins with the female lead, Jang Mal-wo, walking with a horse in a deserted area with a cart attached to the horse. The coach was carrying a giant coffin on it.
While wandering in search of the location, Jang Mal Wo decides to take a stop for a break at a tent managed by an old lady. The old lady offers her wine and water to drink and is very chatty, which annoys Jang Mal, wo shuts down.
The old lady notices the coffin and asks her if she is carrying a dead body or if she has killed anyone. Jang Mal Wo tells her that she is looking for a place to console the souls of the dead.
The old lady asks her if she is looking for the guest house of the dead. Jang Mal Wo asks her where that place is, but she does not say immediately.
Hotel del Luna (Credit: tvN)
Then suddenly, a few warriors come marching towards Jang Mal Wo with their horses, but they suddenly disappear.
Then she hears the old lady’s voice telling her that she is currently standing at the guest house of the dead, which only dead people are allowed to enter, but Jang Mal Wo finds the place on her own two feet, walking after seeing the big guest house appearing out of nowhere from the storm.
Because of that, she is cursed under full moonlight and is made to be the new owner of the house of the dead and pay for her sins for killing all the people and the souls following her in the coffin.
Then, after a few years, a scene takes place in the park with a father and his son who are poor and telling him that he couldn’t buy him jjajangmyeon on his birthday where he sees money fall from the couple passing by and decides to keep it. Still, the son is honest and returns the money to the couple.
Later, we see the father running from cops because he stole the money carrying a bag. While running down the stairs, he falls, but he wakes up thinking he is alive and runs again from the cops and ends up in front of Hotel del Luna, the hotel of the dead.
He goes in, sees the elevator move up the floor, and sees the other woman who died ten days ago in the waiting room. The man is confused and roams around the hotel to hide.
After roaming every room, he ends up in a dark place with tree-blooming flowers, so he decides to take a flower for his son but gets caught by Jang Mal Wo; Jang Mal Wo tells him he is already dead a moment ago.
The man begs Jang Mal Wo to leave her alone as he has a small son to raise. As punishment, Jang Mal Wo tells him she will spare his life and give him his son after submitting him for 20 years to work under her to pay for the sin his father committed.
After 20 years, we see Go Chang Seong, the male lead, returning to Korea, but his fate ends up working for Hotel del Luna as promised 20 years ago.
- Director : Oh Chong Hwan
- Cast : IU and Yeo Jin Goo
- Number of episodes and duration : 16 episodes (1 hr 20 minutes).
- IMDB rating : 8.6/10
- Where to watch : Viki
4. Lovers of the Red Sky
Lovers of the Red Sky drama takes place in the Dan dynasty King. King Yeongjong ruled the world with a demon inside his body, but the Demon became uncontrollable and got out of hand, making the King fear the Demon.
After passing down the throne to his son, he decided to seal the Demon inside his portrait once and for all to get rid of the Demon. Eun O, the painter who is painting the King, will be used to seal the Demon.
On the other side, a lady is praying, and she is pregnant. Suddenly, she begins to feel the pain, and simultaneously, she is surrounded by the wolves. After successfully giving birth to the baby, wolves were ready to attack.
Lady begins to pray to Samsin to protect her baby, but she calls for Samson. She dies on the spot, leaving the baby alone. Then, a golden butterfly, the old lady Samsin, comes in to protect the baby, making the wolves disappear.
Lovers of the Red Sky (Credit: SBS, Viki, ViuTV)
Returning to the sealing of the Demon, a painting of the King was ready to bring outside to begin the sealing ritual. The priest chants, removes his sword, and points towards the King. King becomes uncomfortable and starts to feel like something is coming outside him.
In a few seconds, the king faints, and as the King dies, the Demon residing inside the King begins to come out of the body and show its proper form to everyone standing there.
Demon is angry and tries asking the new King to take him in, but other warriors begin to restrain the Demon. The priest asks not to look into the eyes of the Demon no matter what happens, but the fight breaks out, and the Demon begins to attack.
Suddenly, the old lady Samsin appears at the sealing ritual place and helps seal the Demon in the painting. After lots of struggle, the Demon was closed, but before that happened, the Demon cursed the painter that her offspring would never be able to paint again.
A conflict begins after the appointment of the new King, and the old King’s warriors are attacked. After nine years, Famine and drought got worse over time, and the head priestess was looking for a helper to act as a sacrifice for the rainmaking ritual and happened to see a boy named Ha Ram and his father, Ha Sung Jin, who was under the previous King.
In the village, we see Eun O and his daughter Cheong Gi, saved by old lady Samsin, wandering the streets. While the head shaman and Ha Sung Jin are passing by, they feel the demon energy coming from Eun O.
After looking correctly, he finds Eun O is still alive and invites him and Cheong Gi to the palace. That’s how Cheong and Ha Ram meet for the first time.
The drama continues with their story of becoming friends, getting to know each other, slowly getting to know each other, and beginning to fall in love at some point in the drama in a romantic. Still, there is also some action which you sure don’t want to miss.
- Director : Jang Tae Yoo and Nam Tae Jin
- Cast : Kim Yoo Jung, Ahn Hyo Seop, Gong Myung, and Kwak Shi Yang
- Number of episodes and duration : 16 episodes (1 hr 10 minutes).
- IMDB rating : 8.2/10
- Where to watch : Viki
5. A Korean Odyssey
A Korean Odyssey drama begins with Jin Seon Mi, also the female lead, but in her childhood stage, entering her school, and while on the way to her classroom, other children call her ghost and tease her.
Jin Seon Mi is a unique human who can see the ghosts of dead people. Jin Seon Mi once saw her teacher entering the classroom, but it was not her teacher but the ghost looking for her, making her umbrella open to scare the spirit.
After school, on her way home, Jin Seon Mi sees the same teacher’s ghost following her, but a stranger in a black suit comes towards her, and with a tap of his umbrella, he makes the spirit disappear.
Jin Seon Mi wanted that umbrella, but the strange man told her he would give her the umbrella if she did her a favor.
A Korean Odyssey (Credit: Netflix,tvN)
After walking into a remote place, he tells her to go straight inside the woods, where she will find a house that is not seen by humans but can only be entered by humans as she is special.
Strange told her not to react to anything if she sees anything inside. Strange men told her to bring a fan that would be in the corner of the room.
Jin Seon Mi finds the fan and begins to leave, and she sees a man standing behind her in red clothes, asking her how she came here and if she can see him.
After ignoring the man in red clothes for a long time, she tells him that she can see him. he tells her that he will leave her outside and get changed, and during that time, he asks her to blow off the candles.
Jin Seon Mi was clever, so she didn’t blow off the candles as he was the type of person who made her do the task. It was found that the man in red was sealed inside the house and couldn’t go out unless someone came in to blow off the candles.
Jin Seon Mi asks for a favor from him that she will blow off the candles if he is ready to protect her from ghosts anytime she asks him.
He agrees, and Jin Seon Mi blows off the candle, and seal marks begin to disappear from his skin, making the house slowly disappear and making them come outside.
Jin Seon Mi then asks him to keep his promise to protect her, but he attempts to escape. He tells her that she needs to call his name to protect her from danger, but she doesn’t remember the name as he removed his name from her memory. The man takes his leave, taking the fan from her.
The story continues after 25 years, where we will see Jin Seon Mi grow up to become the CEO of a small company and can still see the ghost anywhere she goes, but this time,e she helps them. You will see how she meets again with the deity that took her fan after breaking the promise of protecting her.
- Director : Park Hong Kyun, Kin Jung Hyun and Kim Byung Soo
- Cast : Lee Seung Gi, Cha Seung Won, Oh Yeon Seo, Lee Hong Ki, and Jang Gwang
- Number of episodes and duration : 20 episodes (1 hr 20 minutes).
- IMDB rating : 8.2/10
- Where to watch : Viki
6. Arthdal Chronicles
Arthdal Chronicle’s drama takes place in the age of homo sapiens, where they learned how to grow plants and cultivate the land. In the opening scene, we will see Sanung of Arthdal and Rankruv of Beast clan leaders each other for a discussion.
Samsung came with a few offerings for Rankruv and proposed to join hands and grow the clan, make a nation, and rule over all the human beings together.
Garlic, barley, and others were offered, and the proposal was made to increase cultivation and agriculture.
The plain of the moon in the mountains, under the Beast clan area, was meant to be used for cultivation after the union between Sunang and Rankruv. Rankruv doesn’t like ideas and offerings, rejects their offer, and walks away.
Arthdal Chronicles (Credit: Netflix, tvN)
Negotiations didn’t go well, and Asa Non later proposed making an offering again. This time, she would personally go alone. After a few days, offerings were made ready, but this time,e it was sent with some infectious disease inside the clothes, and Asa Non was the sacrificial victim.
Asa Non was aware of the disease, and later, when people of the beast clan were suffering, the Sanung clan decided to backfire on them, which was all planned from the beginning by the Tagon. A huge fire was made to destroy the beast clan in Atturad.
The King of the beast clan was dead, and the Sunang army began to attack the beast clan’s remaining warriors individually. Some were not affected by the disease, which gave a hard time to the Sunang clan, but they were still able to kill the remaining clan warriors.
Asa hon children saw the whole scene and told Asa Non to run away without the baby so that they wouldn’t even touch her, but Asa Hon decided to protect the baby.
Tagon, while on his way, saw the baby and found out it was an Igutu, a mixed-blood child of Sunang and Beast clans. Asa non decided to run away with the child in a faraway place and raise him alone. Ten years pass by after a long struggle and pain of Asa non.
Asa Non finally found a way out of the mountains in the new world, and while walking her way, she didn’t have enough strength to move during the night.
She felt, and after a few seconds, she died, leaving Eun Seom alone. When Eun Seom woke up, he found himself in a strange place surrounded by people, and this was where the real journey began for Eun Seom, a whole new place that he had never seen before.
- Director : Kim Won Suk
- Cast : Song Joon Ki, Jang Dong Gun, Kim Ji Won, Kim Ok Bin
- Number of episodes and duration : 6 episodes (1 hr 20 minutes).
- IMDB rating : 8.5/10
- Where to watch : Netflix
7. Gu Family Book
Gu Family Book drama begins with scene 3, where people are being transported in a cage. Two sisters and their brother were being sold off to the head of Gisaeng because their father was being accused and was falsely killed in front of the King, whom he thought to be a friend.
Dam Yeo Wool, one of the sisters, finds out that there is Choonhwagwan, a Gisaeng house where all the enslaved people are made to train as Gisaeng.
After hearing the commotion caused outside the head, Lady of Gisaeng comes out and tells her it was her fate to be here as her father was killed.
After a long rejection, the head lady decided to tie her up on the shame tree, which was made for girls who don’t cooperate. Dam Yeo Wool was not given food and water for three days, and her sister was made to be the maidservant.
Gu Family Book (Credit: MBC)
Choi Kang Chi, the drama’s male lead, was looking at her from far above the tree. Choi Kang Chi was not a human, and he had superpowers after seeing her crying and suffering for so long; he wanted to help her, but he couldn’t because he promised that he would not Mendel with any business related to humans.
Late, his friend came looking for him and attempted to stop him from helping her because if he did, it would cause more problems for him. After three days without food, the head lady decided to bring her in, and Dam Yeo Wool saw her sister working as a servant.
Then the head lady tells her that Jo Gwan Woong, who killed her father,r wanted to sleep with her. Dam Yeo Wool rejects the offer, but her brother is tied and threatens to beat up his brother if she doesn’t cooperate. Seeing her brother suffering, she agrees to head lady work as Gisaeng.
The night Dam Yeo Wool arrived at Gisaeng, Dam Yeo Wool’s sister told her to switch places with her, run away from here with his brother, and take her sister home.
When the head lady learned that Dam Yeo Wool ran away, she told her not to open her mouth. If she did, she would kill herself.
While Dam Yeo Wool is on the run in the forest, she is chased by the soldiers and asks his brother to run away forward while she distracts them. While she is on the run, Choi Kang Chi appears, saves her from the soldier, and escapes with leaving her.
Later in the drama, we will see how Choi Kang Chi decided to become a human again and how Dam Yeo’s sister committed suicide and her brother was killed. It is also filled with action and the Love story of Choi Kang Chi and Dam Yeo Wool.
- Director : Shin Woo Cheol and Kim Jung Hyun
- Cast : Lee Seung Gi and Bae Suzy
- Number of episodes and duration : 24 episodes (1 hr 5 minutes).
- IMDB rating : 8.3/10
- Where to watch : Viki
8. Fights Breaks Sphere
Fights Breaks Sphere is a Chinese Drama and is a story about a time when a man ruled the top 5 big clans at once under him, and the children of the top 5 clans were made to protect them during the light.
Then we see the male lead of the dram, Xioa Yan, son of the Xioa family in Wu Tan City, a genius at Qi Martial arts, mastering all the nine stages at the age of 9.
Which made him the strongest and youngest genius on the mainland. Xioa Yan’s mother was asked to join the top 5 clans to fight the darkness when he was nine years old. But after the fight against darkness left her significantly injured when she came back.
Fights Break Sphere (Credit: Hunan TV)
His mother gives him the Spatial ring and asks him to protect it no matter what. Mainland called Xioa Yan’s mother, telling her she had betrayed the five clans and was hiding the treasure. And told him if he was from Hun Miesheng and conveyed that ‘darkness is coming.’
Later on, Xioa Yan’s father was accused of hiding the treasure and asked him to hand it over, or it would destroy the reputation of the Xioa family.
Xioa clan leader stood up and destroyed his own Qi martial arts skills; since then, the Xioa clan has declined from other families. Xioa Yan wants to get stronger and discover the real reason for her mother’s death.
Xioa Yan is made to attend Qi Martial arts training, but his skills are lacking, and he is mocked by everyone for being from the Xioa Clan.
Xioa Yan runs to his father and asks him to teach him Mad Lion crazy stars martial arts to get stronger, but his father declines, telling him he is not ready for it yet. Xioa Yan continues to practice his qi martial arts and, later on, is called by his father.
Xioa clan leader tells him to leave the qi martial arts training and join the medicine shop as an apprentice. Xioa Yan wanted to be a fighter, but after seeing his qi martial arts skills, he asked him to become an apprentice in a medicine shop business.
Xioa Yan was not ready, but he began to bow to the Medicine shop owner, which made Xioa Yan feel bad for Xioa Yan’s clan leader, forcing him to become a medicine apprentice, which made him very frustrated and angry.
As the drama continues, you will see how he meets the Grand old master who was supposed to be dead seven years ago. He met him with the help of a spatial ring that her mother gave him, and he found out the truth about the treasure was hidden in the spatial ring along with grand old master so that it didn’t fall into the wrong hands.
- Director : Yu Rong Guang and Kang Je Gyu
- Cast : Leo Wu and Jelly Lin
- Number of episodes and duration : 45 episodes (45 minutes).
- IMDB rating : 8.2/10
- Where to watch : Viki
9. Mirror of the Witch
Mirror of the Witch drama begins with the Black skies of Joseon, which has not seen the sun for a long time, and the terrible calamity doesn’t seem to end. Choi Hyun Seo prays to the heavens to bestow them with the light of the sun and provide relief to the land that has been suffering for a long time.
Then we come to the scene when the queen is with Choi Hyun Seo, talking to him about how a black shadow entered her belly, a black shadow enough to cover the sky, and she thinks she is pregnant. Queen was in such high hopes but was mistaken after the doctor told her she was not pregnant with a child.
Rumors started to spread around that the queen couldn’t get pregnant. Later, the queen and King are called by the head queen of the palace, who tells her that they have been married for five years and couldn’t get an heir for her.
Because of this reason, the head queen asks the assistant to cancel all the plans for next Saturday and calls the doctors to see with her own eyes how they perform to make sure the queen is pregnant.
Mirror of the Witch (Credits: jTBC)
Queens calls the black magic specialist, Hong Joo, to the palace, where he isn’t very welcome but still calls her to get him an heir.
Later on, when the queen was getting ready, she asked other women to hit her to cast out all the bad energy from her and imbue her with good power to become a legitimate queen mother.
After that, Hong Joo tells the head queen that the queen is barren and can’t get pregnant. The head queen tells her that the top priority is to get an heir for her no matter what happens to the queen’s body.
Later, when the head queen calls Choi Hyun Seo to her chamber and asks him why he lied to her and didn’t tell her that the queen is barren, she tells him she will never trust the imperial Taoist branch again.
S, the King, was in critical condition, and it was found that it was because of indigestion, but he was safe now. The queen asks the woman from Sungsuchung to sleep with the queen and give her the child to become her heir.
As the drama continues, you will see how the Dark magic specialist Hong Joo tricks the queen and attacks the palace and how she will again bring calamity to Joseon.
- Director : Jo Hyun Taek
- Cast : Yoon Shi Yoon and Kim Sae Ron
- Number of episodes and duration : 20 episodes (1 hr 5 minutes).
- IMDB rating : 7.6/10
- Where to watch : Viki
10. Hwarang
Hwarang drama begins with the history of the 12th year of King Jinheung, and there exists a Silla, the smallest and weakest among the three kingdoms; because of the instability in the Silla, the king was afraid Queen Ji So gathered a group of beautiful men for the future of Silla.
Then we return to the present, seeing Moo Myung arguing with three other men over tax collection. Moo Myung asks them to run away as he doesn’t want to get in any other trouble, but the other three insist on taking his head but are too afraid.
Moo Myung takes out his dice to decide what to do next and decides to hit the nose. Still, as he is about to hit them, he faints and falls, and that’s when Sam Maek Jong, his partner in crimes, comes running to save him and kicks one of the men, but we find out that he wasn’t a great fighter and later Moo Myung wakes up and tells them he will kill them which scares them makes them run for their life. Everyone in the kingdom is also called Moo Myung, the Dog bird.
Hwarang (Credit: KBS2)
In the next scene, we see Queen Ji So going to meet the man in the prison who was very close to the previous King after she took over the throne. He didn’t like her and didn’t want to hear anything coming from her.
Then she tells him that she is planning to recruit the children of the officials, and she wants him to train them and make them strong and loyal to the sacred kingdom. She will step down from the throne if he succeeds in training them.
Moo Myung and Sam Maek Jong are seen talking, and Sam tells him why he wants to enter the Capital and how he is actually from the Capital, including her family. Moo Myung decides to sneak into the Capital in the middle of the night without anyone noticing to find his family.
While they sneak in at night by climbing the walls, Moo Myung first goes up and sees the heads of people hanging on the tree, which surprises him.
When Sam comes up, he gets super scared after seeing the heads hanging on the tree and thinking if they get caught, it will be their heads hanging on the tree next time, but he still manages to move on after stealing clothes.
While they were looking for the family in the gambling ba r asking for information, they were acting odd, and people got suspicious and found that they both were from outside.
They begin the chase, and while on the hunt, Moo Myung meets Ah Ro by bumping into her, who is drunk because of low pay from her job. When Moo Myung helps her, she finds him very handsome and likes his face on first look.
The drama continues, and we will get to many funny scenes; you will also see V from the BTS group, which is yet to appear in further episodes.
- Director : Yoon Sung Shik and Kim Young Jo
- Cast : Park Seo Joon, Go Ah Ra, and Park Hyung Sik
- Number of episodes and duration : 20 episodes (60 minutes).
- IMDB rating : 8.0/10
- Where to watch : Viki
