I am currently looking for a few historicals to watch soon. I do not have any preferences, so feel free to recommend any historical from any country that I can watch on Viki. Please write a small description about the drama as well. Thank you!
Jewel in the Palace is a classic and a must! It’s about a young lady who overcomes all kinds of difficulties to become the best court lady of the Royal kitchen and then becomes the first female physician of a king. It’s loosely based on a real historical figure who was a female royal physician.
Queen Seonseok is also good. She was one if the few female monarch of old Korean kingdom.
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Queen Seondeok is my favorite binge watch multiple times historical. I watch every few years or so. I love that show because of Mishil. I love the beginning eps.
She is so… exquisite. (actress: Go Hyeon Jeong) I liked Emperor of the Sea for the epic ost.
But… I don’t know what Thuy would like
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I loved Misil, too. I actually stopped watching it after Ep. 50 because of what happens to Misil. I guess I’m trying not to put spiller. So I never finished the series. Lol.
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I actually watched Queen Seondeok like two years ago. I finished it in like 3 days and cried at the end.
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Yi Sang and Dong Yi are great as well.
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You’d like Flower in Prison. Similar Dong Yi like feel.
I squeed and had so much fun watching Sungkyunkwan Scandal which we need to sign up for license AGAIN.
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Sungkyunkwan Scandal was hillarious. Absolutely adored it!
I’ve already rewatched Dong Yi about a million times now. 
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Just thought of Gu Family Book. It was an ajumma2 and co production. 
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You need to watch flower in prison then. I loved loved Splendid politics (cgwm808 work) for the King.
If you like gangsta kings watch jackpot the subs are exquisite.
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Some of them that are really good are already mentioned like NiF, Queen Seodeok 6FD.
I’d like to add
https://www.viki.com/tv/75c-the-iron-empress?q=iron%20empress
She reigns during Koryo time and it’s about power and love interest struggles, some scenes are heartwrenching.
https://www.viki.com/tv/11850c-empress-ki?q=Empress
This is a drama 2014 with Ha Ji Won with a sad ending but story is very impressive, nice cinematographic shots.
https://www.viki.com/tv/23c-the-kingdom-of-the-winds and
https://www.viki.com/tv/29543c-jumong?q=jumong is the story of the foundation of Goguryeo.
Both dramas are played by Song Il Gooks, very strong shows def. worth to watch!
Then there is: https://www.viki.com/tv/783c-the-great-merchant-kim-man-deok?q=merchan it is about a woman who becomes a strong and famous merchant!
https://www.viki.com/tv/1585c-a-tree-with-deep-roots?q=tree this is about the secret allianz against king and the creation of today’s Hangul writing by the King so that even pheasants could learn writing and reading without studying chin. characters.
https://www.viki.com/tv/411c-slave-hunters?q=slave where you can admire Jang Hyuks 8 packs!!
https://www.viki.com/tv/28c-painter-of-the-wind it is about a love between a painter mentor and painter pupil who is a girl but disguized as a boy… interesting also about korean art then.
https://www.viki.com/tv/3472c-damo with Ha Ji Won as female detective. The story is about her brother that got once separated and who stands on the other side of the law than his sister who is a damo.
Movies:
- The King and the Clown
- The Divine Weapon it’s more about military defense but very thrilling!
Then we have some chinese with Wallace Huo I’m trying to remember the one with another known ch. actor https://www.viki.com/tv/24931c-prince-of-lan-ling?q=llang%20ling this is also about power but also about love interests. Charming drama and
https://www.viki.com/tv/20346c-perfect-couple kind of sweet love and comedy.
(Princess Man is not on viki
)
There could be more, not sure they are all on viki. Have fun choosing and I loved Hwang Jin Yi but with Ha Ji Won, the older version with SHK is a movie and is on viki.
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Korean:
- Hwang Jini. My absolute favourite. It’s about a famous gisaeng in the Joseon history.
Chinese: - My Fair Princess/Princess Returning Pearl. Classic! “It follows tomboyish and innocent Xiaoyanzi, originally an orphaned and semiliterate vagrant in Beijing who, after befriending the emperor’s illegitimate daughter Xia Ziwei, becomes a princess by accident.” (wikipedia)
- Schemes of a Beauty. Tells of the story of Empress Dou of Wen.
- Prince of Lan Ling. Story of a legendary general and his love story with a girl who is descended from a legendary line of seers.
- Legend of Condor Heroes. Actually any JinYong wuxia adaptations (he writes the best wuxia novels, and they’ve been adapted countless of times), but I think most of them haven’t been subbed on Viki. I think this is the only one which’s been subbed because the videos are hardsubbed.
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@moonandstars I’ll be sure to check the Chinese historicals you recommended out. It’s time I get into Chinese historicals!
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You could check this channel. Lacruiser did a great job putting them all there
https://www.viki.com/tv/22648c-the-sageuk-channel
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Let’s recommend both versions of Iljimae, I liked them both and I can’t pick one.
Iljimae with Lee Jun Ki: https://www.viki.com/tv/1c-iljimae?q=Iljim
The Return of Iljimae with Jung Il Woo: https://www.viki.com/tv/29547c-the-return-of-iljimae
Both seem to be completely subbed in English, The Return of Iljimae has hardsubs.
Iljimae is kind of like the Korean Robin Hood. His family was killed by some royals so he wants revange and meanwhile helps the poor.
Ohh you don’t have to watch it in a certain order… They both cover the same story and both aired on a different network around the same time so one had to change the title a bit.
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Jang Ok Jung is also historical, I didn’t finish it but the actors are great so maybe check it out.
Sword and Flower - also didn’t finish, but I remember it having a different feel to it than the usual historical dramas, more dark somehow.
The Princess’ Man - lots of people loved it (didn’t have time to get through more than a few eps, maybe in the future sometime~)
Goddess Of Fire, Jeongi
Hong Gil Dong
I’ll add a Chinese recommendation (although I didn’t watch many, but this are really good with the acting and the whole cloths and palace colors so pretty ^^)
Scarlet Heart (you might not watch to go into the 2nd season, really disappointing)
Chronicle of Life
The Imperial Doctress
Sound of the Desert
You can see a trend there… yup after Scarlet Heart I decided to drama stalk Liu Cecilia…
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Hwang Jini’s not here I liked their actual singing ost and colorful costumes the most 
emperor of the sea was more like pirates of the carribbean bgm
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I thought iron empress was a bit draggy. Didn’t finish last 20 eps and skipped to the end. The beginning was good. I just love Chae Si Ra if she’s in it I’ll see it.
Empress Ki is also not on viki. It was SO PRETTY but had the more than average amt of angst so viewer beware…
I like Ha Ji Won so if she’s in something and i think plots not too bad, I’ll watch. (sorry 2 hearts whatever I thought plot was blargh)
I loved iljimae for the OST and the pretty scenes. I like Park Hyo Shin (ost singer)
I loved holy pearl.
The Holy Pearl is a 2011 Chinese television series starring Gillian Chung as the daughter of an archaeologist. She travels back in time only to discovers she is the reincarnation of a warrior-priestess. She teams up with a human-dragon hybrid to recover a broken magical vase.
It’s available on YouTube
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