My personal favorite Sageuk dramas. They're not listed in any particular order.
(I do not own any images)

My collection: The top Sageuk K-dramas

In the Goryeo Dynasty, Crown Prince Wang Won (Yim Si Wan) is consumed by an insatiable desire for power, with his loyal royal cousin and comrade Wang Rin (Hong Jong Hyun) always by his side. Their lives are dramatically altered when they meet Eun San (Yoona), the stunning daughter of the country's wealthiest man. As both Wang Won and Wang Rin develop romantic feelings for Eun San, their deep friendship and individual ambitions are put to the ultimate test. This is a 2017 South Korean historical drama series directed by Kim Sang Hyup, based on a novel by Kim Yi Ryung.

The King Loves

Royal Minions

Jang Ok Jung (Kim Tae Hee), a woman of extraordinary beauty and talent in the Joseon Dynasty, defies her humble origins as she works her way up from working as a palace maid to becoming a royal tailor. She eventually catches the eye of King Suk Jong (Yoo Ah In), but their romance is fraught with royal politics due to their different social statuses. Suk Jong is willing to move heaven and earth for their love, growing his power enormously, while Ok Jung’s increasingly improved social standing begins to change her. Will Ok Jung and Suk Jong’s love find a way to defeat the odds, or was it an ill-fated union from the beginning? This drama was based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Choi Jung Mi.

Jang Ok Jung, Living in Love

In the midst of the Joseon Dynasty, eight-year-old Lee Gyeom was orphaned after witnessing his father’s murder. Haunted by the past, he transforms into a masked vigilante named “Il Ji Mae” (Lee Joon Gi) who steals from corrupt officials to aid the poor, leaving a plum blossom calling card. Driven by vengeance, he seeks the truth behind his family's demise and the killer's identity. His quest intertwines with Eun Chae (Han Hyo Joo), a compassionate woman who eventually falls for Il Ji Mae, and Si Hoo (Park Si Hoo), his adoptive brother-turned-royal guard who seeks to capture Il Ji Mae in the hopes of being promoted to a nobleman. Will Il Ji Mae find the justice he seeks, or will his mission to avenge his family lead him deeper into darkness?

Il Ji Mae

During the political turmoil of 18th-century Joseon, Baek Dong Soo (Ji Chang Wook) was adopted by a swordsmith and grew up alongside Yeo Woon (Yoo Seung Ho). However, their paths diverge dramatically in adulthood: while Dong Soo embraces justice and loyalty, eventually joining the royal guard, Woon is drawn into a clandestine assassin organization, becoming a skilled but conflicted killer. Their brotherhood is tested as they find themselves on opposing sides of a brewing war, one fighting to protect the Crown Prince and the other serving a shadowy faction aiming to overthrow the kingdom. This drama was based on the comic “Honorable Baek Dong Soo” by Lee Jae Heon.

Warrior Baek Dong Soo

⚔The New Joseon Warriors ⚔

In the tumultuous formation of the Joseon Dynasty, six powerful individuals with conflicting ideologies battle for political supremacy. Prince Lee Bang Won (Yoo Ah In) and Jeong Do Jeon (Kim Myung Min) find themselves on opposing sides of a critical power struggle, with Do Jeon helping his father Lee Seong Gye (Chun Ho Jin) establish the new kingdom as its first monarch, King Tae Jo. Boon Yi (Shin Se Kyung), Ddang Sae (Byun Yo Han), and Moo Hyul (Yoon Kyun Sang) become entangled in the complex political landscape, where the fight is between those advocating for ministerial rule and those seeking absolute power. As tensions escalate, Bang Won, who will eventually become King Tae Jong, emerges as Do Jeon's most formidable adversary. This is a 2015 South Korean historical drama series directed by Shin Kyung Soo.

Six Flying Dragons

The Flying Dragons

Baek Yi Kang (Cho Jung Seok), an illegitimate son of a government official, has lived a life of marginalization due to his lower social status, in stark contrast to his privileged younger brother Baek Yi Hyun (Yoon Shi Yoon). As Yi Hyun returns from studying in Japan to prepare for the national civil service exam, tensions rise with the approach of a peasant uprising. Song Ja In (Yeri Han), a merchant's daughter with her own revolutionary aspirations, becomes entangled between the brothers' conflicting ideologies. Yi Kang aligns with the lower classes, while Yi Hyun supports the upper class, creating a rift that threatens to destroy their familial bond. As the impending revolution looms, the brothers must confront their differences and decide whether their relationship can survive the social upheaval. This is a 2019 South Korean historical drama inspired by the Donghak Peasant Revolution, directed by Shin Kyung Soo.

The Nokdu Flower

💮The Flower of Revolution💮

In the tumultuous kingdom of Joseon, political unrest threatens the reign of King Lee Hun (Yeo Jin Goo), who faces constant assassination attempts. To protect the monarch, a lookalike clown named Ha Sun (Yeo Jin Goo) is brought to the palace to serve as the king's double. As Ha Sun skillfully impersonates the ruler and navigates the complex royal court, he unexpectedly develops feelings for the elegant Queen Yoo So Woon (Lee Se Young). Adapting the film "Gwanghae: The Man Who Became King," this drama explores the dangerous world of royal deception and unexpected love. This is a 2019 South Korean historical drama directed by Kim Hee Won.

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