It is not uncommon for South Korean television series to explore their epic past, with many set in ancient times, while sometimes drawing on more recent history, setting K-Dramas during the period tumultuous period of Japanese occupation in Korea. Historical K-Dramas set in older times often focus on the Joseon Dynasty, a period that spanned 505 years from 1392 to 1897, while the era of Japanese occupation offers rich stories and dynamics of resilience and resistance in the face of immense struggles and difficulties.
Throughout Korea’s modern history, the peninsula has faced enormous challenges, of which Japan’s annexation of Korea was one of the most traumatic. Remember that the Japanese occupation began in 1905 and it was in 1910 that Japan annexed Korea, attempting to completely eradicate Korean culture. Korea was later liberated after Japan surrendered at the end of World War II in 1945, but soon after the country was divided between North and South Korea.
K-Dramas set during the Japanese occupation often explore heroic themes while focusing on resistance fighters who strive to preserve their people and culture, in particular because because this period is still remembered and its after-effects are still perceptible.
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Bridal Mask (2012)
Based on Huh Young-man’s 1974 manhwa Gaksital, “Bridal Mask” is set in Seoul (Gyeongseong) in the 1930s and focuses on the story of Lee Kang-to (Good Doctor star Joo Won) , a Korean who works for the Japanese police, but when off duty becomes Bridal Mask, a secretive and fearsome Korean independence fighter who wears a mask that grants him anonymity. While Kang-to helps his compatriots fight against the repressive Japanese regime as Bridal Mask, he also, as a police officer, must toe the line, which often means going against his compatriots.
Bridal Mask evokes the very real difficulties many Koreans faced, torn between collusion with Japanese authorities to survive and resistance at the risk of their lives. Despite the K-Drama’s focus on the heroism of the masked protagonist, which resembles more of a comic book-style superhero story than a narrative interested in real history, the setting of Bridal Mask is still also relevant because it shows how close friendships can form between sworn enemies at a time when such relationships were frowned upon.
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Inspiring Generation (2014)
Instead of focusing on Japan’s occupation of Korea, “Inspiring Generation” instead focuses on its broader impact on neighboring areas where many Koreans fled. The K-Drama is about the Korean people in Japanese-occupied Shanghai in the 1930s and the resistance movements that emerged from the large Korean population there. It stars Kim Hyun-joong (Boys Over Flowers) as Shin Jung-tae, whose father was killed by a Japanese soldier and who fights for justice. Framed for the murder, Jung-tae quickly learns to become a great fighter in the alleys of Shanghai.
The action thriller side of Inspiring Generation captures some of the most exciting moments of the historical period, and because the K-Drama is primarily set outside of Korea, it offers a broader view of the history of the East Asia at this time and Japanese expansionism. Granted, it may be difficult for some viewers to watch this series that emphasizes violence with minimal romantic interludes, but it offers an exciting perspective on this period in history.
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The Hymn of Death (2018)
A short K-Drama of just three episodes starring Lee Jong-suk (Pinocchio) and Shin Hye-sun (Welcome to Samdal-ri), “The Hymn of Death” is based on the true story of Kim Woo-jin (Lee) , a married playwright, and Yun Sim-deok (Shin), Korea’s first professional soprano singer, who meet and then begin to love each other. It follows the romance of the two couples in the context of Japanese domination in the 1920s, until their tragic deaths in 1926.
“The Hymn of Death” is in a way a K-Drama which takes up the story of Romeo and Juliet, namely that of crossed lovers whose destiny is not doomed to a happy future. Its setting, an earlier period of Japanese occupation, gives viewers a different perspective of what that period of history was like and how some of Korea’s most talented Koreans were able to enjoy greater freedoms. Despite its brevity, this poignant series encapsulates the intense emotions and societal constraints of the times, offering a compelling vision of love and sacrifice set against the backdrop of Korea’s struggle for identity and autonomy.
It is worth noting that Yun Sim-deok is known for recording the song titled “Hymn of Death” in 1926, considered the country’s first popular song and often considered the first song of yuhaeng changga, or Trot (a musical genre popular in Korea), never recorded.
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Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 (2023)
As a follow-up to Lee Dong-wook’s popular 2020 K-Drama “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God”, “Tale of the Nine Tailed”, the prequel series brings back the famous gumiho (nine-tailed fox), Lee Yeon, in the year 1938, during the Japanese occupation. Based on Korean folklore, Tale of the Nine Tailed season 2 contains more fantasy elements than other K-Dramas set in that era, and Yeon also finds herself embroiled in the issues of the time. It is therefore thanks to this mixture of ideas that the era is presented in a new light, as the rebels fight for the independence of their nation and against the supernatural beings who prowl the country.
In addition to offering a unique and entertaining blend of history and mythology, Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 explores cultural conflicts as well as the personal struggles of its characters against the backdrop of the times. Throughout Yeon’s journey through this historical period, facing human and extra-terrestrial challenges, the series offers a compelling commentary on resistance and resilience that sets it apart from other historical K-Dramas and is indeed the The richness of the narration and the complex development of the characters make it an exceptional work in the genre, mixing fantastic elements with poignant historical reflections.
For your information, the gumiho is a figure in Korean folklore similar to the Japanese kitsune or the Chinese huli jing. The gumiho is said to have lived for thousands of years and has the power to shapeshift; and unlike his Chinese and Japanese counterparts, he is generally seen as malevolent in Korean myths.
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Mr Sunshine (2018)
Critically acclaimed for its knowledge of history, strong storyline, stunning cinematography and remarkable performances from its stars Lee Byung-hun (Iris) and Kim Tae-ri (Twenty-Five Twenty-One), it must be admitted that “Mr Sunshine” is one of the most popular K-Dramas in South Korea. Despite being set just before the Japanese occupation, “Mr. Sunshine” focuses on an important period in Korean history leading up to its colonization and annexation by depicting many real events, battles and people that shaped this critical moment in history and showcasing the Korean heroes who fought fiercely for the independence and self-governance of their country.
In this K-Drama, we find Eugene Choi, a Korean born in Joseon but who grew up in the United States. Returning to his homeland as an American soldier, he falls in love with Go Ae-shin, an orphaned aristocrat’s daughter who is also secretly a revolutionary and sniper fighting for Korea’s freedom within the ‘Virtuous army. The lack of romantic scenes in Mr. Sunshine is made up for by the development of strong characters who imbue this tumultuous period with an emotional depth that brings Korean history to life.
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Capital Scandal (2007)
Set in the capital of Korea in the 1930s, “Capital Scandal” tells the story of Seon Woo-wan (Kang Ji-hwan), an arrogant Korean playboy who attempts to seduce Na Yeo-kyung (Han Ji-min). , One Spring Night), an educated independence fighter resistant to the modern changes occurring in her country. Soon, sincere feelings develop between them, as Yeo-kyung reveals the social injustices prevalent in their country and Woo-wan joins the revolutionary struggle against Japanese occupation. The tension and romance of the times are captured in this K-Drama, not forgetting Woo-wan’s transformation from carefree playboy to activist, which adds depth to the narrative.
It’s true that “Capital Scandal” is set against the backdrop of 30s Korea and its revolutionaries, but this romantic K-Drama doesn’t explore those themes as well as other series on this list; instead we find romance and lighter elements of the time. Anyway, believing that love is an effective strategy to achieve revolution, this K-Drama always brings a new perspective to understand the times.
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Chicago Typewriter (2017)
Set both in present-day Korea and during the Japanese occupation in the 1930s, “Chicago Typewriter” centers on a successful writer, Han Se-joo (Yoo Ah-in, Hellbound), who struggling to write his latest book. This is how he comes across a famous typewriter which seems to be haunted by the ghost of its former owner, Shin Yool (Go Kyung-pyo, Reply 1988), a writer and clandestine organizer of resistance against the occupation Japanese. This ghost, which only Se-joo can see, also inhabits other objects, including a very funny scene where he is a shaggy Korean Sapsali dog.
In addition to being steeped in the aesthetics and historical details of the Jazz Age, Chicago Typewriter connects today’s Korea with the past, highlighting the liberation efforts of the 1930s. It is by using the dual timeline structure that this K-Drama weaves together the themes of historical memory and the spirit of enduring resistance, which works well for the series as it reinforces the themes by showing how the past reverberates into the present and how these struggles are difficult to let go.
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Gyeongseong Creature, Season 1 (2023)
If season 2 of “Gyeongseong Creature” will take place in the current era, let us remember that season 1 focuses on the end of the Japanese occupation of Korea in 1945. A bit like the British Netflix series, “Supacell », Gyeongseong Creature is inspired by the real and tragic story of secret medical experiments carried out on people considered undesirable and it is the Japanese who create monstrous creatures in a Korean hospital where people enter but do not leave. In the same way as “Sweet Home”, this series asks the question of who the real monsters are and what being human is.
In this K-Drama, we find Park Seo-joon (Itaewon Class) as Jang Tae-sang and Han So-hee (Nevertheless) as Yoon Chae-ok, who are looking for missing people and this is how that these two come across a creature born of human greed and must fight to survive. By mixing personal vendettas with broader societal issues, the narrative makes their fight against the creature a symbol of Korea’s struggle for autonomy, and with intense action and deep emotions, “Gyeongseong Creature” takes a look captivating about the horrors of the occupation and its lingering traumas.
So, which K-drama on this list is your favorite?