‘Bon Appétit, Your Majesty,’ starring Lim Yoo-na and Lee Chae-min, recently emerged as tvN’s breakout hit of 2025.
But this should not have been surprising at all. Bring together a successful 21st century chef, an antique recipe book that probably belongs in a museum, and a tyrant king from Joseon era that causes the death of many – who changes for the love of his life, by the way – and you have one clear formula for success. Turn it all into a romance and drama-filled survival cooking show and suddenly you’re shipping Jeonha (honorific for king in Korean) and Yeon Seoksu.
Not only will it have your mouth watering; it will also get you hooked on historical K-dramas once again.
Bring your hanbok out and prepare to bow to the kings. Here are five other historical K-dramas to binge-watch after ‘Bon Appétit, Your Majesty’.
Mr. Queen
Starring Shin Hye-sun and Kim Jung-hyun, ‘Mr. Queen’ takes its viewers on a comedic journey to South Korea’s Joseon dynasty. This K-drama features Choi Jin-hyuk as Jang Bong-hwan, a womanizer head chef at the Blue House – the residence of the President.
Trying to escape the police, Bong-hwan jumps and drowns in a pool, but magically swapping souls with Kim So-yong (Shin), who is soon to be wed to King Cheoljong (Kim Jung-hyun).
Like ‘Bon Appetit,’ the series makes use of Joseon’s cuisine as a prominent element of the story. If you enjoy Joseon palace politics mixed with lots of comedic relief scenes, this drama is for you.
The King’s Affection
If you like ‘The Parent Trap’ and ‘It Takes Two,’ then add this drama to your list. Rowoon makes hearts swoon as the king’s tutor, while Park Eun-bin of ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ fame proves she’s one Korea’s best actresses.
In a time when twins were considered bad omen, and only males were allowed to lead, the Crown Princess decides to keep her son in the palace so that he may inherit the throne, and send her daughter away to save her life.
This compelling 20-episode series will let you feel the ‘impostor syndrome’ of a woman, raised as a lowly citizen then pretended to be a royal man. The romance between the two leads, Dam-yi (Park) and Jung Ji-woon (Rowoon) was carefully built – a perfect slow-burn set in the Joseon era.
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
You either love it or you haven’t watched it yet.
This 2016 K-drama brings big-named cast members, an unforgettable soundtrack, and a heartbreaking story to the table. This is a series that balanced reality and fantasy so well, it becomes immersive and pulls you into Korea’s past.
Hae Soo, who is played by singer-actress IU, falls into a lake during an eclipse. When she emerges, she’s in the Goryeo Dynasty, not knowing anyone, or anything about what had happened.
She meets eight of Goryeo’s founder, King Taejo’s sons who are played by Kim San-hi, Hong Jong-hyub, Lee Joon-gi, Kang Ha-neul, Yoon Sun-woo, Byeon Baek-hyun (EXO), Nam Joo-hyuk, and Ji-soo.
Hae-soo gets stuck in an era where sitting on the throne means to betray or be betrayed, and the more she tries to keep the brothers close, the more she gets dragged along a treacherous and mortifying path.
If you’re looking for a historical drama to cry, laugh, and get attached to, this is definitely the one for you.
Hwarang
Now that we’re talking star-studded dramas, ‘Hwarang’ checks all categories.
With prominent actors Park Seo-jun, Park Hyung-sik, and Go A-ra taking main leads, to K-Pop idol-actors V of BTS and Choi Min-ho of SHINee, this series ticks all boxes of star-studded casting.
The drama shows a group of men banded together to create a group of ‘flowering knights’ meant to protect the Queen and defend her royal family. Unbeknownst to them, the King himself joins the group, masking his identity.
This drama will make you smile wide with cutesy bromance scenes, a wonderful kilig chemistry between the male and female leads, and gripping your chair with action, and betrayal.
If you’re looking for a family-type of drama, you should check this out.
The Emperor: Owner if the Mask
If you like it, you like it.
This drama received mixed reviews from many, the deep and heavily political themes and the whopping 40 episodes making it an acquired taste type of drama.
It starts with a Crown Prince who grew up wearing a mask to hide his identity from a group of powerful tyrants that seek to control the throne. Crown Prince Lee Sun played by Yoo Seung-ho (I’m Not A Robot), becomes a beacon of hope for his people amid a water drought caused by the same group that controls the King.