Entertainment
8 Must-Watch K-Dramas For Romantasy Fans
Everyone has heard of Goblin, and most K-drama fans have seen The King: Eternal Monarch. But romantasy—romance wrapped in magic, fate, and impossible worlds—is far more popular than the usual hits. There are many hidden gems and brilliant series in this particular K-drama landscape that are also worth watching. If you’re a fan who wants to swoon while also discovering new content, you’re in the right place.
Some of the best romantasy dramas out there feature gender-bending princes, cursed immortals, mermaids, demon-possessed scholars, and dream-prophesying prosecutors, elevating the supernatural elements and heartfelt romances they find themselves in. Whether you’re a long-time sageuk lover or a modern fantasy fan, these must-watch K-dramas for romantasy fans will remind you why this genre is so easily addictive.
‘The King’s Affection’ (2021)
The King’s Affection is a gender-bending sageuk and though it’s not technically a fantasy, its premise has a “what if” that feels entirely magical, hypothesizing the fate of different-gendered twins and fantastical kings. Park Eun-bin delivers a career-defining performance, balancing royal authority with fragility. Her romance with Rowoon‘s character is tender, if not angsty, and somewhat complex due to a hidden identity element. The King’s Affection won the International Emmy Award and is widely praised for its emotional depth; it was based on the manhwa Yeonmo, which introduces the plot as a hypothesis that a secret king existed between two well-known kings who ruled one after the other throughout history.
The King’s Affection begins with Crown Prince Lee Hwi of Joseon dying in a tragic accident; his twin sister, Dam-yi (Park), who was exiled after being sentenced to death as a child, returns and is persuaded by their grandmother to secretly take Lee Hwi’s place. Dam-yi agrees, and for years she leads a double life, studying, ruling, and concealing her true identity from everyone, including her father, the king. While portraying the crown prince, she falls for her royal tutor, Jung Ji-woon (Rowoon), a bright and kind-hearted man, but he seems to see something hidden in this version of Lee Hwi. Their forbidden romance grows as Lee Hwi fights to protect her secret, navigate murderous court politics, and eventually claim the throne. Not fully fantastic, but still a romance to fantasize about.
‘The Legend of the Blue Sea’ (2016–2017)
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The Legend of the Blue Sea is a romantic fantasy series, but many fans also find it to be a great comedy. The film features a talented cast, including Jun Ji-hyun and Lee Min-ho, and is set in a stunning fantasy world. It’s pure, joyful, and romantic; Jun’s portrayal of the mermaid is both hilarious and heartbreaking, and Lee’s performance is particularly charming. The show has a dual timeline that alternates between Joseon and present day, which adds emotional depth to the main romance; there is also a lot of underwater cinematography, which is absolutely stunning and adds to the fantasy narrative’s magical quality.
The Legend of the Blue Sea follows Shim Cheong (Jun), a mermaid caught in a fisherman’s net, who is rescued by Heo Joon-jae (Lee), a charming con artist who initially intends to steal from her. Cheong has magical abilities, a childlike innocence, and a tragic relationship with Joon-jae’s Joseon-era doppelgänger. As she adjusts to life on land, the two gradually discover their shared history and fight to end a centuries-old curse. The show also features Shin Hye-sun (Mr. Queen) and Lee Ji-hoon (Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung).
‘Lovers of the Red Sky’ (2021)
Lovers of the Red Sky is a stunning and underappreciated sageuk with a strong fantasy theme. The visuals and cinematography are stunning, resembling traditional Korean ink paintings, and the romance is truly epic, depicting two wounded people bound by fate, magic, and a love that defies the curses placed upon them. Kim You-jung delivers a stunning performance, while Ahn Hyo-seop embraces both his masculine and gentle sides. The show’s pacing keeps you hooked from beginning to end. Lovers of the Red Sky was inspired by Jung Eun-gwol‘s novel of the same name, which features the only female painter of the Korean Royal Academy mentioned in historical records.
Lovers of the Red Sky is set in a fictional equivalent of the Joseon kingdom called Dan and follows a female painter named Chun-gi (Kim You-jung), who was born blind and regained her sight after a shaman performed a rain-summoning ritual. Chun-gi’s world collides with that of Ha Ram (Ahn Hyo-seop), a blind astrologer who lost his sight during the same rain ceremony and is now possessed by a demon; when they both realize their fates have been sealed by an ancient ritual intended to imprison a powerful evil god since childhood, they begin collaborating to break a mysterious curse, and their intense, star-crossed romance unfolds against a backdrop of court intrigue and magical mythology. Lovers of the Red Sky is a beautifully crafted romantic fantasy, with each frame serving as a painting.
‘Live Up to Your Name’ (2017)
Live Up to Your Name (also known as Deserving of Your Name) is a fantasy sageuk that combines medical drama, comedy, and slow-burn romance. Kim Nam-gil delivers a charismatic and hilarious performance, while Kim Ah-joong portrays a strong yet vulnerable modern doctor. The show’s treatment of time travel is clever, and it’s a true hidden gem because it’s one of the few in which someone from the past travels to the present rather than vice versa. Most time travel shows feature modern characters traveling back in time; however, this Korean drama defies this convention, showing us a fish-out-of-water scenario with a man who is propelled forward through time.
Live Up to Your Name follows Heo Im (Kim Nam-gil), a talented but underappreciated acupuncturist in 17th-century Joseon. After a near-death experience, he is transported to modern-day Seoul and meets Choi Yeon-kyung (Kim Ah-joong), a driven and skeptical cardiothoracic surgeon who believes only in Western medicine. Their worlds collide—needles vs. scalpels, tradition vs. science—but as they collaborate to save lives, a deep respect and romance develop. As they keep slipping between past and present, they’re increasingly entangled in a time-travel conspiracy; a K-drama without a thrill-seeking element, particularly one that transports us back and forth through time, is nearly impossible to find. Don’t look for it, but check out Live Up to Your Name instead.
‘My Love from the Star’ (2013–2014)
My Love from the Star is the romantic fantasy that started the modern K-drama wave within the romantasy genre and overall. Kim Soo-hyun and Jun Ji-hyun‘s chemistry is electric, and the show is a perfect blend of comedy, suspense, and captivating romance. Many shows continue to follow this formula, and while the K-drama landscape has evolved away from some more obvious tropes, some still feature the elements that made K-drama such a popular genre. If you’re unfamiliar with the tropes we’re referring to, My Love from the Star is the ideal show to watch and learn about them.
My Love from the Star follows Do Min-joon (Kim Soo-hyun), an alien who arrived on Earth 400 years ago during the Joseon Dynasty. He is attractive, brilliant, and wealthy, but he is also desperate to return home. In his final months on Earth, he moves next door to Cheon Song-yi (Jun Ji-hyun), a vain, loud, and wildly popular actress who isn’t in good standing within the entertainment industry. When a murder conspiracy threatens Song-yi’s life, her and Min-joon’s bickering neighbors’ routine becomes a life-or-death romance, and Min-joon realizes his purpose for being on Earth after so long. A fun fact is that the writers came up with Min-joon’s backstory after researching real-life accounts from the Joseon Dynasty, in which some people reported seeing UFOs all over the Korean Peninsula.
‘While You Were Sleeping’ (2017)
While You Were Sleeping is a tightly plotted fantasy romance with a memorable hook. The first episode is a masterclass in story setup, and the show rarely loses momentum after that, making it one of the best Korean series that doesn’t experience a midway slump (though this is subjective and depends on what viewers enjoy, since K-dramas have multiple appealing qualities). While You Were Sleeping also features a sweet romance between Bae Suzy and Lee Jong-suk, as well as heartwarming friendships with the third lead, Jung Hae-in. The narrative maintains a consistent and clever set of dream logic rules throughout the series, and it’s never confusing or hard to follow—meaning you can enjoy the romantic fantasy without ever losing focus. It’s, essentially, a well-made show with lots of redeeming qualities.
While You Were Sleeping follows Nam Hong-joo (Bae Suzy), a journalist with a unique ability to dream about the future and being able to prevent tragic events. Jung Jae-chan (Lee Jong-suk) is a rookie prosecutor who also begins experiencing similar prophetic dreams after meeting Hong-joo, and the duo becomes a trio when a local police officer, Woo-tak (Jung Hae-in), gains the same ability after a crash that involves all three of them. They band together to try to change fate by saving lives, apprehending criminals, and gradually falling in love. Many fans regard While You Were Sleeping as the ultimate romantic fantasy series, owing primarily to Suzy’s undeniable charm and star power.
‘Hotel del Luna’ (2019)
Hotel del Luna was written by the Hong sisters, two well-known screenwriters in the Korean drama world. The Hong sisters are responsible for some of the most well-known and successful romance series of all time, including Alchemy of Souls, Hotel del Luna, Master’s Sun, and My Girlfriend is a Gumiho. In Hotel del Luna, IU delivers a career-defining performance as the icy but vulnerable manager of the magical hotel. The show is visually stunning, with each costume a work of art, and the episodic ghost stories are deeply moving. The romance between IU and Yeo Jin-goo is a slow burn that pays off beautifully, culminating in a devastating but perfect conclusion. IU wears over 100 different outfits throughout the series, with many of them being custom-made or existing vintage pieces.
Hotel del Luna follows Jang Man-wol (IU), the cursed, glamorous, and temperamental owner of the eponymous hotel. Hotel del Luna is a mystical resting place for ghosts who aren’t ready to go to the afterlife. Man-wol, who has been confined to the hotel for over a thousand years as punishment for a terrible sin, longs for freedom but is unable to leave, so she welcomes souls and assists them in leaving when their time comes, knowing that her own may never come. When Goo Chan-sung (Yeo Jin-goo), a perfectionist hotelier who accidentally becomes the hotel’s human manager, appears, he joins forces with Man-wol to help ghosts resolve their unfinished business and uncover her buried past—all while falling in love. The ending may break your heart, but Hotel del Luna is one of the most beautiful romantic K-dramas ever made, and it’s worth watching.
‘Alchemy of Souls’ (2022–2023)
Alchemy of Souls is an epic fantasy romance that has quickly gained a cult following, and for a good reason. The worldbuilding is rich but not overwhelming, the magic system is cleverly devised and refreshing, and the slow-burn romance is both beautiful and heartbreaking. Alchemy of Souls has 30 episodes full of twists, and the chemistry between the leads, Lee Jae-wook and Jung So-min (and Go Youn-jung), is off the charts. Interestingly, the production team constructed massive practical sets to represent the kingdom of Daeho, which cost around 5 billion Korean won (approximately $3.4 million).
Alchemy of Souls takes place in the fictional kingdom of Daeho, where powerful mages practice a forbidden spell known as “alchemy of souls,” which allows one person to transfer their soul into another’s body. Nak-su (Go Youn-jung), a legendary assassin, performs the alchemy of souls, getting her soul trapped within the frail body of Mu-deok (Jung So-min), a blind servant. She becomes the secret master of Jang Uk (Lee Jae-wook), a nobleman’s son with hidden magical abilities but no practical skills. They navigate palace politics, magical duels, and a plot to destroy the realm while falling for each other. This show is romantasy at its finest, and you’ll be captivated by its intricate world, beautiful costumes, and endearing leads.
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