Novel-Based K-Dramas You Need To Watch: ‘Scarlet Heart Ryeo,’ ‘Mr Queen,’ More!
While there are several original South Korean dramas, many fans rejoice when their favorite written media gets adapted into K-Dramas. In addition, many webtoons that were published years ago are now given life as they get adapted into dramas. You may not know it, but some of your favorite K-Dramas might have been inspired by novels inside and outside South Korea.
Here are the dramas that were based on popular novels.
'Mr. Queen'
Did you know that Shin Hye Sun and Kim Jung Hyun's 2021 blockbuster historical rom-com drama "Mr. Queen" was solely based on a novel?
The drama is an adaptation of the Chinese novel "The Promotion Record of a Crown Princess" by Xian Chen, which follows the story of a man who swaps souls with a queen in the Joseon dynasty.
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The drama adaptation was well-received by the public and even became the seventh highest-rated series in the history of K-Drama.
'What's Wrong With Secretary Kim?'
Falling in love with your own boss after nine years of having a professional relationship sounds like a fairy tale, isn't it?
Park Min Young and Park Seo Joon's "What's Wrong With Secretary Kim?" was indeed based on Jung Kyung Yoon's novel, published in 2013, five years before the drama adaptation was released.
Until this writing, the drama was deeply loved by drama junkies and has become one of the best series ever released in K-Drama history.
'Scarlet Heart Ryeo'
Based on the Chinese novel "Bu Bu Jing Xin" by Tong Hua, the historical romance drama "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo" successfully made every viewer weep with its unexpected ending.
It tells the story of Crown Prince Wang So and the successors who meet an eccentric woman from the present.
Apart from its exciting plot, the drama also entertained the viewers with the star-studded cast's chemistry, including singer-actress IU, Lee Joon Gi, Kang Ha Neul, Nam Joo Hyuk, and more!
'Moon Embracing the Sun'
The 2012 drama "Moon Embracing the Sun" is based on a novel written by Jung Eun Gwol, which tells the romantic story of the King of the Joseon Dynasty and a female shaman.
Apart from its romantic elements, the writer also brought political aspects to the drama, including the characters' power struggles and conflicts in the royal court.
After ten years, "Moon Embracing the Sun" remains a classic series, all thanks to the A-list cast starring Kim Soo Hyun, Han Ga In, Jung Il Woo, and Kim Min Seo.
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In particular, Jung Eun Gwol proves that she is the Queen of Korean historical dramas as "Moon Embracing the Sun" isn't her only novel that was materialized into a television series.
Jung Eun Gwol's "Sungkyunkwan Scandal" and, most recently, "Lovers of the Red Sky" were also adapted into series.
KDramaStars owns this article.
Written by Elijah Mully.
