Historical Movies Recommended by the Historical Dramas Club

An ultimate classic in black and white. A band of samurai come together to help a defenseless village in what seems like a suicide mission. — Recommended by fiflydramalover

Takes place during the Meiji era. A baby is born for the soul purpose of revenge, the legend of a demon in the shape of a woman. — Recommended by fiflydramalover

This is a fascinating look at the rapid rate of cultural change that occurred just before and during the Republic of China. A truly heartbreaking and horrifying tale full of heart and passion. — Recommended by fiflydramalover

Loosely based on characters from the Condor Heroes, this story explores themes of loneliness and unrequited love while deconstructing ideals. Watch it if you like wuxia, Wong Kar Wai films (and you want to watch his personal favorite), arthouse films, highly stylized films, films with beautiful cinematography, or cynical protagonists. Its star-studded cast 100% delivers, though the real star of the film is its director. There is also a 2008 version of the original, restored and re-edited by the director. — Recommended by Estelll

An eerie tale of the shinsengumi during the end of the Edo period. One handsome top-rated warrior becomes surrounded by mysterious deaths as his fellow warriors vie for his attention. — Recommended by fiflydramalover

A majority of the story takes place during the Cultural Revolution, giving insight into rural life and the persecution of literature. It's a story of love and independence, and of the way storytelling can inspire. — Recommended by fiflydramalover

A tragic tale of friendship with BL undertones during 16th century Joseon between a pair of actors in a travelling troupe amidst the convoluted politics of the royal family. Lee Joon Gi delivers a memorable performance in what would become his breakout role. — Recommended by WandereR

Follows the infamous decline and overthrow of King Yeonsan, but does so from the perspective of clowns who would parody court politics and even influence the king's decisions. — Recommended by fiflydramalover

A loose adaptation of Hamlet in which Zhang Zi Yi and Daniel Wu portray a pair of star-crossed lovers in a gorgeous production featuring themes of revenge and fate during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in 10th century China. — Recommended by WandereR

Chow Yuen Fat, Gong Li and Jay Chou lead the star-studded cast in Zhang Yi Mou's historical extravaganza where the fictional story about a deeply dysfunctional royal family during the Later Shu of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period is loosely based on Shakespeare's Hamlet. — Recommended by WandereR

With an extremely talented cast and epic battle scenes, this is a superb strategy and war movie series about a famous battle at the beginning of the Three Kindgoms period between the infamous General Cao Cao and Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang. Make sure to also check out the sequel that completes the story. — Recommended by meowRM

A tale of love and romance between a swashbuckling swordsman and a noblewoman who is destined to become Queen of Joseon. This romanticized account of Empress Myeongseong is headlined by Cho Seung Woo and Park Soo Ae. — Recommended by WandereR

Set during the reign of Emperor Huizong in the late Northern Song Dynasty, the narrative revolves around the investigations of the great four constables of the Department of Six as they unravel mysterious occurrences in the ancient capital. You can complete the trilogy by watching the two sequels (2 3). — Recommended by WandereR

Satoh Takeru is excellent in this, and all the action scenes are amazing.  I can't say enough good things about the fight scenes - fast-paced, hardcore, physical with great background music. And if you enjoy it, there are four more in the series (2 3 4 5). — Recommended by virgievirgie

An epic war film that recounts the Battle of Myeongnyang, where the depleted Joseon royal navy faces seemingly insurmountable odds against the overwhelming force of the mighty Japanese Imperial armada during the Imjin War. — Recommended by WandereR

An unlikely alliance between mountain bandits and sea pirates in a race to retrieve the State Seal that had been swallowed by a giant whale forms the core narrative of this comedic tale of adventure in the high seas that is headlined by Kim Nam Gil and Son Ye Jin. — Recommended by WandereR

Shu Qi portrays the eponymous assassin in a character-driven story about a clandestine organisation's righteous aim to rid the land of corrupt officials in 9th century Imperial China. — Recommended by WandereR

The best adaptation, for me, of the infamous story of Crown Prince Sa Do, with the great actors Song Kang Ho and Yoo Ah In. — Recommended by kYuBin

A beautiful but heart-rending movie directed by Lee Joon Ik. It intersperses scenes of poet Yun Dong Ju, excellently portrayed by Kang Ha Neul, being interrogated in a Japanese prison with scenes of his life, his close friendship with his cousin Song Mong Gyu, and their involvement in the Korean Independence Movement. — Recommended by xinya

A movie that takes place during Japanese colonization of Korea directed by the king of plot twists, Park Chan Wook. — Recommended by fiflydramalover

Based on a true story about Princess Deok Hye who was taken to Japan as a hostage during Japanese Colonial Rule. — Recommended by smurf

It tells the story of Gwang Hae (the fifteenth king of Joseon) as a young crown prince facing epic and tragic events to protect and save his people. Great cast with a wonderful Yeo Jin Goo as Prince Gwang Hae, very good production with beautiful scenery and great battles. — Recommended by kYuBin

The film recounts the tale of Korean forced laborers on Hashima Island attempting their escape from the brutality of their captors during the Japanese Colonial Era. — Recommended by WandereR

This story covers the Gwangju massacre, giving insight to this historical and incredibly influential part of Korea's history. A mix of wholesome and tragic storytelling will surely leave you feeling raw. — Recommended by fiflydramalover

Written and directed by Hwang Dong Hyuk, this movie explores contrasting ideologies and how the decisions of leaders impact those below them as it portrays the deliberations of the Joseon's royal court at Namhansan Fortress amidst a siege by the Qing army. The excellent soundtrack, cinematography and performances make its depiction of suffering through a harsh winter while outmatched by a superior force evocative and its final conclusion poignant. — Recommended by xinya

During the turbulent period preceding democratization, a student suddenly turns up dead. In an attempt to keep his death low profile, people attempt to cremate the body without anyone seeing it, but this only manages to draw national attention to the mysterious case. — Recommended by fiflydramalover

The condensed film version of the Kingdom-series that centre on a zombie outbreak during the Joseon dynasty. — Recommended by WandereR

The Great King Se Jong is known for the creation of the hangul, but his reign brought much more to Korea. A well-made movie with a great cast about an interesting aspect of the scientific research conducted during his reign, and an example of the struggles geniuses often had to endure in their pursuit of progress. — Recommended by kYuBin

Jang Hyuk plays the titular role in the South Korean version of Taken where the best swordsman of Joseon embarks on an adrenaline-fueled rescue mission to retrieve his stepdaughter who had been taken captive by Qing Dynasty slave traders. — Recommended by WandereR

Director Lee Joon Ik creates an intellectual portrait of scholar Jeong Yak Jeon as the movie presents a fictionalized account of his life in exile where he wrote the Jasaneobo (The Book of Fish), an early work of marine biology. It explores the value of different types of knowledge against the backdrop of late Joseon ideological conflicts between Eastern (donghak) and Western learning (seohak). Beautifully shot in black and white with great performances from Sol Kyung Gu and Byun Yo Han. — Recommended by xinya

A tale of adventure and loads of fun revolving around a motley crew of misfits competing with Joseon imperialists for the lost treasure of Goryeo. — Recommended by WandereR