If you have been hooked on “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty” and are craving its mix of palace intrigue, humor, time-slip fantasy, and the tingling romance between a master chef (Lim Yoona) and a tyrannical King (Lee Chae Min), you’re not the only one. K-dramas have mastered the art of throwing modern characters into royal courts, from alternate realities, intriguing time capsules, to being characters in their favorite novels, or just creating romances that are funny, heart-stopping, and unforgettable.
Here are five K-dramas to revisit and relish with a scrumptious fare that offers a palate of sweet, bittersweet, and sometimes even too hot to handle flavors of fantasy and love across time.
“Mr. Queen”
“Mr. Queen” is a rare gem, one that turned the historical K-drama genre on its head. A quirky premise to say the least, the story focuses on a cocky modern-day chef named Jang Bong Hwan (Choi Jin Hyuk), who suddenly finds his soul trapped in the body of a Joseon queen. And the comedy that follows is as sharp as it is irreverent.
After a bizarre accident, Bong Hwan finds himself trapped in the body of the newly wed Queen Kim So Yong (Shin Hae Sun). Bewildered to not only be trapped in the body of a woman and a reality far removed from his own, he is surrounded by the royal courts, scheming nobility, and simmering political intrigues. Not to mention, Bong Hwan’s personality and that of So Yong’s make for an interesting recipe. The soul switch also impacts So Yong’s relationship with her husband, King Cheol Jeong (Kim Jung Hyun), who is presented as weak and pliant but emerges as a shrewd, more complex ruler. Their unexpected chemistry is the drama’s heart, moving seamlessly between laugh-out-loud absurdity and tender romance.
Shin Hae Sun deliveres a tour de force as Queen Kim So Yong, seamlessly channeling a man’s modern swagger with impeccable comedic timing and fearless physical humor, while still capturing the vulnerability of a woman navigating palace life.
What made “Mr. Queen” stand out wasn’t just its body-swap gimmick but the way it blended comedy with palace intrigue and satire. Beneath the slapstick antics were biting commentaries on politics, power, and tradition, giving the story a depth that kept audiences hooked well beyond the laughs. It dared to turn Joseon into the backdrop for a screwball rom-com while still delivering a genuine love story.
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“The First Night With the Duke”
“The First Night With the Duke” puts a clever twist on the fantasy-romance genre by thrusting its leading lady into the pages of her favorite novel. An ordinary college student (played by Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun) is transported into her much loved romance book as Lady Cha Sun Chaek. Sun Chaek, despite being from nobility, is an irrelevant character. But this harmless transmigration turns into something more as she encounters the charming Prince Yi Beon (2PM’s Taecyeon), and it seems Sun Chaek is all set to channel main character energy. As she is suddenly thrown at the center of palace politics and an unpredictable romance challenges her understanding of fate, the book is all set to get a new plot twist.
The charm of the series comes from its playful approach to the “isekai” trope. Instead of passively adapting to her new reality, the heroine actively reshapes it, creating a love story that’s witty, self-aware, and unexpectedly heartfelt.
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“Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo”
Few dramas have captured both the grandeur and heartbreak of history like “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo.” Go Ha Jin (IU), drinking her heartbreak away, has a bit of an incident as she jumps into the water to save a child. She is caught in a whirlpool and finds herself in the Goryeo dynasty. She has a new identity, a lady of nobility named Hae Soo, and finds herself thrust into the lives of ambitious princes, the reckless maverick Wang So (Lee Joon Gi), and the poetic and sensitive Wang Wook (Kang Ha Neul). What begins as a lighthearted tale of mistaken identities and budding friendships slowly transforms into a tragic saga of power, betrayal, and love that defies time. The romance between Hae Soo and Wang So is both sweeping and devastating, making viewers root for them even as history works against their happiness.
What makes this drama unforgettable is its emotional range. It offers the heady excitement of first love, the warmth of camaraderie, and the anguish of sacrifice, all set against the intricate politics of the Goryeo court. The drama’s strength lies in how it combines stunning visuals with deeply human emotions, turning historical figures into characters audiences can connect with.
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“The Great Doctor”
“The Great Doctor” brings together medical drama, fantasy, and historical intrigue in one sweeping narrative. King Gong Min (Ryu Deok Hwan) has a love-hate relationship with his wife, Princess No Guk (Park Se Young). However, when his wife is injured, he sends his trusted and best man, General Choi Young (Lee Min Ho) to find a doctor who can save her. Choi Young finds himself entering a portal, leading into the modern world, and meets Yoo Eun Soo (Kim Hee Sun), a plastic surgeon. He thinks he is in a trance and is most fascinated by Eun Soo’s skills, which are, no pun intended, out of this world. He takes her to Goryeo, where she is thrown into a world of royal robes and political intrigue. But the interesting part is that everyone thinks she is a divine being, who is the hand of god, with her healing touch.
“The Great Doctor” does a great job of balancing spectacle with intimacy. The contrast between a woman armed with modern science and a warrior bound by tradition creates both tension and tenderness, while the high-stakes world of the royal court raises the drama’s urgency. Ultimately, “The Great Doctor” isn’t just about time travel or palace intrigue—it’s a love story forged in impossible circumstances, proving that courage and connection can transcend centuries.
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“Splash Splash Love”
Short but sweet, “Splash Splash Love” is proof that great storytelling doesn’t need dozens of episodes. After flunking her college entrance exam, Dan Bi (Kim Seul Gi) flees the pressure of exams only to tumble into Joseon during a rainstorm. Mistaken for a eunuch, she uses her modern math skills to win the trust of King Lee Do (Yoon Doojoon), a mathematic genius. What follows is a compact yet deeply charming romance filled with humor, curiosity, and heart.
The magic of “Splash Splash Love” lies in its simplicity. In just two episodes, it manages to capture the essence of time-slip romance, the wonder of discovering a new world, the sweetness of an unexpected love, and the bittersweet reality of having to choose between eras. Lighthearted yet poignant, it remains a cult favorite for viewers who want a quick, satisfying dose of fantasy and romance.
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Hey Soompiers, which of these is your favorite fantasy romance drama? Let us know in the comments below!
Puja Talwar is a Soompi writer with a strong Yoo Yeon Seok and Lee Junho bias. A long time K-drama fan, she loves devising alternate scenarios to the narratives. She has interviewed Lee Min Ho, Gong Yoo, Cha Eun Woo, and Ji Chang Wook to name a few. You can follow her on @puja_talwar7 on Instagram
