10 Best Fantasy K-Dramas, Ranked

Some of the best K-Drama shows incorporate fantasy elements into their best stories to critical and audience acclaim. Well-known folklore, familiar fantasy novels, or present-day fascination with magic and multiple realities make their way into the cultural consciousness and then come to life on television in K-dramas. Many of the best K-drama romances incorporate aspects of magical realism into their plots. However, the best fantasy shows go all out in delving into hidden worlds and supernatural themes.

Having characters exist in fantasy worlds or have mystical powers requires strong actors and actresses to bring these complex roles to life. Fantasy is an effective tool for a TV series to play out the character’s desires that would otherwise remain hidden. Additionally, fantastical plotlines elevate formulaic narratives, like procedural dramas, by including another layer of mystery and intrigue. While fantasy is sometimes criticized for being unrealistic, the audience should suspend their disbelief and go along for the ride.

10 The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)

Two alternate dimensions collide and bring together unlikely lovers in the process

Lee Gon (Lee Min-ho) is a king in a parallel universe but finds a door to a world more similar to the real world, where he hunts for his uncle, the man responsible for Lee Gon’s father’s death. There, he meets Jeong Tae-eul (Kim Go-eun), a detective he teams up with to track his uncle down and stop him from destroying both realities. His uncle, Lee Lim (Lee Jung-jin), is a complex villain who casts a shadow over the show.

For its dedication to romance, fantasy, and careful balance of multiple storylines, The King: Eternal Monarch was enormously popular at its release and remains a standout of the genre. Overall, the series is less concerned with scientifically explaining the bridge between universes and relies on its strong character relationships. In large part due to the dynamic between Lee Gon and Jeong Tae-eul, who grow to love and respect each other.

9 My Love From The Star (2013 – 2014)

An alien stranded on Earth finds himself drawn to a beautiful actress

Stuck on Earth for 400 years, Do Min-joon (Kim Soo-hyun) only has to wait a few more months before he’s transported home. However, his plans are disrupted by his feelings for the actress Cheon Song-yi (Jun Ji-hyun). Cheon Song-yi starts relying on Do Min-joon for help and advice, and the pair find themselves embroiled in an investigation into the death of one of Cheon Song-yi’s professional rivals. My Love From The Star is aware of its premise’s comedic nature, but it’s not afraid to take the romance between the two leads seriously and imbue some legal drama into the story.

8 Hotel Del Luna (2019)

A human and an ancient ghost come together to run a hotel

In Hotel del Luna, Lee Ji-eun is a K-pop idol who became a great actor in a K-drama, as many young performers apply their talents to music and the screen. However, that’s not all the series boasts, as the show’s premise is that the titular hotel only serves ghosts, and all the staff are among the dead except for the general manager. Due to the subject matter, Hotel del Luna discusses grief and unfinished business.

However, there’s still plenty of dramatic intrigue between the recurring characters. Koo Chan-sung (Yeo Jin-goo), the manager, and Jang Man-wol (Lee Ji-eun) clash at first, but they soon find that running the hotel brings them together in ways they never expected. Using these supernatural aspects allows for a revolving door of guest stars who bring new challenges to each episode.

7 While You Were Sleeping (2017)

Through their prophetic dreams, a group of people come together to solve crimes

Nam Hong-joo (Bae Suzy) is born with the ability to see the future in her dreams, but they almost always involve someone’s death, with no information about when this will occur. By saving the lives of Jung Jae-chan (Lee Jong-suk) and Han Woo-tak (Jung Hae-in) as children, Nam Hong-joo passed on her abilities to them. Now, the trio works to solve the crimes they see in their dreams before they can come true. Fantasy and crime/legal dramas usually aren’t combined on TV, but While You Were Sleeping balances the dramatic elements with the moments of the supernatural.

6 A Korean Odyssey (2017 – 2018)

A young woman with the power to see ghosts falls in love with a spirit who longs for immortality

Son Oh-gong (Lee Seung-gi), an immortal locked out of heaven, finds his life intertwined with Jin Seon-mi (Oh Yeon-seo), a woman with the power to see ghosts. A Korean Odyssey lets the audience know from the start that the lives and love of the protagonists are doomed, but that doesn’t stop them from being compelling characters that are easy to be invested in. For most of the show, the pair battle demons together in episodic storylines, but the overarching plot of their destinies with heaven creates a more streamlined narrative that keeps the viewer coming back for more.

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5 The Legend Of The Blue Sea (2016 – 2017)

A mermaid and the man she loves are drawn together across timelines

In their first life, Se-hwa (Jun Ji-hyun) and Kim Dam-ryeong (Lee Min-ho) had an epic love story that ended in tragedy, and in the future, their reincarnations work tirelessly to prevent that same fate from coming back to haunt them. The Legend of the Blue Sea capitalizes on the well-known aspects of mermaid lore and stories but reinvents them so they feel fresh to present-day audiences. Additionally, the chemistry of the two leads elevates the narrative, making their relationship compelling. The dual storylines of their past and future quicken the pacing and ensure that no second of the series drags.

4 W: Two Worlds (2016)

A young woman finds that a fictional webtoon world is just as important as her reality

Webtoons are a popular storytelling format, often used as inspiration for K-dramas, but W: Two Worlds doesn’t just draw from K-dramas. The series puts its protagonist, Oh Yeon-Joo (Han Hyo-Joo), inside a webtoon world called W, where the handsome and rich Kang Cheol (Lee Jong-Suk) is waiting. Of course, it doesn’t take long for the pair of opposites to fall in love.

When Oh Yeon-Joo is transported into the fictional world, she realizes her father is missing. Additionally, Kang Cheol’s family is dead, and he has been hunting their killers. Together, they team up to solve the mystery surrounding these violent acts. While W does follow the escapist narrative of most webtoon content, it still has emotional weight and makes it easy to care about the characters, fictional or not.

3 Tale Of The Nine Tailed (2020 – 2023)

The fox spirit who serves as guardian of a supernatural mountain abandons his post to find his first love

Tale of the Nine Tailed Lee Yeon (Lee Dong-wook) wants to protect the world from harmful spirits in his position as a Gumiho, but the memory of his true love haunts him. He’s been waiting for her reincarnation to return for many centuries, but when she does appear as Nam Ji-ah (Jo Bo-ah), he can’t be sure it’s her. Together, they work to stop vengeful spirits from taking their anger out on the human world.

Along the way, they uncover the secrets of Nam Ji-ah’s past and future, which proves how much they meant to each other in her past life. However, the evil spirits that kept them apart in the past don’t want to be stopped again. The series is particularly interesting because of how much it draws from Korean folklore and translates ancient stories and deities to the modern world.

2 Alchemy Of Souls (2022 – 2023)

Mages cast their souls into different bodies in a fictionalized historical drama

Parts one and two of Alchemy of Souls illustrate what makes the show revolutionary: it’s constantly reinventing itself, thanks to the premise. In the show, a group of young people with magical powers cast a spell that allows them to transport their souls to different bodies, complicating their lives and abilities. Due to this, the actors must frequently change their performance and characterization to match whoever’s soul is supposed to be inside their body. While this is intriguing enough by itself, there are also larger machinations of evil magic at work, bringing the compelling plot together with a spellbinding cast.

1 Guardian: The Lonely And Great God (2016 – 2017)

An immortal Goblin meets a human girl who changes his life forever

Guardian: The Lonely and Great God is not only an amazing fantasy series but also one of the best K-Dramas with an ensemble cast. Also known as Goblin, the series follows Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), a man cursed with immortality who will only be freed of his burden when he meets his bride. The characters who join him include many reincarnated souls from his past and a grim reaper (Lee Dong-wook). Together, the characters use their supernatural powers to help others. Successfully blending romance, fantasy, and moral lessons, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God is a hallmark of fantasy K-Dramas.