“The Magnificent Century” + “Mulan” in Korean: This Series Will Conquer Even Those Who Despise Dramas

In Russia, it is common to treat Korean TV series with prejudice. We at the editorial office are not drama fans either, so we will not blindly advise everything. But if you like ‘The Magnificent Century’, then you should definitely watch the Korean drama ‘Empress Ki’. This is a real “Magnificent Century” of South Korean origin!

What is the series about? About a concubine from Koryo, who was brought to the territory of modern China to the last emperor of the Yuan dynasty, Togon-Temur. Then she gets another name – Oldzhey-khutug. What unites the stories, apart from the obvious, similar plot twists? In the drama, as in the canonical “Magnificent Century”, the lion’s share of the plot is borrowed not from historical events of the past, but from the imagination of directors and screenwriters, simply put – it is made up.

What else is interesting about the drama? Yes, because the cultural, historical and mental characteristics of a huge country are not taught in Russian schools. And there is certainly something to learn, and we can also turn to the events of the past. Well, from the “banal”: the characters are perfectly chosen, the plot is light and beautiful, there is even a love triangle in it, which is obligatory for the genre.

Still from the TV show “Empress Ki”

Seongnyang (the main character) has been pretending to be a man since childhood (this, in our opinion, is a reference to Mulan). A lively girl leads a gang of “Robinhoods” who pursue only noble goals. As a result of the Mongol attack, the girl is captured. And the development of events in an exciting and interesting plot begins.