Historian's Toolkit

Using Historical Korean Dramas in Historical Research and Education

Historical Korean dramas (사극, sageuk) have emerged as a significant cultural and pedagogical tool over the past two decades. From globally popular series like Jewel in the Palace (2003) to recent blockbusters like Mr. Sunshine (2018) or The Red Sleeve (2021), these dramas not only entertain but also visualize Korea’s past with vivid storytelling, costume design, and dramatized political intrigue.

For historians, students, and oral history practitioners, historical dramas are more than popular media. They are interpretive texts that reflect national memory, ideological framing, and evolving narratives of identity and power. This article provides a practical guide on how to critically engage with Korean historical dramas, whether as cultural artifacts, supplementary teaching materials, or sources of historical reinterpretation.

Understanding Sageuk: Definitions and Evolution

What Is a Sageuk?

The Korean term sageuk refers broadly to dramas set in historical time periods, most often from the Three Kingdoms (57 BCE–668 CE) through the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897). These dramas range in tone and accuracy:

• Traditional sageuk often focuses on royalty, political power struggles, or court life.
• Fusion sageuk blends historical settings with fictional, romantic, or even supernatural elements.
• Modern sageuk may tackle 20th-century colonial or post-war Korean history, as in The Hymn of Death (2018).

While rooted in real historical contexts, most sageuk are dramatized and stylized, raising the question of how historians should engage with them.

Why They Matter for Historical Study

Historical dramas both shape and reflect public memory. In South Korea, where the formal study of history is often tightly linked to nation-building, sageuk offer alternative—and sometimes contested—narratives. These include:

• Elevating forgotten historical figures (e.g., The King’s Affection, 2021)
• Questioning dominant Confucian gender norms (Empress Ki, 2013)
• Visualizing trauma, such as Japanese occupation (Mr. Sunshine, 2018)

Their mass appeal and emotional resonance make them powerful tools for exploring historical consciousness and popular historiography.

How to Analyze Historical Dramas Critically

Step 1 – Situate the Drama in Historical Context

Begin by identifying the historical period portrayed. For example, Dong Yi (2010) is set in the late 17th century Joseon Dynasty, during the reign of King Sukjong. Knowing the political, cultural, and social structures of that time allows for a more critical comparison of what the drama presents versus what historical records indicate.

Ask:

• What key events or figures are central to the plot?
• What historical texts, legends, or prior adaptations does the drama draw from?
• Are any historical liberties taken to appeal to modern audiences?

Understanding these foundations helps historians decode the narrative choices and recognize deliberate fictionalization.

Step 2 – Evaluate Representations of Power, Gender, and Class

Sageuk often focus on palace intrigue, yet their portrayals of power relations are modernized through contemporary lenses. For instance:

In Queen Seondeok (2009), the titular character is shown wielding political authority in ways that may resonate with present-day feminism, even though the actual Silla-era records are limited.

The Crowned Clown (2019), based on The Prince and the Pauper-style narrative, examines leadership and justice from a populist angle.

Look at how the show represents:

• Royal authority and succession
• Women’s agency or lack thereof
• Commoners, slaves, and marginalized voices

Historical dramas often recast the past to reflect present social values, and tracing those reconfigurations is essential for understanding cultural historiography.

Step 3 – Consider Visual and Material Culture

Costumes, set design, weaponry, and cuisine are often used to reinforce the “authenticity” of historical representation. While dramas like Jewel in the Palace collaborated with historians to depict royal kitchen culture accurately, others take creative liberties.

Analyzing these visual elements requires cross-checking with museum collections, archaeological studies, or historical documents. For educators, these comparisons can spark valuable classroom discussions about what we perceive as “authentic” and how media shapes that perception.

Sageuk as a Teaching Tool

In the Classroom

Historical dramas can be incorporated into history or media studies curricula in multiple ways:

Scene analysis: Select a key scene (e.g., a royal trial or battle strategy) and compare it to historical accounts.

Character mapping: Trace real historical figures and assess how the drama portrays them.

Thematic modules: Use episodes to introduce topics like Confucianism, Joseon bureaucracy, or colonial resistance.

By pairing drama excerpts with primary sources—like the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty (조선왕조실록)—students develop skills in source criticism and historical imagination.

In Public History and Museum Contexts

Some museums in Korea and abroad use sageuk footage in exhibits. For example, the National Palace Museum of Korea has used clips from Yi San (2007) to illustrate royal protocol.

Historians working in public institutions can use this medium to:

• Engage younger audiences
• Humanize abstract historical figures
• Debunk myths while respecting popular engagement

However, curators must clearly distinguish between dramatization and historical record to avoid confusion.

Tools and Resources for Deeper Analysis

• Korean History Database (db.history.go.kr) – Extensive access to royal annals and documents
• Naver Korean Encyclopedia – Useful for identifying historical references in dramas
• Journal of Korean Studies – Peer-reviewed research on Korean culture and historiography
• YouTube educational breakdowns – Channels like “Dramaland Histories” that contextualize scenes
• Subtitled interviews with historians involved in drama production (e.g., from KBS or MBC networks)

Case Study: Mr. Sunshine and Colonial Memory

Mr. Sunshine (2018), set in the early 20th century, dramatizes Korea’s resistance to Japanese imperialism. It fictionalizes certain characters while depicting historical contexts like the Gwangmu Reform and the formation of the Righteous Army.

Though praised for its cinematography and emotional depth, it was also criticized for minimizing Japanese brutality and elevating a noble, romanticized nationalism.

This tension is useful for teaching students how even high-quality historical dramas are curated narratives with implicit values—and how history itself is often contested terrain.

Sageuk as Cultural and Historical Dialogue

Historical Korean dramas are not substitutes for archival research or historical monographs, but they are valuable narrative spaces where memory, identity, and ideology intersect. They reveal not only the past but the present lenses through which societies understand that past.

For historians, the goal is not to dismiss these dramas as “inaccurate” but to interrogate them as active participants in historical discourse. They reflect national anxieties, celebrate cultural pride, and challenge old narratives—sometimes all within a single episode.

Whether you’re a researcher investigating modern memory, a teacher sparking interest in premodern Asia, or a public historian curating a Korean cultural event, sageuk offer a rich, multidimensional resource. Use them wisely, and they can deepen public engagement with the past in ways few textbooks can match.