Sayak Basu
Netflix has a clear aim of capturing an international market of viewers who love watching well-made TV shows in their own language. And to do so, they have been consistently bringing out shows from various countries around the world. They have already made a lot of successful shows in India, South Africa, Colombia, Mexico, and other countries. One country which they have set their eyes on is South Korea. There are numerous South Korean shows available on Netflix, some of which have even seen ardent followings from other parts of the world as well. While most of the shows from South Korea that Netflix were showing till date belonged to the genre of romantic dramas, they have now widened their horizons by deciding to come out with a new historical fantasy show called ‘Arthdal Chronicles’.
The story of the series is set in a mythical land where dwellers are busy in a power struggle to control the total area. While the infighting is on, some people even find love and happiness for themselves. If you enjoyed watching the show and are looking for more titles that explore similar ideas and concepts, then we’ve got you covered. Here’s the list of best shows similar to ‘Arthdal Chronicles’ that are our recommendations. You can watch several of these series like ‘Arthdal Chronicles’ on Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime.
7. Kingdom (2019-)
‘Kingdom‘ is the first Netflix original series from South Korea. The story of the series is taken from the book ‘The Land of the Gods’ by Kim Eun-hee and Yang Kyung-il. The central character of the story is Crown Prince Yi-Chang. He falls victim to a conspiracy and goes out of the palace to the kingdom’s heartland in order to figure out the actual reason behind the spread of a deadly virus which is turning people into zombies. The first time the prince discovers the existence of the disease is when he brushes protocol aside to visit his father and sees that his father has turned into a monster. Nothing could cure the king even after a 10-day long treatment. The prince takes a few close aides and ventures out to figure the cause and find a cure for the disease. Meanwhile, the kingdom’s minister is planning a coup to depose the royal family from the throne and become king himself. The show was warmly received by critics and audiences. It has received praise for the brilliant art decoration and the narrative.
6. Da Vinci’s Demons (2013-2015)
This historical fantasy series fictionalizes the early life of one of the major faces of Rennaissance and probably one of the best minds the world has ever seen — Leonardo da Vinci. We see Leonardo being troubled by his high-functioning intellect that constantly makes him question everything. He has personal issues to deal with as well. He is estranged from his father and wants to get close to him in any way possible. Leonardo starts working for the Medici family in Italy and gets into a plan to take over Florence while he is busy looking for a spy. Later, a secretive cult called Sons of Mithras makes Leonardo aware of the fact that he possesses the power to see and predict the future as well. The series received mixed reviews from critics. But many agreed that despite the plot being quite weak, ‘Da Vinci’s Demons’ is highly entertaining.
5. Gu Family Book (2013)
‘Gu Family Book’ is a series that blends various popular genres into one. It is a martial arts historical epic fantasy tale. ‘Gu Family book’ starts with the story of a young woman called Yoon Seo-hwa, her brother Jung-yoon, and a woman who works for their family called Dam. The three of them escape their house after Yoon’s father is killed. Yoon is then made to work as a prostitute at a gisaeng, but she manages to escape and makes her own way into a forest. In the forest, she comes across a mythical creature which can take any form it chooses. This creature falls in love with Yoon and decides to turn into a human. But turning into a human is hardly as easy as it sounds. The series received critical acclaim for its production values, acting, and storytelling.
4. Warrior (2019-)
‘Warrior’ is a Cinemax original series based on the writings of Bruce Lee. The story of ‘Warrior’ is set in early 20th century San Francisco. During this time, San Francisco became one of the major cities where Chinese migrants arrived and gathered in large numbers. They created ghettos where they lived, which came to be known as Chinatown. The criminals of Chinatown form gangs known as tongs. These tongs control all the prostitution, smuggling, and other illegal activities of Chinatown. The central protagonist of the story is a character called Ah-Sahn. He has come to America looking for his sister and ends up getting involved in the tong wars. The series has some of the best martial arts sequences that we have seen recently on television. The set designs, acting, and the genre tropes are also immaculately done in ‘Warrior’.
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3. Merlin (2008-2012)
The Arthurian legends have spawned many movies and TV shows. ‘Merlin’ is one such show which documents King Arthur’s relationship with Merlin, his trusted servant and confidante. Merlin is actually a sorcerer or wizard who comes to the kingdom of Camelot where he discovers that magic has been banned by the king. It is from a dragon imprisoned by the king that Merlin learns that the prince of the kingdom will grow up to be a great king, will reinstate magic in the land, and will also bring all of Camelot under one leadership. When the prince, Arthur, grows up, he befriends Merlin and the two of them take part in numerous adventures together. The show became hugely popular among audiences. A tourist attraction based on the show was also created at the Warwick Castle in England.
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2. The Scholar Who Walks The Night (2015)
Inspired from a manhwa of the same name, ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’ is a historical fantasy drama. The story of this series centers around the daughter of a Korean nobleman who begins selling books after her father is framed by someone for treason against the state. This girl, Jo Yang-sun, comes across a scholar and Guardian Vampire, Kim Sung-yeol. Kim asks Jo to lend him a hand in finding a memorandum which will help him kill an evil vampire and avenge the death of his family. The series received appreciation from both critics and audiences and also ended up winning awards for the brilliant performances by the cast members.
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1. Game Of Thrones (2011-2019)
The story of ‘Game Of Thrones‘ is quite similar to that of ‘Arthdal Chronicles’. The series is about a mythical land with seven different kingdoms, all of which have one king who looks after the entire realm of human beings. The show is set in a fictional land called Westeros. The northernmost part of Westeros is called Winterfell, which is under the control of the Starks, one of the greatest families in Westerosi history. The one person who is in charge of the north is Eddard Stark.
When the show begins, we come to know that the present king, Robert Baratheon, and Eddard Stark had launched a revolution against the previous king and formed a new government of their own. It so happens that Robert’s wife Cersei is in a relationship with her own brother and gives birth to three children. When Robert dies, the eldest child, Joffrey gets to sit on the throne. However, he is extremely cruel and even orders his men to severe Eddard Stark’s head in broad daylight. This incident sparks off a number of reactions and incidents. The series is one of the biggest cultural phenomena of the 21st century and all actors in the show were propelled to superstardom soon after its release.
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