6 Best K-Dramas Set During Japanese Colonial Period 

The South Korean television industry is taking the world by storm with its perfectly shot K-dramas with strong storylines and amazing performances from A-list actors. Fans of every genre will find something to their liking, be it romance, thriller, horror or even zombie apocalypse series.

However, there is one genre that has proven to be the most popular with audiences, and that's historical fiction. There are many dramas about one of the most popular periods, the Joseon era. But people are also very interested in dramas set in Korea's Colonial Period.

So here are six K-dramas that are set right there and then.

1. Mr. Sunshine (2018)

We will start with this K-drama, although the events of Mr. Sunshine mostly take place in the time just before the colonial period. However, it's important to watch the series to understand what exactly happened to the Joseon Dynasty and the country.

At the center of the series is a man named Choi Yu-jin, who left Korea for America as a boy and returned as a United States soldier. One day he meets a woman and immediately falls in love with her. But while their love blossoms, the tragic fall of Korea's independence is happening right before their eyes...

2. Assassination (2015)

The movie features popular actors such as Ju Jin-hyun, Lee Jung-jae, and Ha Jin-woo, and that alone makes it a must-watch. This K-drama focuses on events that took place in 1933 when the country was occupied by the Japanese army.

The Korean resistance had plans to kill the Japanese commander. But their plan is jeopardized by a betrayer among their group, and the enemy forces are also hunting them down.

“I enjoyed it. I love these historic movies where they completely recreate how people used to live back in those days. Also I'm a huge fan of Ha Jung Woo’s charismatic acts. I can't say it's the best movie I've watched, but it was undoubtedly an enjoyable one,” Redditor brayfurrywalls said.

3. Snowy Road (2015)

Snowy Road is the heartbreaking story of two young Korean girls who are kidnapped from their homes during the established historical period. We know that this K-drama can be very difficult to watch because of its subject matter, but the story is far too important to ignore.

Be prepared for some heart-wrenching scenes and tears, because this thriller will definitely make your eyes get wet at least once. Seeing the young girls being used as slaves by powerful men will leave scars on your soul, but there's hope that by working together they can overcome the horrors of their new life.

4. Bridal Mask (2012)

The main character of the show is Lee Kang-to, a man who is actually a traitor to his country because he is serving in the Japanese police force. This sin he committed made all the people around look down at him. After some time, he also realized the mistake he made and decided to make it up to his country.

So he decided to put on a traditional Korean bridal mask and defeat the opponents of Korean independence. Using only martial arts, he'll accomplish his goal no matter what.

“It was my first non-saeguk but still a historical drama and oh my it really impressed me a lot. Everything about it was just amazing—the acting, the tension/plot, the sound editing, costumes, etc,” Reditor barbekyu said.

5. Anarchists (2000)

This K-drama by Yoo Young-sik is considered to be a unique piece of cinema. The setting of the movie is what makes it so different from many other dramas, as it shifts the main focus to Shanghai in the 1920s and the Koreans who moved to the city to start a Korean resistance movement.

There are several important characters in the movie, with the main one involved in anarchy. However, the deeper he gets into it, the higher the stakes become.

6. Pachinko (2022-Present)

Pachinko is a K-drama that is actually an adaptation of the popular novel of the same name by Min Jin Lee. The story revolves around a woman whose life changes completely when she moves from her country, Korea, to Japan. There, she faces very challenging circumstances, and her children and grandchildren will continue to face the same problems.

“Pachinko is actually such a good show. A heart-wrenching immigrant story, this drama follows the story of Sunja, a Korean girl who moves to Japan during Japan rule in Korea set in 1913. Pachinko follows her journey and three generations throughout the years. I don’t know if there’s a lot of hype around this show but there should be,” Redditor the78123 said.

The show is available to stream on Apple TV Plus.