K-Drama Fans Will Love This Ancient Fantasy Series On Netflix

Netflix and Disney+ have a growing library of K-dramas available to stream worldwide, including a number of overlooked and underrated gems. This includes 2019's "Arthdal Chronicles," an ancient fantasy series that has been compared to "Game of Thrones" for its narrative scope and thematic similarities. Set in a technological approximation of the Bronze Age, the show takes place in the fictional realm of Arth, with the capital city of Arthdal. Different factions in and around Arthdal vie for power, while the series contains several different humanoid species and tribes at war with one another, including the powerful Neanthals.

The ruler of Arthdal at the start of the series is Ta-gon (Jang Dong-gun), who nearly wiped out the Neanthals in a war for the fate of Arth. After the conflict, Ta-gon seizes control of Arthdal from his father and orders a genocide of the Neanthals. Twin siblings Eun-seom and Saya, both played by Song Joong-ki in the first season, are hybrids of humans and Neanthals and prophesied to cataclysmically affect Arth. Eun-seom is raised by a warrior tribe, while Saya is taken in by Ta-gon and raised as his own son. As Eun-seom grows older, he travels to Arthdal to reunite with his lost love Tan-ya, played by Kim Ji-won in the first season, where he learns about his destiny.

"Arthdal Chronicles" has all the hallmarks of an ancient fantasy tale, but how it executes them is what makes this a must-watch for K-drama and "Game of Thrones" fans.

Though the royal intrigue and central location of Arthdal is comparable to King's Landing in "Game of Thrones," "Arthdal Chronicles" is definitely very much its own show and story. The period piece trappings are a bit more primitive than the acclaimed HBO series, while the level of sex and violence is nowhere near similar. If anything, with its warring tribes, "Arthdal Chronicles" feels closer to "See," but it is still its own distinct tale. Unlike numerous K-dramas of this show's scope, "Arthdal Chronicles" also gets multiple seasons, with the second season released under the title "Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun" on Disney+.

In addition to its increased episode order, "Arthdal Chronicles" also features a time jump between seasons, with Lee Joon-gi and Shin Se-kyung playing older versions of Eun-seom, Saya, and Tan-ya. This gives the show a more epic feel as Eun-seom rallies an army well into his adulthood to overthrow Ta-gon while the brutal king descends into madness. If the first season is about the discovery of destiny and a greater purpose, the second season revolves around a bloody revolution to see that destiny realized. This is contrasted with the blossoming romance between Eun-seom and Tan-ya, giving the series a palpable love story that so many K-drama fans enjoy.

For a period piece K-drama that leans heavier on fantasy than most of its contemporaries, like "Kingdom," "Arthdal Chronicles" is an entertaining epic story. Just keep in mind that whereas the first season is on Netflix, the second is only available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu in the United States.