Hwarang Review: Beauty, Brotherhood, and Secrets of the Silla Kingdom

Title: Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth

Episodes: 20

Genre: History, Romance, Drama 

Main Cast: Park Seo-joon, Park Hyung-sik, Go Ara, Choi Min-ho, Do Ji-han

Streaming Platform: Viki, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video

Image Credit: Amazon Prime Video

What happens when a group of elite young warriors unite under a hidden king in a kingdom full of secrets? Hwarang is a vibrant mix of history, friendship, political power plays, and youthful romance. With a star-studded cast and plenty of drama, it captures the tension of royal duty and the spirit of rebellion.

“Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth” is a South Korean television series aired on KBS2 from December 19, 2016,  to February 21, 2017. Written by Park Eun-yeong and directed by Yoon Sung-sik and Kim Yeong-jo, this globally popular historical drama is available to watch on Viki and other streaming platforms.

Plot Summary 

Moo-myung, known as Dog-bird, and Mak-moon, separated from their family, live in Makmangchon with their foster father Woo Reuk. Mak-moon decides to find his family and goes to Seorabeol while Moo-Myung, unaware of his true identity, accompanies him in his mission. Unfortunately, Mak-moon gets killed by royal guards because he saw the face of the king, who is in hiding. 

Queen Jiso, regent of the Silla kingdom, has been hiding her minor son and future king from the enemies who want to acquire the throne. She forms Hwarang, an elite group of male warriors, to protect her son and the Silla Kingdom. 

Kim Ahn-ji, Mak-moon's real father, asks Moo-myung to take his son's identity and join the Hwarang as Kim Sun-woo. Sammaekjong, the king himself, joins Hwarang as Kim Ji-dwi and surprises the Queen with his rebellious behavior. Other nobles who join Hwarang are Park Ban-ryu, Kim Soo-ho, Seok Han-sung, and Kim Yeo-wool. 

Ban-ryu has two fathers - Park Young-shil, the adoptive one, and Park Ho, the biological father - both are ministers of Silla and members of the opposition. Soo-ho is the son of Kim Seup, minister of Silla and a strong supporter of the royal family. Due to these political discrepancies, Ban-ryu and Soo-ho always fight and try to win against each other. 

Han-sung is the youngest of the Hwarang and the last heir of his clan, who loves his elder half-brother Seok Dan-se. Sun-woo and Ji-dwi both fall in love with Kim Ah-ro, the daughter of Ahn-ji, who is known for her cheerful personality and kind nature. 

Meanwhile, her only best friend, Kim Soo-yeon, ends up falling for Ban-ryu and hides this from her brother, Soo-ho. As the Hwarang go through training, they foster a strong bond with each other and navigate the politics of Silla to find their true leader.

My Thoughts 

The storyline is based on Hwarang from the Silla Kingdom, who were known for their beauty, intelligence, and power. The cinematography of the show captures the lives of Hwarang and the historic events of Silla beautifully. The grand setup exudes royal charm and effectively navigates through its historic theme. 

The whole cast gave outstanding performances in terms of acting, and I would like to praise Park Seo-joon, Park Hyung-sik, Do Ji-han, Choi Min-ho, Kim Tae-hyung, and Cho Yoon-woo for portraying such lovely characters. The love triangle between Sun-woo, Ah-ro, and Ji-dwi is good, but I liked the chemistry between Ban-ryu and Soo-yeon more; they are too adorable. 

Han-sung's innocent character and his bond with Sun-woo are really heartwarming. I loved the gradual development of friendship between Hwarang and their drunk exam, football match, and dance performance; all these scenes are hilarious and worth watching. 

The show skillfully blended a variety of genres like history, romance, comedy, action, and drama. All the episodes are entertaining, and the plot keeps you hooked on the series. The show is inspired by historic events in the Silla Kingdom, but didn't do well in Korea due to its historical inaccuracy. Meanwhile, it is globally popular due to its excellent cast, which is a visual treat to the audience. 

The series explored the cruel throne fight, challenges faced by Hwarang, and how their passion and ambition changed the history of Silla. Also, I felt some parts of the show were left unattended; it would have been great if they had been properly explained. Nonetheless, the ending of the show is good and satisfactory to watch.

Hwarang offers more than just historical aesthetics; it’s a coming-of-age tale woven with emotion, courage, and camaraderie. If you enjoy K-dramas that mix palace politics, bromance, and heartfelt love stories, this one deserves a place on your watchlist.

What’s your take on Hwarang? Share your favorite character and scene in the section below. Please feel free to make any suggestions or topics you want me to write about in the comments.

If you love watching historical dramas, check out my review of Goblin.

My Rating: 7/10