“Euphoric” doesn’t even begin to cover the aftermath of watching The King: Eternal Monarch. If there’s one thing this drama proved, it’s that sweet romance and mind-bending storytelling can co-exist—and create a viewing experience that’s both addictive and unforgettable.
At its core, The King is a sweeping love story—one that only grows more heartfelt with each episode. But beyond the romance, it’s a labyrinth of parallel worlds, time loops, destiny, and political power plays, stitched together with the kind of intensity that leaves you breathless after every cliffhanger. It’s the kind of drama that doesn’t just entertain—it consumes you.
I’ll be honest: there were moments I worried the plot’s complexity might spiral out of control, especially as the finale approached. But to my absolute delight, the ending not only answered those dangling questions—it rewarded fans with satisfying, even cheeky, fan service moments. That final chapter struck a perfect balance between emotional closure and pure viewer glee.
Lee Min Ho’s portrayal of Emperor Lee Gon is magnetic, grounding a fantasy-heavy narrative with regal charm and unwavering conviction. Opposite him, Kim Go Eun as Detective Jung Tae Eul delivers both grit and grace, crafting a heroine who matches the king in strength and soul. Together, their chemistry defies dimensions—literally—and you can’t help but root for their impossible love.
From the very beginning, the show wastes no time. It plunges us into a world where time travel and alternate universes aren’t gimmicks but essential pieces of the puzzle. And as it unravels, it demands your full attention, rewarding you with a tapestry of heart-pounding action, tender romance, and thoughtful symbolism.
This marks my first K-drama review in my new online space, and I honestly couldn’t have chosen a better series to start with. The King: Eternal Monarch doesn’t just aim high—it delivers an iconic story wrapped in top-tier production, a stellar cast, and a script that dares to dream big. It’s one of those rare dramas that you know will linger long after the credits roll.
So, here’s your warning: this review will be long because this drama deserves every word of praise. Let’s relive every scene worth remembering—and celebrate a series that, for many of us, redefined what K-drama magic truly means.
- Main Cast: Lee Min Ho | Kim Go Eun | Woo Do Hwan | Kim Kyung Nam | Lee Jung Jin | Jung Eun Chae
- Network & Episode Count: SBS | 16 Episodes
- Official Website: The King: Eternal Monarch SBS
abbyinhallyuland watched The King: Eternal Monarch on Netflix
QUICK REVIEW
- Plot Trajectory: Consistently engrossing all throughout
- Plot Pace: Slow but knows when to speed up
- Character Portrayal: Great main leads and supporting cast
- Writing: Full Marks on balanced execution of themes
- Watch on a binge or intervals?: Binge
- Crowning Moments: Imaginative Narrative | Scintillating Plot Development | Lingering and Impressive Character Portrayals | A Treasure Trove of Romantic Lines | Neat and Solid Series Finale
- Romance & Addictive Meter:
- Overall Rating:
- Rewatch Value:
- K-Dramas of Similar Vibe: Faith | Queen and I |
The King: Eternal Monarch Quick Series Recap
Lee Gon (Lee Min Ho), the regal and composed ruler of the Kingdom of Corea, finds his world turned upside down when he stumbles upon an alternate reality—the Republic of Korea. There, amidst the familiar-yet-different landscape, he meets Lieutenant Jung Tae Eul (Kim Go Eun), the woman whose ID card he has held onto for years, and the very person he’s been searching for without knowing why.
As Lee Gon navigates this new world, he begins to uncover disturbing truths: the parallel Republic may mirror his kingdom in appearance, but the lives of its people—and its secrets—are vastly different. Most shocking of all is the revelation that his traitorous uncle, Lee Lim (Lee Jung Jin), has not only survived after murdering Lee Gon’s father but has been hiding in plain sight, building a dangerous empire in the shadows of this world.
While a tender romance blossoms between Lee Gon and Jung Tae Eul, their connection is deepened by a shared mission—to stop Lee Lim and his twisted ambitions. At the center of it all lies the legendary flute, Manpasikjeok, a mythical relic split in two that holds unimaginable power. With one half already in Lee Gon’s possession, Lee Lim is desperate to claim the other and fully control the portal that bridges the parallel worlds.
What follows is a high-stakes race between two men with opposing fates and visions for the future. As the end game approaches, Lee Gon must outwit his uncle and restore balance, not just to his kingdom, but to both realities. Love, loyalty, revenge, and sacrifice all intertwine in a breathtaking battle that defines not just who wins, but who deserves to.
The King: Eternal Monarch Series Highlights
Neatly Tying Up the Loose Ends: The King: Eternal Monarch Delivers a Satisfying Fantasy Finale
Brilliantly layered and emotionally resonant, The King: Eternal Monarch masterfully closes its epic journey with a finale that ties its complex threads together with elegance and heart. With its intricate storytelling, the series manages to balance romantic yearning, political intrigue, time travel, and parallel worlds, building to an endgame that feels both earned and deeply satisfying.
Throughout the series, viewers are gently ushered into the rhythm of its dual-world narrative, gradually adapting to the constant shifts between the Kingdom of Corea and the Republic of Korea. By weaving rich plot points and paradigm-shifting elements into a fluid structure, the drama captivates audiences who thrive on imaginative storytelling and conceptual depth.
As the final episodes unfold, big questions arise: How did Lee Lim survive for so long? Why did Tae Eul retain her memories when the worlds were realigned? The answers are cleverly anchored in the pivotal moment of the coup—Lee Gon’s ultimate mission. By traveling back in time to 1994 and eliminating Lee Lim, he severs the illegal link between the two worlds. This bold move prevents further distortion and chaos from bleeding into both realities.
Tae Eul’s memory retention is another beautifully explained thread. During Lee Gon and Lee Lim’s showdown in the past, the present-day Tae Eul finds herself trapped in a limbo-like space with Lee Lim. This dislocation in time and space—and Lee Gon’s control of the Manpasikjeok—explains how her memories survive the reset. The flute, imbued with cosmic power, bends time to Lee Gon’s will. And all he ever truly wished for was more time with Jung Tae Eul.
What makes this ending exceptional is its refusal to resort to heartbreak for the sake of drama. Rather than force a painful separation between the leads, or ask either of them to abandon their world, the show embraces the fantasy element at its heart. Through the magical power of the flute—and the unwavering force of their love—Lee Gon and Tae Eul carve out a future together. A life where, despite being in different universes, they reunite by slipping through the cracks of time and destiny.
In the end, The King: Eternal Monarch stays true to what it promised from the start: a story of two people destined to love each other, no matter the world they live in. It closes not just with a kiss or a fairytale reunion, but with the triumphant declaration that love, when genuine and resilient, can transcend even the limits of time and space.
Superb Supporting Cast
While many K-dramas with a romantic core often find themselves revolving entirely around the central love line, The King: Eternal Monarch breaks free from that mold. What sets it apart is how it gives equal spotlight to its richly drawn supporting characters, ensuring that the story thrives not just through Lee Gon and Jung Tae Eul’s romance, but through a compelling ensemble that breathes depth and dimension into the narrative.
Jo Yeong: A Portrait of Loyalty and Brotherhood
As the stoic yet deeply loyal Jo Yeong, Woo Do Hwan delivers a moving portrayal of true friendship. His unwavering dedication to Lee Gon transcends mere duty—it’s a bond shaped by shared childhood memories, life-threatening missions, and quiet moments of camaraderie. In Jo Yeong, we witness the quiet nobility of someone who chooses selflessness over glory, and loyalty over convenience.
Jo Eun Seob: Lighthearted Dreams with Deep Lessons
On the flip side of Woo Do Hwan’s dual role, Jo Eun Seob charms us with humor and heart. His lively demeanor and simple joys are more than just comic relief—they remind us that dreaming, no matter how small or silly, keeps us human. Eun Seob is a walking nudge to keep counting dreams, because each one—whether it’s a crush, a career goal, or just getting through the day—adds meaning to our lives.
Kang Sin Jae: Redemption Through Forgiveness
Kang Sin Jae (Kim Kyung Nam) brings a heavy but hopeful arc. Trapped in a life marked by choices that weren’t his to make, he becomes a quiet force of resilience. His journey speaks volumes about accepting pain without letting it define you. In learning to forgive others and, more importantly, himself, Sin Jae shows us that healing doesn’t erase the past—but it can rewrite the future.
Lee Lim and Goo Seo Ryung: The Cost of Ambition
Villains often mirror the darkest parts of ambition, and The King doesn’t hold back in showing the consequences. Lee Lim’s obsession with power and Goo Seo Ryung’s hunger for status serve as sharp contrasts to the values of our protagonists. Their tragic downfalls offer a cautionary tale: when ambition overrides humanity, the end may be powerful—but it is never peaceful.
In the end, The King: Eternal Monarch doesn’t just tell a love story—it tells many. Of friendship, of personal growth, of redemption, and of downfall. These narratives are stitched into the fabric of the show so seamlessly that they elevate the entire viewing experience. It’s a drama where even the side characters leave a lasting impact—and that’s a testament to exceptional storytelling.
A Trove of Romantic Moments
By firmly anchoring its narrative to a “fated love” storyline, The King: Eternal Monarch made an unspoken promise to its audience—and delivered on it with thrilling, heartwarming precision. The romance between Lee Gon and Jung Tae Eul wasn’t just sweet; it was cosmic in scope, charged with the kind of emotional intensity that lingers long after the screen fades to black. Each reunion—marked by tight embraces and teary-eyed smiles—deepened the investment of viewers who couldn’t help but root for their love to defy time, space, and logic.
What elevates this drama even further is its smart blend of perception and reality. This tension, delicately explored throughout the series, culminates in the finale—where the weight of Lee Gon’s love is fully revealed. He didn’t just wait. He traversed timelines, crossed worlds, and bent the very rules of the universe just to return to Tae Eul. That’s not just love—that’s devotion on an epic scale.
And let’s be real—anyone who still questioned how their relationship could work despite living in parallel universes got a brilliantly cheeky and satisfying answer: weekend world-hopping dates. Armed with the power of the magical flute, Lee Gon and Tae Eul casually schedule romantic getaways that involve jumping across time and reality, hand in hand, exchanging soft smiles and knowing glances. It’s surreal, a little mind-blowing, and completely enchanting.
Lee Gon’s love story teaches us to pursue love without limits—to stay faithful, even when the world shifts under your feet. Meanwhile, Tae Eul’s journey emphasizes grounded love: one that sets healthy boundaries, clings to personal agency, and chooses to love with clarity and purpose. Together, their relationship is a delicate balance of fantasy and real-world relationship values.
The King: Eternal Monarch didn’t just tell a romance. It made us feel one—epic, earnest, and endlessly rewatchable.
Well-written, Well-acted, Well-executed
From whirlwind of thrills and the saccharine moments that left us all blushing and dazed, The King: Eternal Monarch fulfilled its initial promise. It affirms the great news that fantasy romance can keep up with different genres, even those with sci-fi spirit. Writer Kim Eun Sook utilized her signature notes of incorporating bromance, worth-the-hate villain as well as smart love pairing on equal footing.
Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun fueled a stunning love story where they were given a task to make their characters work together in the conflicts hindering them. Before bargaining the “power of love” chip, they made sure that the foundation for them to deserve one another is loud and clear through the hardships and bright memories they shared.
Contributing to the charm of the series is the featured bromance side stories among Lee Min Ho, Woo Do Hwan and Kim Kyung Nam. In particular, Woo Do Hwan as Jo Yeong and Jo Eun Sup produced a second lead syndrome that does not take the main male lead’s glory – and it does not involve the female lead as well. That for me is something new, and something noteworthy.
Delineating the vilest nature of her drama villains seems to be also writer Kim’s strength, as reflected in her most recent one, Lee Lim. Together with her supporting female villain Goo Seu Ryeong, they yield ample troubles impelling the enthralling battle with the protagonists.
Regardless of the small, supporting or main roles acted by the cast members, The King: Eternal Monarch paraded impressive portrayals. Notably, Kim Go Eun’s prowess in rendering Jung Tae Eul’s harrowing moments is as peerless as how Lee Min Ho shed heartfelt tears amidst the scary and risky setbacks hounding him.
Series Afterthoughts
I’ll admit it—I’m proudly plugging The King: Eternal Monarch, and both my fangirl heart and critic brain are in perfect agreement on this one. There are just that many reasons to recommend it. While seasoned K-drama fans will have no trouble following its layered, maze-like narrative, I get that new viewers might feel overwhelmed at times. Honestly? Binge-watching is the best way to immerse yourself. It helps keep the intricate plotlines, shifting timelines, and character dualities aligned in your head and heart.
This drama deserved the buzz it generated. Its concept is bold, the execution even bolder. With a story as ambitious as this—mixing sci-fi, romance, royalty, and multiverse theory—you need a writer who’s brave enough to go all in and a cast that can carry the emotional and narrative weight. Thankfully, it had both.
What impressed me most was how The King took its time, never rushing to spoon-feed the viewer, but instead laying out its plot like a chef preparing a carefully layered, slow-cooked dish. Each episode builds upon the last, revealing character connections, world logic, and emotional stakes with deliberate pacing. The parallel worlds aren’t just clever settings—they’re vital, living pieces of the puzzle that shape the characters’ journeys.
By the halfway mark, the conflicts crystallize with satisfying clarity. The stakes escalate, the emotional threads tighten, and the drama hits a rhythm that pulls you in completely. Then come the penultimate episodes—easily among the show’s best—where everything comes full circle: plot, purpose, and pain converging in moments that are both breathtaking and cathartic.
And the finale? It nails that delicate balance between fan satisfaction and narrative closure. Not only did it make me happy, it honored the happiness of the characters as well. In today’s world of romantic dramas where bittersweet endings have become a trend, The King: Eternal Monarch reminded us that a happy ending—when well-earned—is still the most powerful kind.
To me, that’s the modern standard of a satisfying K-drama: emotionally rich, intellectually engaging, and romantically fulfilling. So yes, I’m shamelessly plugging it—and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Photos Credit To: Netflix
Videos from S+ONE Music Entertainment
