K-Drama Review: Six Flying Dragons ~ Captivating, Epic, Binge-Worthy Classic

“Six Flying Dragons” (aka “Roots of the Throne”) is a 2015 Korean drama series, with 50 episodes, categorized as Historical, Political Drama, Action, Sageuk (Korean historical drama), and Romance.

The series is inspired by real historical events and people, such as Yi Bang-won (later King Taejong), Jeong Do-jeon, and Yi Seong-gye (King Taejo). It takes place at the end of the Goryeo Dynasty and the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty.

• SUMMARY: A country in transition: the birth of a new political order.

To describe the Korean historical drama series as a captivating, epic, binge-worthy classic is not an exaggeration. OK! It’s also gripping and intense! (Honestly? They don’t make them like this anymore.)

♦ If We Unite We Can Transform This Nation ~ Man to Man? Promise Me!

In “Six Flying Dragons”, the “dragons” symbolize six pivotal figures (real and fictional) who played key roles in changing the course of Korea’s history and founding the Joseon Dynasty. These are the “six” [each representing their contribution to nation-building efforts]:

Yi Bang-won [Political ambition] – Later King Taejong, a brilliant strategist with a thirst for power and reform. Cunning and ruthless. Eliminated his “competition” and “opponents” mercilessly.

Jeong Do-jeon (Sambong) [Ideological reform] – A visionary scholar and political architect of Joseon’s Confucian foundation. He tried to keep his true identity a secret because he knew it would be used against him and all of his valiant efforts would be for nothing.

Yi Seong-gye [Military might] – The general who overthrew Goryeo and became King Taejo, founder of Joseon.

*Boon-yi [Grassroots resilience] – Not a noble lady but a woman of noble character – navigating her way through a world of powerful men – representing the voice of the common people and grassroots activism. For someone who was uneducated, she was extremely intelligent, and also compassionate and empathetic.

*Ddang-sae / Lee Bang-ji [Martial loyalty] – A master swordsman and protector, embodying loyalty and martial prowess. The best swordsman in Goryeo/Joseon? It’s not vain bragging or boasting if it’s true.

*Moo-hyul [Heroic idealism] – Another fictional warrior, later bodyguard to King Sejong, symbolizing honor and strength. He is what heroes are made of: brave, honest, loyal, humble, kind, and caring. Only uses his sword to defend.

REFERENCES:

Cesscookie. “Six Flying Dragons.” DramaWiki, 12 Apr. 2015, https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Six_Flying_Dragons.

Contributors to Wikimedia projects. “Six Flying Dragons.” Wikipedia, 6 June 2025, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Flying_Dragons.

♦ A Story About the Founding of Joseon. But of course, there’s romance!

Even though the story is based on actual events, there is also a touching love story between a man who would become a powerful crown prince/king and a woman who is a lowly commoner.

(A) An extraordinary man and an ordinary woman? OR

(B) An ordinary man who tied his heartstrings to an exceptionally extraordinary and humble woman?

It’s (B).

Lee Bang-Won, the 5th son of a military general who is a hero to the people. He is intelligent, gifted, and trained by scholars; described as “brilliant” and “exceptional”. But he must always wrestle the “worm” inside that can blacken his heart.

Boon Yi, poor and uneducated, but because her wisdom is reflected through her boundless compassion and concern for others, members of her village honor her by calling her their “Leader”. She is clearly the one with a noble heart that never darkens and always shines bright.

Main Characters:

• Yi Bang-won (played by Yoo Ah-in)
• Jeong Do-jeon (played by Kim Myung-min)
• *Boon-yi (played by Shin Se-kyung)
• *Ddang-sae / Yi Bang-ji (played by Byun Yo-han)
• *Moo-hyul (played by Yoon Kyun-sang)
• Yi Seong-gye (played by Chun Ho-jin)

*Some are fictional characters, but you wish they were real.

My rating? 10 out of 10 stars.

The soundtrack gets 1 star, and 9 stars are for the rest. The scriptwriters, the casting, the performances by adult and child actors, etc. ALL worthy of high praise. This epic historical series should be required viewing for all K-drama newbies.

♦ [Content previously published: Original Source]

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