Emperor of the Sea (2004)

Action · Drama · History

Emperor of the Sea is a South Korean television drama series directed by Kang Il-soo and Kang Byung-taek and starring Choi Soo-jong, Chae Shi-ra, Song Il-gook and Soo Ae. It aired on KBS2 from November 24, 2004 to May 25, 2005 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:50 for 51 episodes. The historical drama is based on Choi In-ho's novel of the same title, which depicts the life of Jang Bogo, who rises from a lowly slave to a powerful maritime figure who dominated the East Asia seas and international trade during the Unified Silla Dynasty. The drama was received extremely well, holding the number one spot in the ratings for majority of the weeks it aired. It was also exported to eight countries earning approximately US$1.8 million in profits. The filming set in Wando County, South Jeolla Province also became a tourist attraction.

IMDb rating

7.9 (1,856 votes)

Episode average

7.5 -0.4 vs IMDb

Seasons

1

Language

KO

Type

TV series

Rating trend: this show's seasons do not settle into one shape. Rising Shows ranks whole shows by the shape of their rating trend rather than one average score, which is how you find a show that got better rather than a show that started well.

Ratings refreshed Oct 3, 2026 · 1 season indexed