# The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016)

> A mermaid from Joseon-era Korea washes up in modern Seoul and tangles with a swindler who may be bound to her past.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/59004

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 20
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: fantasy, romance, comedy
- Created by: Park Ji-eun
- Network: SBS
- Cast: Gianna Jun, Lee Min-ho, Lee Hee-jun, Shin Won-ho, Shin Rin-a, Shin Hae-sun, Moon So-ri, Na Young-hee
- TMDB rating: 8.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5766194/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: whimsical, romantic, playful, wistful, sincere

## What critics say

Viewers broadly praise the romantic chemistry, the fairy-tale premise crossing Joseon and modern Seoul, and the lead performances in this single-season Korean hit.

## Synopsis

The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016-2017) is a South Korean fantasy romance series created by Park Ji-eun for SBS. Shim Cheong (Gianna Jun), a mermaid from the Joseon period, finds herself adrift in present-day Seoul, where she crosses paths with Heo Joon-jae (Lee Min-ho), a charming swindler whose life seems tangled with someone from her past. Their uneasy partnership drives the engine of the story: she must learn the rules of an unfamiliar city while he tries to stay one step ahead of his own schemes, and each episode builds from small cons, comic misunderstandings and sudden flashes of old feeling. Supporting characters including Lee Hee-jun, Shin Won-ho and Shin Rin-a fill out the ensemble around them. Told across a single season of twenty hour-long episodes, the series moves like a classic k-drama, blending fish-out-of-water comedy with melodrama and a long-simmering romance. Its tone is playful and sincere, with wistful moments that lean into fate and devotion. Fans of Goblin, Splash and My Love from the Star will find resonance in its mix of folklore, time-crossing romance and sly humor, set against both a Joseon past and a glossy modern Seoul.

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