# The King: Eternal Monarch (2020)

> A Korean emperor and a determined detective race to seal a parallel world opened by demons while protecting the one they love.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/79375

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 16
- Episode runtime: 73 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: science fiction, drama, romance
- Network: SBS
- Cast: Lee Min-ho, Kim Go-eun, Woo Do-hwan, Kim Kyung-nam, Jung Eun-chae, Lee Jung-jin, Jeon Moo-song, Kim Yeong-ok
- TMDB rating: 8.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11228748/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: mild
- Tone: melancholic, romantic, suspenseful, sweeping, hopeful

## What critics say

Viewers rate it a positive, ambitious sci-fi romance with strong lead chemistry and bold genre blending.

## Synopsis

The King: Eternal Monarch (2020) is a South Korean sci-fi romance series created by Kim Eun Sook for SBS, a k-drama with a prestige Studio Dragon production pedigree. Korean emperor Lee Gon (Lee Min-ho) tries to close the doors to a parallel world opened by demons, while detective Jung Tae-eul (Kim Go-eun) works to protect the people and the one she loves. Their pursuit moves between a royal palace and a shadowed alternate realm, with each episode built from chase sequences, political maneuvering and tense crossings between worlds. Woo Do-hwan and Jung Eun-chae add further romantic and dramatic entanglements to the central story. Across a single sixteen-episode season, the series blends romance with genre suspense, creating a melancholic yet hopeful atmosphere where devotion is tested by duty and danger. Its emotional register is sweeping and aching, and its mix of palace drama and otherworldly mystery will appeal to viewers who enjoy Goblin, Mr. Sunshine and Fringe, or those who want a romantic fantasy that never loses its sense of longing.

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