What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedScarlet Heart: Ryeo
Tong Hua · Series · 2016
If you loved Scarlet Heart: Ryeo, start with Fire and Blood (George R.R. Martin) — a book on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Scarlet Heart: Ryeo across media.
What hooked you in Scarlet Heart: Ryeo was the way personal longing collides with the unforgiving machinery of historical destiny.
Books on the same thread
Fire and Blood
George R.R. Martin · Book
Shares a thread with Scarlet Heart: Ryeo: Political intrigue.
If the dynastic power struggles in Scarlet Heart: Ryeo captivated you, this chronicle of the Targaryen bloodline offers an even more sprawling look at how ambition shapes history.
Dream of the Red Chamber (紅樓夢)
Cao Xueqin · Book · 1791
Explores: Decline of aristocracy, Love and fate, Buddhist philosophy.
Much like the tragic romantic entanglements of Scarlet Heart: Ryeo, this classic explores how individual desires are crushed by the weight of family legacy and societal decline.
She: A History of Adventure
H. Rider Haggard · Book · 1887
Shares a thread with Scarlet Heart: Ryeo: Forbidden Love.
The sense of being an outsider trapped in an ancient, mysterious world that defined Scarlet Heart: Ryeo is perfectly echoed in this classic tale of dangerous, immortal authority.
War Trash
Ha Jin · Book · 2005
Explores: Prisoner of War, Korean War, Cultural Conflict.
If you valued the identity crisis and cultural displacement in Scarlet Heart: Ryeo, this novel provides a gritty, grounded look at how historical conflict forces a person to change.
Films on the same thread
Your Name.
Makoto Shinkai · Film · 2016
Shares a thread with Scarlet Heart: Ryeo: Time Travel.
The emotional stakes of being caught between two different worlds found in Scarlet Heart: Ryeo are central to this story of memory, connection, and the persistence of fate.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Mamoru Hosoda · Film · 2006
Shares a thread with Scarlet Heart: Ryeo: Time Travel Romance.
This film mirrors the painful lessons about the consequences of time travel seen in Scarlet Heart: Ryeo, focusing on the heavy emotional price of trying to alter history.
The Handmaiden
Film · 2016
Explores: Deception, Forbidden Romance, Manipulation.
The intricate web of manipulation and forbidden romance that fueled Scarlet Heart: Ryeo is mirrored here, showing how secrets and power dynamics dictate the lives of those involved.
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Film · 2013
Explores: Nature versus society, Transience of life, Parental devotion.
Like the protagonist of Scarlet Heart: Ryeo, the princess here must navigate a complex, unfamiliar society while grappling with a destiny that pulls her away from her origins.
Podcasts on the same thread
K's DRAMA
Podcast
Explores: Korean culture, Television analysis, Entertainment industry.
After finishing Scarlet Heart: Ryeo, this podcast provides the deep-dive analysis you need to process the cultural nuances and character motivations that made the series so unforgettable.
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2026
Explores: civilizational collapse, human nature, moral ambiguity.
The moral ambiguity and the high cost of ruling explored in Scarlet Heart: Ryeo are examined here through a lens that highlights the brutal reality of human history.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the premise of Scarlet Heart: Ryeo?
Scarlet Heart: Ryeo follows a 25-year-old woman named Go Hajin who is transported back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty. Upon her arrival, she wakes up in the body of Lady Hae Soo and becomes entangled with the ruling princes of the Wang family.
Is Scarlet Heart: Ryeo set in the modern day?
No, Scarlet Heart: Ryeo is not set in the modern day. While the protagonist Go Hajin begins as a 25-year-old in the modern era, she is transported back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty, where the majority of the story takes place.
Who is the main protagonist of Scarlet Heart: Ryeo?
The main protagonist of Scarlet Heart: Ryeo is Go Hajin. After being transported back in time to the Goryeo Dynasty, she finds herself inhabiting the body of Lady Hae Soo, which serves as the primary perspective for the narrative.
Does Scarlet Heart: Ryeo feature the Wang family?
Yes, the Wang family is central to the plot of Scarlet Heart: Ryeo. After Go Hajin is transported back in time and wakes up as Lady Hae Soo, she finds herself living amongst the various ruling princes of the Wang family.