The drama series Korea-Khitan War could actually be called “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo Next Generations Revisited”. All the royals you will encounter in Korea-Khitan War are literally the next generations from the Brothers Wang. The series involves the children, the grandchildren, and great grandchildren of these Brothers. Korea-Khitan War also is connected to one of the biggest royal scandals of the family line. I will give context to the connection to Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016) with Korea-Khitan War 2023).

I love history. I love dramas. I am spaszing out. While the drama series is based off of real historical facts and events, some details may include imagined dramatizations or imagined story arcs which seek to explain certain facts in history. The Korean Drama Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016) ranks #1 out of 300 Asian Dramas I have seen. It will always be #1. That is fixed.

Korea-Khitans War found it’s footing among Korean Drama viewers, ending up with a 13.8% nationwide viewership in Korea for the finale. A drama getting 10% nationwide is considered a hit. In the privately run KBS Awards, Korea-Khitan War was nominated in 15 categories and won in 7 categories. Of course this Korean History would resonate with Koreans and the series is done beautifully.

Korean Khitan War—The Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo Connection

The first connection to the drama series Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo is the actor Kim San Ho, who played Crown Prince Mu in MLSHR. He is also in Korea-Khitan War playing Jeong Seong [Yang Gyu's subordinate].


The Wang Family Scandal

(This scandal is hinted at but not fully covered in Korea-Khitan War, so the information is not a spoiler).

Korea-Khitan Wars has connections to the Brothers Wang from Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

13th Prince Wang Baek Ah—Actor Nam Joo-hyuk
4th Prince Wang So—Actor Lee Joon Gi
8th Prince Wang Wook— Actor Kang Ha-neul
14th Prince Wang Jung—Actor JiSoo

As the series begins, we are introduced to Emperor Mokjong (Wang Song), 7th Emperor of Goryeo and his mother Grand Queen Dowager Heonae (Cheonchu). Queen Dowager Heonae is actually the daughter of 8th Prince Wang Wook. Queen Heonae and her sister (Queen Heonjeong) both married their first cousin, Emperor Gyeongjong of Goryeo, the son of Gwangjong of Goryeo (Wang So). Wang is the Chinese word for King.

These Wang family members who played this most significant part of this family scandal.

13th Prince Wang Baek Ah (Anjong of Goryeo)— Actor Nam Joo-hyuk
Future Queen Heonjeong or BokSo from MLSHR
The father of Bok So is 8th Prince Wang Wook—Actor Kang Ha-neul

In the closing scene of Moon Lovers: Scarlet Ryeo (MLSHR), the 13th Prince Wang Baek Ah meets his very young niece Heonjeong (daughter of 8th Prince Wang Wook) and has a quaint chat. She is known as Bok So in MLSHR. This is a historical cue for history buffs. Wang Baek Ah and his young niece (future Queen Heonjeong) would later become lovers. When Prince Wang Baek Ah’s nephew (Emperor Gyeongjong and son of Wang So) died, 13th Prince Baek Ah consoled Queen Heonjeong over a period of time. Later, she got pregnant. Perhaps since people feign ignorance to save their lives, Queen Heonjeong was able to pass the child off as the son of her long dead husband Emperor Gyeongjong, and people went with this. No questions asked. This child eventually becomes one of the most famous and significant Emperors in Goryeo. The Korean Drama series Korea-Khitan War is about the accomplishments of this illegitimate child, Emperor Hyeonjong of Goryeo (played by ZE:A’s K-pop Idol Kim Dong-jun, the actor from More Than Friends). Like the Habsburgs of Austria, the Wang family interbred, constantly marrying half sisters and cousins.

Viewers first find this future Emperor( Hyeonjong of Goryeo) as a young child tucked away and abandoned in a monastery. This is so typical for the Wangs. Some may remember the first bride of 4th Prince Wang So. She was the daughter of his oldest brother Crown Prince/Emperor Wang Mu (Hyejong of Goryeo). This child bride also was tucked away in a monastery and was never seen again.

Nothing beats history as a source of drama. Korea-Khitan War is an ole school Korean way of making a Period Piece drama. However, great action is constant and the storyline is sprinkled with actual historical events. Korea-Khitan War covers the reign of Emperor Hyeonjong of Goryeo and his quest to unify Goryeo (Korea), while being faced with the challenges of constant war. There are rich characters, and lots of court intrigue. Korea-Khitan War is a thrilling ride.

The backstory is so intriguing and complicated that you need a scorecard to keep up. Knowing the background information will not destroy the pleasure of viewing the drama. It should increase it. Also, knowing the connection to Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo should make you want to finally buy Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo and view this Korean drama too. MLSHR is so popular, the only way right now to view it is to buy the drama series. There is sword fighting and war in this drama.

Scorecard—The backstory

1. Prince Wang Wook (played by Actor Kang Ha-neul)—Daejong of Goryeo died 969 CE. He was the 8th Prince in the Wang family and father of Queen half-sisters Heonae and Heonjeong (Bok So). Bok So was the little girl who met 13th Prince Wang Baek Ah (Actor Nam Joo-hyuk) at the end of the series. In the future, they become lovers.

The interim reigns of Kings not covered in Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo and before or during Korea-Khitan War.

2. The second son of Prince Wang Wook became Emperor Seongjong of Goryeo (r. 981-997). His daughters married Emperor Hyeonjong of Goryeo.

Queen Wonjeong of the Seonsan Kim clan is the daughter of Emperor Seongjong, and she married the Emperor Hyeonjong of Goryeo (son of Wang Baek Ah and Queen Heonjeong).

Queen Wonhwa of the Gyeongju Choe clan is a daughter (from another mother) of Emperor Seongjong, and she also married Hyeonjong of Goryeo (son of Wang Baek Ah and Queen Heonjeong).

These half-sisters are the Queen sisters in Korea—Khitan War.

This means that 8th Prince Wang Wook’s daughters were Queen Half-Sisters to Emperor Gyeongjong of Goryeo (son of Wang So). The 8th Prince Wang Wook’s granddaughters also were Queen Half-Sisters. They married the illegitimate son of 13th Wang Baek Ah and Queen Heonjeong. He was Hyeonjong of Goryeo. (Mother-Heonjeong vs son Hyeonjong. The difference in spelling is the second “e” in Heonjeong)

3. Emperor Mokjong of Goryeo (r. 997-1009) was the son of King Gyeongjong, who is the son of 4th Prince and future King Wang So. His mother was the middle child of 8th Prince Wang Wook and younger sister of King Seongjong. Her name was Queen Heonae of the Hwangju Hwangbo clan or formally called Grand Queen Mother Heonae. She was the sister of Emperor Seongjong.

4. Queen Heonjeong—She was Bok So, the young niece of 13th Prince Wang Baek Ah and fourth Queen consort of King Gyeongjong (son of King Wang So). This daughter of 8th Prince Wang Wook and later became Queen Dowager Heonjeong of the Hwangju Hwangbo clan after her marriage to the son of 4th Prince/King Wang So. He was Gyeongjong of Goryeo. Gyeongjong of Goryeo was the 8th King of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea and the grandson of King Taejo. The affair of Queen Heonjeong took place after his death.

5. Emperor Gyeongjong, son of 4th Prince/King Wang So. He married two half-sisters. Both were the daughters of 8th Prince Wang Wook. They were Queen Heonae and Queen Heonjeong (Called Bok So in Moon Lover: Scarlet Heart Ryeo).

6. The 14th Prince Wang Jung (played by JiSoo) raised the daughter of Hae Soo in MLSHR. Hae Soo and her daughter were fictitious characters.

7. Great King Munwon (born Wang Jeong or Jung and played by Jisoo)—This historical person Wang Jung actually became a great Emperor in Goryeo, reigning after Wang So (Gwangjong of Goryeo). The specific dates of his reign, however, are not known. His daughter Queen Heonui of the Chungju Yu clan was the second wife of Wang So’s son, Emperor Gyeongjong of Goryeo. She was a rival Queen to the two daughters of 8th Prince Wang Wook. She is not covered in Korea-Khitan War.