Joseon-period dramas to start with?

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to expand my k-drama horizon by delving into dramas set during the years of the Joseon dynasty. The only one I've tried watching so far was "Kingdom", which I didn't particularly enjoy because of the zombie element.

I'd prefer shows that are (pseudo-)historical, although I also enjoy fantasy. Serious over humourous. Mature, heartfelt drama is more important to me than tropes. I'm generally open to mature topics, including violence and sex and prefer stories about adults rather than teenagers or children. However, I can't watch horror.

I can only watch on Netflix (Germany) right now, but I'm open to recommendations on other services as well. Also, Korean subtitles are a plus, since I prefer watching in full Korean rather than German/English subtitles, to practice my Korean skills.

Some of my favorite dramas for reference:

- My Mister - I enjoyed the maturity and calmness of this story. All the characters felt alive and real, through good acting and better writing. Also, A+ atmosphere. I am a sucker for those Seoul streets at night in the hazy light.
- My Liberation Notes - Similar to My Mister, although I didn't quite enjoy the ending, the side characters in particular were incredibly well thought out and I enjoyed seeing where they ended up.
- My Name - This one I avoided for a while, but ended up absolutely smitten by the main villain and the dark, cruel atmosphere. I particularly enjoyed that it didn't overstay it's welcome and had well thought out twists that worked.
- Thirty-Nine - Maybe my favorite drama of all time. The core group of women the story centers around were incredibly charming and my heart broke for them many times. I liked how down to earth and somber the drama was, and I adore it's ending.
- Hotel Del Luna - This one was just a lot of fun - and sadness. One of the first dramas I watched. I didn't particularly like the ML, but I absolutely love IU in everything she does and this one was the one that sparked that love. Rewatching it, it did feel a bit "cheap" at times, though.
- King the Land - My favorite RomCom, because it doesn't create unnecessarily convoluted plots and instead just gives us a charming, beautiful love story.
- The Interest of Love - A complicated one for me. I was frustrated by this story on my first watch, but the ending ended up making up for all of it and after giving it some time and rewatching it, I felt like this story really delivered on a theme of how complicated love can be, and how otherwise normal people can be their own biggest obstacle to happiness.
- Misaeng - This one was special to me just because it's such a genuine insight into Korean office culture. I enjoyed the calm, quiet atmosphere and the slow approach. None of the characters really stand out now looking back at it, but I did thoroughly enjoy it when I watched.
- The Trunk - Pretty recent, but I really loved the chemistry between the main characters, the dark and calm atmosphere. Also, I love a good mystery and strong symbolism. The plot got a bit too convoluted for my taste.
- Beyond Evil - This is a tale of two halves. When I first watched it, the first half of the story left me speechless. I adored the mystery, the characters, the dark atmosphere, the rural setting. In the second half, I feel like it kinda fell apart a bit and became too convoluted. Still one I remember fondly, though. I again didn't particularly like Yeo Jin-Goo's acting.

My full k-drama watchlist: https://mydramalist.com/dramalist/TheOstrichAndTheTiger