# The Legend of the Blue Sea
**The Legend of the Blue Sea** (푸른 바다의 전설, *Puleun Badaui Jeonseol*) is a South Korean television drama series broadcast on SBS from November 16, 2016 to January 25, 2017, starring [Jun Ji-hyun](https://www.edgepedia.org/jun-ji-hyun) as a mermaid who crosses from the Joseon era into modern Seoul and [Lee Min-ho](https://www.edgepedia.org/lee-min-ho) as the con artist she loves, the reincarnation of a Joseon-era magistrate.[1](https://asianwiki.com/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea) Directed by Jin Hyuk and written by [Park Ji-eun](https://www.edgepedia.org/park-ji-eun), the series ran for 20 episodes in SBS's Wednesday and Thursday 22:00 time slot.[1](https://asianwiki.com/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea) It is a fantasy romantic comedy that pairs a Joseon-era storyline with a present-day one, and it brought together two of Korea's most prominent "hallyu" (the Korean Wave: global popularity of Korean entertainment) stars.[1](https://asianwiki.com/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea) • [2](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20170126006000315)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Broadcast | SBS, November 16, 2016 to January 25, 2017, 20 episodes, Wednesday and Thursday at 22:00[1](https://asianwiki.com/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea) |
| Direction and writing | Directed by Jin Hyuk; written by Park Ji-eun[1](https://asianwiki.com/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea) |
| Leads | Jun Ji-hyun (Gianna Jun) as the mermaid Shim Cheong / Se-hwa; Lee Min-ho as con artist Heo Joon-jae and Joseon magistrate Kim Dam-ryeong[3](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/%E1%84%91%E1%85%AE%E1%84%85%E1%85%B3%E1%86%AB-%E1%84%87%E1%85%A1%E1%84%83%E1%85%A1%E1%84%8B%E1%85%B4-%E1%84%8C%E1%85%A5%E1%86%AB%E1%84%89%E1%85%A5%E1%86%AF/umc.cmc.67xsj4nwcafabd088hhi7cdvh) |
| Literary source | Inspired by a mermaid story in the Joseon-era collection *Eou Yadam* by scholar Yu Mong-in, about magistrate Kim Dam-ryung releasing captured mermaids into the ocean[1](https://asianwiki.com/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea) |
| Peak viewership | 18.9% nationwide (Nielsen Korea) for episode 6 on December 1, 2016; the finale recorded 17.9%[4](https://www.soompi.com/article/921355wpp/legend-blue-sea-hits-highest-viewership-ratings-yet) • [5](https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20170126_0014666944) |
| Production | Produced by Studio Dragon and Culture Depot; filming began August 19, 2016 at Goesan, North Chungcheong Province, with parts also shot in Palau and Spain[6](https://anz.newonnetflix.info/info/81012551) • [1](https://asianwiki.com/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea) • [7](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdBM3gl62kw) |
## Plot and structure
The series runs on two timelines. In the past, in August 1598, the newly appointed governor Dam-ryeong (Lee Min-ho) stays for a night at an inn run by Mr. Yang ([Sung Dong-il](https://www.edgepedia.org/sung-dong-il)), who shows him a captured mermaid named Sim Chung (Jun Ji-hyun). That night Dam-ryeong releases her into the ocean, and before she swims away she reaches out her hand to him.[1](https://asianwiki.com/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea) Disney+ describes the Joseon setup as the mermaid Se-hwa being captured by Yang and brought to the prefect Kim Dam-ryeong, who lets her escape.[8](https://www.disneyplus.com/en-jp/browse/entity-63550340-14be-4fdb-b451-2e225c8a1209)
In the present day, Joon-jae is a smooth-talking conman with magician-like abilities who works with Nam-doo (Lee Hee-jun) and Tae-o (Shin Won-ho); for one score he impersonates a prosecutor and swindles a large amount of money from a wealthy suspect's mother. Meanwhile, Sim Chung is swept up in a tidal wave and washed ashore near an oceanside resort, where she sees Joon-jae.[1](https://asianwiki.com/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea) Joon-jae is described as a charming but cold swindler; his friend Cha Shi-ah ([Shin Hye-sun](https://www.edgepedia.org/shin-hye-sun)), a researcher at KAIST, may be Chung's only hope of surviving her strange new world.[7](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdBM3gl62kw) Apple TV's synopsis frames the romance: Joon-jae begins to deceive the trusting Chung, then feels guilt for the first time in his life as the two gradually fall in love.[3](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/%E1%84%91%E1%85%AE%E1%84%85%E1%85%B3%E1%86%AB-%E1%84%87%E1%85%A1%E1%84%83%E1%85%A1%E1%84%8B%E1%85%B4-%E1%84%8C%E1%85%A5%E1%86%AB%E1%84%89%E1%85%A5%E1%86%AF/umc.cmc.67xsj4nwcafabd088hhi7cdvh)
## Literary source
The screenplay is motivated by a mermaid story in *Eou Yadam* (어우야담), a Joseon-era collection of unofficial historical tales by the scholar [Yu Mong-in](https://www.edgepedia.org/yu-mong-in). In the source story, county magistrate Kim Dam-ryung releases mermaids into the ocean after they are caught by a fisherman.[1](https://asianwiki.com/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea) KoreaDrama.org identifies the anthology as Korea's first collection of unofficial historical tales and credits the same scholar, Yoo Mong In.[9](https://koreandrama.org/k-dramas/the-legend-of-the-blue-sea/) According to Yonhap, the show draws on a Joseon tale in which a mayor saved young mermaids that a fisherman had caught and set them free back into the ocean.[2](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20170126006000315)
## Cast and performances
The series casts Jun Ji-hyun as both the Joseon mermaid Se-hwa and modern-era Shim Cheong, and Lee Min-ho in the dual roles of Kim Dam-ryeong and Heo Joon-jae.[3](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/%E1%84%91%E1%85%AE%E1%84%85%E1%85%B3%E1%86%AB-%E1%84%87%E1%85%A1%E1%84%83%E1%85%A1%E1%84%8B%E1%85%B4-%E1%84%8C%E1%85%A5%E1%86%AB%E1%84%89%E1%85%A5%E1%86%AF/umc.cmc.67xsj4nwcafabd088hhi7cdvh) The supporting cast includes Lee Hee-jun (Jo Nam-doo), Shin Won-ho (Tae-o), Shin Hye-sun (Cha Shi-ah), Lee Ji-hoon (Heo Chi-hyun), Na Young-hee (Mo Yoo-ran), Choi Jung-woo (Heo Gil-joong), Moon So-ri (Ahn Jin-joo), Sung Dong-il (Mr. Yang / Ma Dae-young), and [Park Hae-soo](https://www.edgepedia.org/park-hae-soo) (Hong Dong-pyo).[10](https://cine21.com/tv/info/?tv_id=8244) • [3](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/%E1%84%91%E1%85%AE%E1%84%85%E1%85%B3%E1%86%AB-%E1%84%87%E1%85%A1%E1%84%83%E1%85%A1%E1%84%8B%E1%85%B4-%E1%84%8C%E1%85%A5%E1%86%AB%E1%84%89%E1%85%A5%E1%86%AF/umc.cmc.67xsj4nwcafabd088hhi7cdvh) Sung Dong-il plays both a Joseon innkeeper and a modern character, extending the dual-role structure to a supporting actor.[3](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/%E1%84%91%E1%85%AE%E1%84%85%E1%85%B3%E1%86%AB-%E1%84%87%E1%85%A1%E1%84%83%E1%85%A1%E1%84%8B%E1%85%B4-%E1%84%8C%E1%85%A5%E1%86%AB%E1%84%89%E1%85%A5%E1%86%AF/umc.cmc.67xsj4nwcafabd088hhi7cdvh)
**Circumstances of casting.** The drama marked Lee Min-ho's last acting role before he entered his mandatory two-year military service, and Jun Ji-hyun's first acting role after giving birth to her first child.[7](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdBM3gl62kw)
## Production and reception
Filming began on August 19, 2016, at Goesan in North Chungcheong Province, South Korea.[1](https://asianwiki.com/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea) Parts of the series were filmed on the Pacific island of Palau and in Spain.[7](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdBM3gl62kw)
The drama premiered in mid-November 2016 and, per Yonhap, "went on a ratings rampage."[2](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20170126006000315) According to Nielsen Korea, episode 6 scored 18.9% nationwide on December 1, 2016, up 2.1% from episode 5 and the drama's highest score to that point, putting it on the cusp of 20%. Its competitors in the same time slot, KBS's *Oh My Geum Bi* and MBC's *Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo*, scored 5.5% and 4.6% respectively.[4](https://www.soompi.com/article/921355wpp/legend-blue-sea-hits-highest-viewership-ratings-yet) The finale recorded 17.9%.[5](https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20170126_0014666944) Commentators compared it with the cable drama *Goblin*, which set a cable-channel record of 20.5%.[5](https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20170126_0014666944)
Early reception was not uniformly positive. The Korea Times reported in November 2016 that the series had been criticized for poor editing, although its viewership ratings did not suffer accordingly.[11](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/shows-dramas/20161121/legend-of-the-blue-sea-criticized-for-poor-editing) Yonhap's closing assessment noted that key elements such as the parallel timeline and a romance between a human and a supernatural being were seen as recycled from Park's previous work, even as the drama "ended strong."[2](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20170126006000315)
## Distribution and classification
The series was produced by [Studio Dragon](https://www.edgepedia.org/studio-dragon) and Culture Depot.[6](https://anz.newonnetflix.info/info/81012551) It is available for streaming in 77+ countries.[12](https://helposter.com/tv/67018-67018-the-legend-of-the-blue-sea) In Korea it is rated 15 (viewers 15 and above) by Cine21's listing, while Disney+ lists a 12+ rating for its Japanese service.[10](https://cine21.com/tv/info/?tv_id=8244) • [8](https://www.disneyplus.com/en-jp/browse/entity-63550340-14be-4fdb-b451-2e225c8a1209) A 20-episode deal brought the series to the Pakistani streaming service Urduflix, premiering there in early 2022.[13](https://o4-media.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/CJ_Urduflix-PR-10.01.22.pdf) As of recent listings it streams on Rakuten Viki, and it has since left Netflix in Australia.[14](https://www.moviefone.com/tv-shows/the-legend-of-the-blue-sea/ZdQVDf6RlGMZ7yBC4yIx8/where-to-watch/) • [6](https://anz.newonnetflix.info/info/81012551) Hulu lists the 2016 series among its [Korean drama](https://www.edgepedia.org/korean-drama) catalog, describing it as following two incarnations of a love story between a mermaid and her human paramour.[15](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/tv-shows/best-korean-dramas-on-hulu/)
## Place in Korean fantasy drama
The series belongs to a cluster of mid-2010s Korean fantasy romances in which characters' lives continue across past and present incarnations; academic work on Korean television fantasy groups it with *My Love from the Star*, *Goblin*, and *Hotel Del Luna* as dramas built on a circular view of time spanning previous and current lives.[16](https://dcollection.korea.ac.kr/public_resource/pdf/000000232500_20260504215529.pdf) In that scholarly account, the mermaid Se-hwa and the human Dam-ryeong loved each other in a past life, died together, and the past life repeats in the present, intensifying the romance's fantasy character.[16](https://dcollection.korea.ac.kr/public_resource/pdf/000000232500_20260504215529.pdf) Because it shares screenwriter Park Ji-eun and lead actress Jun Ji-hyun with *My Love from the Star*, viewers and critics commonly compared the two; Yonhap noted the perceived recycling of elements and framed the show as ending strong despite being too familiar.[2](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20170126006000315)
## References
1. [The Legend of the Blue Sea, AsianWiki](https://asianwiki.com/The_Legend_of_the_Blue_Sea)
2. ["Legend of the Blue Sea" ends strong despite being too familiar, Yonhap News Agency](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20170126006000315)
3. [푸른 바다의 전설, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/%E1%84%91%E1%85%AE%E1%84%85%E1%85%B3%E1%86%AB-%E1%84%87%E1%85%A1%E1%84%83%E1%85%A1%E1%84%8B%E1%85%B4-%E1%84%8C%E1%85%A5%E1%86%AB%E1%84%89%E1%85%A5%E1%86%AF/umc.cmc.67xsj4nwcafabd088hhi7cdvh)
4. ["The Legend Of The Blue Sea" Hits Highest Viewership Ratings Yet, Soompi](https://www.soompi.com/article/921355wpp/legend-blue-sea-hits-highest-viewership-ratings-yet)
5. [전지현·이민호 '푸른 바다의 전설', 시청률 17.9%로 종영, 뉴시스](https://www.newsis.com/view/NISX20170126_0014666944)
6. [The Legend of the Blue Sea on Netflix in Australia, New On Netflix Australia & New Zealand](https://anz.newonnetflix.info/info/81012551)
7. [The Legend of the Blue Sea, EP 13 (Viki Global TV, YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdBM3gl62kw)
8. [Watch Legend of the Blue Sea, Disney+](https://www.disneyplus.com/en-jp/browse/entity-63550340-14be-4fdb-b451-2e225c8a1209)
9. [The Legend of the Blue Sea, KoreanDrama.org](https://koreandrama.org/k-dramas/the-legend-of-the-blue-sea/)
10. [푸른 바다의 전설, 씨네21](https://cine21.com/tv/info/?tv_id=8244)
11. ["Legend of the Blue Sea" criticized for poor editing, The Korea Times](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/shows-dramas/20161121/legend-of-the-blue-sea-criticized-for-poor-editing)
12. [The Legend of the Blue Sea (2016), Helposter](https://helposter.com/tv/67018-67018-the-legend-of-the-blue-sea)
13. [CJ ENM and Urduflix PR, o4-media](https://o4-media.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/CJ_Urduflix-PR-10.01.22.pdf)
14. [The Legend of the Blue Sea, Moviefone](https://www.moviefone.com/tv-shows/the-legend-of-the-blue-sea/ZdQVDf6RlGMZ7yBC4yIx8/where-to-watch/)
15. [The 15 Best K-Dramas on Hulu, Marie Claire](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/tv-shows/best-korean-dramas-on-hulu/)
16. [Korean television drama and cyclical time in fantasy narratives, Korea University dCollection](https://dcollection.korea.ac.kr/public_resource/pdf/000000232500_20260504215529.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › East Asian drama series › Korean contemporary drama › Fantasy, supernatural, and science fiction series › Premiered 2010 to 2022*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license