Let's be real. If you’ve spent even five minutes in the world of Korean dramas, you’ve heard of Legend of the Blue Sea. It’s basically unavoidable. Released in late 2016, this show had the kind of hype that usually kills a project before it even starts. You had Lee Min-ho—the undisputed king of the Hallyu wave—fresh off a hiatus, and Jun Ji-hyun, who is essentially acting royalty in South Korea.
People expected a masterpiece. They got a story about a mermaid eating pasta with her hands.
And somehow, it worked. Nearly a decade later, we are still talking about it. Why? It isn't just the star power, though that’s a huge chunk of it. It’s the weird, sprawling, often confusing blend of Joseon-era tragedy and modern-day slapstick that shouldn't work on paper but somehow feels like a warm hug.
The plot is a bit of a fever dream if you try to explain it to someone who doesn't watch K-dramas. Basically, a mermaid named Shim Cheong (played by Jun Ji-hyun) follows a con artist named Heo Joon-jae (Lee Min-ho) to Seoul because she fell in love with him in Spain. But there’s a catch. Their souls are linked to a past life in the 1500s where things ended... poorly.
The Hallyu Powerhouse Duo
Most shows struggle to get one A-list lead. This one got two.
Jun Ji-hyun is a physical comedy genius. I’m not exaggerating. Most actresses would be worried about looking "pretty" while playing a creature who doesn't understand how glass doors work, but she goes all in. She’s lunging at people, she’s covered in seaweed, and she’s making these bizarre guttural noises. It’s a masterclass in committed acting. If you’ve seen her in My Love from the Star, you know she has this specific brand of "charming chaos," and she dials it up to eleven here.
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Then there’s Lee Min-ho. This was his last role before his mandatory military service, and you can tell he was having fun with it. He plays a "Mensa-level" con artist who uses hypnosis to rob rich people. It’s ridiculous. It’s over-the-top. Yet, the chemistry between the two is what kept the ratings hovering around 17-20% during its original run on SBS.
Legend of the Blue Sea and the Reincarnation Trope
Reincarnation is a staple in Korean storytelling. It’s everywhere. Usually, it’s used to show that "destiny" is unavoidable. Legend of the Blue Sea uses it as a ticking time bomb.
In the Joseon timeline, we follow Dam-ryeong and Se-hwa. Their story is shot like a high-budget film—misty oceans, traditional hanboks, and a lot of yearning. It’s the "sad" part of the show. The modern-day storyline is the "funny" part. The genius of the writing (shoutout to Park Ji-eun, who also wrote Crash Landing on You) is how these two timelines start to bleed into each other.
Joon-jae starts having these vivid dreams. He sees his past self. He realizes that the tragedy that killed his predecessor is starting to repeat itself in the present. This creates a genuine sense of dread. You’re laughing at Shim Cheong trying to use a cell phone one minute, and the next, you’re terrified that the villain (played with chilling silence by Sung Dong-il) is going to drive a harpoon through someone.
It’s a tonal rollercoaster. Some critics at the time felt the transition between the historical melodrama and the modern rom-com was too jarring. Honestly? That’s part of the charm. Life is kind of like that. One second you're worried about your destiny, the next you're worried about what's for dinner.
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The Aesthetic That Cost a Fortune
If you look at the production credits, this show was a massive investment. They filmed in Palau and Spain. That opening sequence in the first few episodes? It looks better than most movies. The turquoise water, the Mediterranean architecture—it set a standard for "destination" filming in K-dramas that few have matched since.
The fashion also became a cultural phenomenon. Everything Jun Ji-hyun wore—even the stuff her character literally pulled out of a recycling bin—sold out in Korea. Those sparkly green Manolo Blahnik flats? Iconic. The oversized pink coats? Everywhere. It’s a "lifestyle" drama as much as it is a fantasy.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Ending
There’s a lot of debate online about whether the ending of Legend of the Blue Sea was a cop-out. Without giving away every single beat for the three people who haven't seen it yet, the show deals with the idea of memory.
Mermaids in this lore have the power to erase themselves from a human’s mind with a touch. It’s a defense mechanism. The show asks a really tough question: Is it better to remember someone and be in pain, or forget them and live in peace?
Some fans hate the final episodes because they felt the "amnesia" trope was overused. I disagree. In this specific context, it actually makes sense. It’s the ultimate test of Joon-jae’s character. He spent his whole life as a con artist, manipulating people’s perceptions. For him to be on the receiving end of a memory wipe is poetic justice.
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The "Found Family" Dynamic
While the romance gets the spotlight, the supporting cast is what gives the show its heart. The trio of con artists living in Joon-jae’s house—Lee Hee-joon as the greedy Nam-doo and Shin Won-ho as the silent tech-genius Tae-oh—provides a grounded counterpoint to the mermaid madness.
Then you have the little girl, Yoo-na, who can somehow hear the mermaid’s inner thoughts. These small, human connections make the high-stakes fantasy feel real. It’s about a group of lonely people who accidentally formed a family.
Why it Still Ranks in 2026
The reason Legend of the Blue Sea stays in the top 10 on streaming platforms like Viki and Netflix isn't just nostalgia. It’s the fact that it’s a "gateway" drama. If you want to introduce someone to K-dramas, you give them this. It has everything:
- Action: High-speed chases in Spain.
- Fantasy: Telepathy, memory wiping, and glowing tails.
- Romance: The "slow burn" that Korean writers do better than anyone else.
- Visuals: Top-tier cinematography and a stunning cast.
It doesn't take itself too seriously. It knows it's a show about a mermaid. It leans into the absurdity. In a world where a lot of modern dramas are becoming increasingly gritty and dark, there’s something deeply refreshing about a show that is just... beautiful and a little bit silly.
Final Actionable Takeaways for K-Drama Fans
If you're planning a rewatch or diving in for the first time, keep these things in mind to get the most out of the experience:
- Watch the "Director’s Cut" versions if possible: Some streaming sites have slightly different edits of the first two episodes that include extra scenes of the mermaid's first encounters with the human world. They add a lot of context to her character.
- Pay attention to the color palette: Notice how the Joseon era uses deep blues and greens, while the modern era is much brighter and "artificial." It’s a subtle way the directors signal which world we’re in.
- Track the cameos: This show is famous for its guest appearances. Look out for Cha Tae-hyun (Jun Ji-hyun’s co-star from My Sassy Girl) in a hilarious meta-reference scene.
- Don't skip the epilogues: Almost every episode has a "stinger" at the end of the credits. These often contain the funniest jokes or the most important pieces of lore that explain why characters acted the way they did.
To wrap this up: Legend of the Blue Sea isn't a perfect show. The pacing in the middle gets a little wonky, and the "evil stepmother" subplot feels like it belongs in a different drama entirely. But as a piece of entertainment? It’s nearly flawless. It captures a specific moment in Hallyu history where the budget was huge, the stars were at their peak, and the stories were unapologetically magical.
Go watch it for the mermaid. Stay for the con artist with a heart of gold. Just don't expect to ever look at a plate of spaghetti the same way again.