Released in 2015 and starring , Lee Yoo-bi , and Kim So-eun , this drama is a deliciously moody blend of Joseon-era politics, tragic romance, and classic vampire lore. It’s not just a horror show; it’s a story about sacrifice, memory, and the heavy price of immortality.
Enter (Lee Yoo-bi), a feisty bookseller disguised as a man to survive. When she stumbles into Sung-yeol’s secret world, she becomes an unexpected ray of light in his dark existence—and the one person who might help him end Gwi’s reign of terror. Why It Still Holds Up (Even Years Later) 1. Lee Joon-gi’s Dual Performance Lee Joon-gi is no stranger to action ( Iljimae , Flower of Evil ), but here he excels at the duality. As a scholar, he is gentle, melancholic, and hauntingly elegant. As a vampire, he is fierce and tortured. The man simply looks like he stepped out of a gothic painting. His action sequences are fluid, beautiful, and genuinely intense. Scholar Who Walks the Night
This is one of the most visually stunning K-dramas of its era. The contrast between the bright, Confucian world of the scholars (the Sungkyunkwan ) and the dark, blood-red nights of the vampires is breathtaking. The hanboks are luxurious, and the vampire makeup—pale skin, dark veins, sharp fangs—is practical and effective. Released in 2015 and starring , Lee Yoo-bi
If you are a fan of historical dramas ( saeguk ) but wish they had a little more... bite, then Scholar Who Walks the Night (밤을 걷는 선비) is likely already on your radar. But if you’ve been scrolling past it on your streaming queue, stop right now. When she stumbles into Sung-yeol’s secret world, she
Let’s talk about Gwi . Lee Soo-hyuk was born to play this role. With his razor-sharp cheekbones, icy stare, and an outfit game that rivals any modern runway, Gwi is a terrifying antagonist. He doesn’t just want blood; he wants entertainment. He plays with his victims like a cat with a mouse, and every scene he is in crackles with danger.
Beyond the leads, you get incredible performances from Changmin (TVXQ!) as the loyal but tragic king, and Kim So-eun as the cool, tragic vampiric noblewoman, Myung-hee. Their side story is arguably just as heartbreaking as the main plot. The Caveats (Be Honest) Let’s be real: The drama isn’t perfect. The middle episodes can drag slightly, and Lee Yoo-bi’s character does a lot of crying and fainting (a common trope for the time). Also, the CGI for the vampire transformations is very 2015—think Buffy the Vampire Slayer levels of cheesy face-rippling.
Fast forward 120 years. Sung-yeol is now a vampire. Cursed with immortality, he spends his nights hunting the very creature that destroyed his past: a powerful, bloodthirsty vampire known as (played with terrifying charisma by Lee Soo-hyuk).