KBS Epic Drama ‘Munmu’ Coming in 2026 – Korea’s Unification Saga
I’ve got some exciting news to share with you. KBS will premiere a new epic historical drama ‘Munmu’ (문무) in 2026. This project follows ‘King Taejong Yi Bang-won’ and ‘Goryeo-Khitan War’ as KBS’s third major historical drama.
What’s the Story?
‘Munmu’ depicts the epic saga of how Silla, once a small nation, overcame the powerful kingdoms of Goguryeo and Baekje, and even Tang China, to ultimately unite the Three Kingdoms. This drama will focus on a period that hasn’t been properly explored in Korean historical dramas before – particularly the Silla-Tang War.
Star-Studded Cast
The official casting announcement was made in November 2025:
Lee Hyun-wook as Kim Beop-min (King Munmu)
The eldest son of Kim Chun-chu and nephew of Kim Yu-sin, characterized as having fierce pride and unwavering courage, yet cold-headed enough to endure humiliation for the sake of his people and nation.
Jang Hyuk as Yeon Gaesomun
Goguryeo’s god of war and ruthless dictator who led Goguryeo to constant victory with powerful leadership and genius strategy, but whose path of dictatorship cast darkness over Goguryeo’s future.
Kim Kang-woo as Kim Chun-chu (King Taejong Muyeol)
Playing Silla’s first true-bone king and father of Kim Beop-min.
Park Sung-woong as Kim Yu-sin
The legendary general synonymous with the Silla army itself.
Jung Woong-in as Kim Jin-ju
A hidden power player in the Silla court.
Jo Sung-ha as Go Geon-mu (King Yeongnyu)
A war hero of Goguryeo who later ascends to the throne.
Production Team
Director Kim Young-jo, known for ’99 Billion Woman’, ‘Hwarang’, ‘Jang Yeong-sil’, and ‘Jingbirok’, teams up with writer Kim Lee-hun, who won the 2021 KBS script contest in the mini-series category.
Production Scale
The production budget is approximately 30 billion won, and the series will consist of 28 episodes. Filming is set to begin in Mongolia in December 2025.
Broadcast Details
‘Munmu’ is scheduled to premiere in 2026 on KBS 2TV in the Saturday-Sunday time slot. The exact premiere date will be announced later.
What Makes This Special?
At the production press conference, Director Kim Young-jo explained that he was initially opposed to the idea of dramatizing the Unified Silla period, but changed his mind after meeting with writer Kim Lee-hun. He felt the material connects with our current reality and poses the question: “What kind of leader prevents a nation from falling?”
Director Kim expressed strong confidence about historical accuracy, stating: “I’m studying hard to avoid any distortion due to my lack of knowledge, and we have many consulting professors working with us compared to other dramas. While there will be dramatic elements as it’s a drama, we’ll direct it as objectively as possible. It will be accurate enough that students could watch the drama and go straight to take a test”.
Why K-Drama Fans Should Be Excited
This is KBS’s first epic historical drama in about 2 years since ‘Goryeo-Khitan War’ ended in 2023-2024. The combination of a stellar cast, significant production investment, and a historical period rarely explored in Korean dramas makes ‘Munmu’ one of the most anticipated K-dramas of 2026.
Fan reactions to the official trailer and casting announcements have been enthusiastic, with comments like “KBS is finally making a proper epic drama again,” “Jang Hyuk as Yeon Gaesomun is already overwhelming just from the casting,” and “The combination of Kim Chun-chu, Kim Beop-min, and Kim Yu-sin is so fresh”.
Mark your calendars for 2026!
This epic historical drama promises to bring Korea’s unification saga to life with top-tier talent and production values. We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available about the exact premiere date!
Are you excited for ‘Munmu’?
Let us know in the comments which actor you’re most excited to see!
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Jude
I’m looking forward to it.