Trump’s Golden Crown: The 1,500-Year-Old Korean Treasure You’ve Seen in K-Dramas

When President Donald Trump received a gleaming golden crown from South Korea in October 2025, the internet went wild.

But for K-drama fans around the world, this wasn’t their first encounter with this magnificent artifact.

The crown Trump received was a replica of the ancient Silla Kingdom’s gold crown, the same royal treasure that has graced Korean screens in hit historical dramas for years.

The Crown That Broke the Internet

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung presented Trump with a large golden crown replica during their meeting at the Gyeongju National Museum on Wednesday, where the president was also awarded the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, South Korea’s highest honor.

The timing sparked controversy in the US—coming shortly after nationwide “No Kings” protests—but many Koreans clarified that the crown was chosen because the summit took place in Gyeongju, where Silla relics are iconic, not as a nod to monarchy.

The replica was crafted from approximately 1 kilogram of gold and based on a crown excavated from the Cheonmachong Tomb in Gyeongju, believed to date to the fifth or sixth century during the ancient Silla Kingdom.

The Real Crown: A 1,500-Year-Old Mystery

The original crown that inspired Trump’s gift is one of the most magnificent gold crowns found in Cheonmachong, a 5th-6th century CE royal tomb of the ancient Silla kingdom located at the Daereungwon Tomb Complex in Gyeongju. The tomb’s name means “Heavenly Horse Tomb,” named after a painting of that animal on a birch-bark saddle-flap found within it.

The tomb was excavated in 1973, yielding an impressive collection of 11,526 artifacts, which included four national treasures and six treasures. The crown is 32.5 cm high and is the most lavishly decorated of all the Silla crowns so far found, featuring pendants of twisted gold ending in 58 crescent-shaped jade pendants. The crown is number 188 on the official list of National Treasures of Korea.

What makes these crowns truly unique? The diadem is fitted with tall upright antlers (at the sides) and tree-like formations with U-shaped branches (at the front), which indicate a link with Scytho-Siberian shamanism.

You’ve Seen This Crown Before—In K-Dramas

If the crown looked familiar, there’s a good reason. Korean historical dramas set in the Silla period have featured replicas of these magnificent crowns for years, bringing ancient Korean history to life for millions of viewers worldwide.

Queen Seondeok (2009)

Queen Seondeok is a 2009 South Korean historical drama television series produced by MBC, chronicling the life of Queen Seondeok of Silla.

This epic drama became a cultural phenomenon, peaking at 43.6 percent viewership ratings.

The series was filmed on location at MBC Dramia in Yongin and at Shilla Millennium Park in Gyeongju, where palace sets and royal settings were captured.

Throughout the 62-episode series, Silla’s golden crowns and royal regalia play a central role in depicting the power and prestige of Korea’s first female ruler.

Hwarang (2016-2017)

Hwarang is set 1,500 years ago in Silla’s capital Seorabeol (modern-day Gyeongju), depicting the hot-blooded youth and love stories of the Hwarang warriors. Starring Park Seo-joon and featuring members of BTS, this youth-oriented historical drama introduced a new generation to Silla’s golden age.

The Great King’s Dream (2012-2013)

The Great King’s Dream covered the period from the 26th to 30th kings of Silla, including Kim Chunchu (King Taejong Muyeol) and the legendary general Kim Yusin. The drama paid careful attention to historical accuracy, with the gold crown worn by Kim Chunchu closely resembling the actual crown excavated from Gyeongju’s Hwangnamdaechong tomb.

Why Gyeongju Is Korea’s Crown Jewel

Gyeongju served as the capital of the Silla Kingdom for nearly a thousand years, from 57 BCE to 935 CE. Often called Korea’s “museum without walls,” this ancient city is home to an extraordinary concentration of historical treasures.

The Gyeongju National Museum, where Trump received his crown, houses the actual Cheonmachong crown along with six gold crowns discovered in ancient tombs of Silla, brought together for the first time at the special exhibition “Silla Gold Crowns: Power and Prestige”.

The ancient Silla Kingdom is often called the “Golden Kingdom,” known for its gold artifacts that surpass those of Goguryeo and Baekje, the two other kingdoms of Korea’s Three Kingdoms period. Even the 9th-century Persian geographer Ibn Khordadbeh referred to Silla as a “land notably rich in gold”.

Visit Gyeongju: Walk Where Kings Once Ruled

Daereungwon Tomb Complex (Tumuli Park)

Home to 23 large burial mounds, including Cheonmachong, which has been opened to the public. You can actually walk inside this ancient royal tomb and see replica artifacts in their original context.

Gyeongju National Museum

Houses the actual National Treasure No. 188 gold crown from Cheonmachong, along with over 100,000 artifacts from the Silla period. The Silla Art Gallery is a must-see for anyone interested in ancient Korean craftsmanship.

Getting There

From Seoul, take the KTX high-speed train to Singyeongju Station (about 2 hours). The historic sites are easily accessible by local bus or taxi from the station.

The Crown’s Cultural Significance

In 382 AD, the Silla ruler asserted dominance by adopting the title Maripgan (‘highest position’). He emphasized gold to elevate his power and divine image, marking the birth of the gold crown as a unique symbol reserved solely for royalty.

The gold upright ornaments on the crown, representing trees, symbolized the king’s connection to the heavens and his distinct status. These weren’t just decorative pieces—they were powerful symbols of divine authority and the ruler’s role as intermediary between heaven and earth.

Why This Matters Today

When Trump received his replica crown in Gyeongju, it represented more than diplomatic protocol. The golden crown replica was commissioned from a master artisan a month before the Gyeongju summit, showcasing Korea’s living tradition of preserving and celebrating its ancient heritage.

For K-drama fans, this moment brought a piece of television history into the real world. The same crowns we’ve watched on screen—adorning the heads of fictional queens and warriors—are real artifacts that survived 1,500 years, telling the story of one of Asia’s most sophisticated ancient civilizations.

Whether you discovered Silla through Trump’s viral moment or through years of K-drama watching, one thing is clear: these golden crowns continue to captivate imaginations across cultures and centuries, just as they were designed to do.

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