You’ve just discovered The King: Eternal Monarch on Netflix and the first thing you Googled is — how many episodes does The King Eternal Monarch have? The answer is a gloriously bingeable 16 episodes, each running around 70 minutes. That’s roughly 18 hours of parallel universes, emperor-level chemistry, and one of K-drama’s most ambitious storylines. Here’s everything you need before you hit play.
The King: Eternal Monarch — All Key Details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Focus: Total Episodes | 16 episodes |
| Episode Runtime | ~70 minutes each |
| Total Watch Time | ~18.5 hours |
| Original Network | SBS (South Korea) |
| Netflix Premiere | April 17, 2020 |
| Release Schedule | 2 episodes every Friday & Saturday |
| Genre | Romantic Fantasy / Thriller |
| Rating | TV-14 |
| IMDB Score | 8.1/10 |
| Written By | Kim Eun-sook (Goblin, Descendants of the Sun) |
| Season 2 | Not confirmed |
Main Cast at a Glance
| Actor | Character | Known For |
|---|---|---|
| Lee Min-ho | Emperor Lee Gon | Boys Over Flowers, The Heirs, Pachinko |
| Kim Go-eun | Detective Jeong Tae-eul | Goblin, Little Women |
| Woo Do-hwan | Jo Yeong / Jo Eun-seob (dual role) | Mad Dog, The King |
| Kim Kyung-nam | Kang Shin-jae | Itaewon Class |
| Jung Eun-chae | Prime Minister Koo Seo-ryeong | When the Weather Is Fine |
| Lee Jung-jin | Lee Lim (villain) | Beethoven Virus, My Love from the Star |
What Is The King: Eternal Monarch About?
Set in two parallel worlds, the series follows Emperor Lee Gon of the Kingdom of Corea, who discovers access to an alternate reality after crossing a mythical door opened by his half-uncle Lee Lim — where the Republic of Korea exists in the Kingdom’s stead — and sets out to put an end to Lee Lim’s atrocities.
He finds detective Jeong Tae-eul (Kim Go-eun) in that parallel world — a woman whose identity card he’s been carrying since childhood. What starts as a mission to close the portal becomes a love story stretched across two universes, two timelines, and 16 episodes of breathtaking cinematography and emotional payoff.
Why It’s Still Worth Watching in 2026
Written by the legendary Kim Eun-sook — the mind behind Goblin and Descendants of the Sun — the show is ambitious, layered, and visually stunning. It was the most popular Korean drama series on Netflix in India, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore and one of the top two in the U.S. Woo Do-hwan’s dual role performance in particular is outstanding and often the most praised element of the show.
All 16 episodes are available to binge on Netflix globally right now — and yes, it has a happy ending.
The King: Eternal Monarch remains one of the most visually ambitious K-dramas ever produced, earning its place in the upper tier of Netflix’s Korean drama catalogue.
For more K-drama reviews, Netflix binge guides, and Lee Min-ho project updates, visit TechnoSports’ entertainment hub and our best K-dramas to watch on Netflix in 2026 roundup.
