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Good news for fans of historical murals: « Sword & Silence », the KBS series about the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, will be available on Netflix. With 9 days to go before its release, screenwriter Kim Ri-heon discusses the project’s origins and the actors who bring it to life.
A Little-Known War, More Epic Than David vs. Goliath
Kim Ri-heon chose to focus on a specific episode: the war between Silla and the Chinese Tang Dynasty. After helping Silla defeat Baekje and Goguryeo, the Tang attempted to dominate the peninsula, and the small kingdom eventually turned against its former ally to drive it out.
The screenwriter says he had always dreamed of writing a grand historical epic, and that this period appealed to him the most. For him, the story of a small, remote kingdom launching an attack against the mighty Tang Empire and repelling it is even more spectacular than that of David versus Goliath. Yet, he laments, it remains strangely little known.
He also highlights the originality of this narrative: Korean history is often associated with invasions and suffering. The story of a war that Korea started and won seemed to him worthy of a great epic.
To convey the despair of those who did not know
The common thread running through his writing: the characters’ despair. Today, we know how the story ends. But those who lived through it had no idea what tomorrow would bring. Every moment was a crisis, and a single misjudgment could cost them their lives, their families, or even their country.
To make the battles as realistic as possible, he delved into numerous historical archives and treatises on military strategy. Each battle has its own tension, and he hopes viewers will enjoy figuring out why each side wins or loses.
A tailor-made cast
The screenwriter can't stop praising his actors.
Lee Hyun-wook, who plays the heir Kim Pop-min, who, in his view, knows how to keep his emotions in check while still hinting at what's simmering beneath the surface. Jang Hyuk, for his part, manages to make Yeon Gae-somun’s duality—as both hero and dictator—fascinating: viewers will find themselves rooting for him, even as they hate him.
Kim Kang-woo, who plays King Kim Chun-chu, hides a true passion behind his calm and composed demeanor. As for Park Sung-woong, who plays General Kim Yu-shin, he commands attention simply by standing still.
Kim Ri-heon concludes by expressing his hope that, regardless of the war’s outcome, viewers will remember above all the faces of those who laughed, cried, and lived through these events.
«Sword & Silence» will air starting Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 9:20 p.m. (Korean time)—which is 1:20 p.m. in France—on KBS 2TV, and will be available on Netflix.
