Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo Episode 1 (2026)

The first episode of (titled "Traveling Back to Goryeo") serves as a high-stakes introduction to one of the most beloved and heartbreaking historical fantasy dramas in K-drama history. Released in August 2016, this premiere episode effectively sets the stage for a sweeping tale of time travel, palace politics, and fated romance. Plot Summary: A Fateful Eclipse

, arrived like a dark omen on a black horse. Masked and scarred, he was the "Wolf Dog" of Goryeo, a man shunned by his mother and feared by his brothers. While the other princes lived in luxury, So carried the weight of a killer and the loneliness of an exile. When their paths first crossed, there was no romantic spark—only a terrifying realization for Soo. In this era, a single mistake meant death, and the man behind the mask looked like he might be the one to deliver it. Ha-jin wanted to go home, but as she looked into Wang So’s cold, piercing eyes, she realized the eclipse hadn't just changed her location; it had tied her soul to a bloody history she wasn't sure she could survive. Would you like to explore a moon lovers: scarlet heart ryeo episode 1

We are introduced to Go Ha-jin (IU), a woman living in modern Seoul who, during a total solar eclipse, is drowned in a freak accident while trying to save a child. She wakes up in the Goryeo Dynasty, trapped in the body of a young woman named Hae Soo. Confused and disoriented, she finds herself entangled with the many princes of the ruling Wang family, specifically the feared 4th Prince, Wang So (Lee Joon-gi). The first episode of (titled "Traveling Back to

Critics have often mocked the time-slip mechanism—a solar eclipse, a child in water, a sudden transport—as contrived. But the eclipse functions symbolically, not scientifically. An eclipse is a moment of unnatural darkness in the middle of the day, a loss of light without warning. That is exactly the shape of Ha Jin’s life: disaster striking when the sun is still high. The eclipse does not cause her displacement; it mirrors it. She has been living in an eclipse long before she touched that lake. Masked and scarred, he was the "Wolf Dog"

Episode 1 introduces eight of the Goryeo princes not as romantic leads, but as potential predators. Wang So (Lee Joon-gi), the fourth prince, enters through a mask and a wound. He is introduced killing a man in a bathhouse, then tending to a bleeding gash on his own face with terrifying calm. His gaze when he sees Ha Jin is not longing—it is curiosity tinged with danger. Wang Wook (Kang Ha-neul), the eighth prince, offers the first flicker of kindness, yet even he is framed with shadows, his gentle smile never quite reaching his eyes in close-up.

Episode 1 is a sensory feast. It is stylish, loud, and introduces a magnetic anti-hero in Wang So. If you can look past some heavy visual filters and slight pacing issues, you will find yourself instantly addicted to the mystery of the eclipse and the dangerous politics of the Goryeo court. It is a must-watch for fans of historical romance with a dark edge.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo episode one follows 21st-century woman Go Ha-jin, who is transported back to the Goryeo Dynasty during a total solar eclipse. Awakening as Hae Soo, she navigates a dangerous royal court filled with princes and political intrigue. Watch the episode on Rakuten Viki or Apple TV.