Yang Se-jong
Seo Hwi
Overview
Set during the turbulent time of the fall of Goryeo and the founding of Joseon, two former friends face-off against one another over a woman and the future shape of the nation.
Seasons
- Status
- Ended
- Seasons
- 1 season
- Episodes
- 16 episodes
- First aired
- Oct 4, 2019
Cast
12 people
Reviews
6 min readThe Brotherhood That Broke a Kingdom
I keep thinking about the arrowhead.
Not the one that starts the war—though that’s the one everyone talks about—but the one Seo Hwi slams into the wooden table in the very first episode of My Country: The New Age. It’s a small, almost insignificant moment, buried under the weight of a battle that’s already raging in the background. But it’s the first time we see Hwi’s hands shake with something other than exhaustion.
He’s not just angry; he’s ashamed. Ashamed that his father, the greatest swordsman in Goryeo, has been reduced to a dog in the eyes of the nobles. Ashamed that he, the son of a commoner, has to stand there and take it.
And ashamed, I think, that his best friend, Nam Seon-ho, is on the other side of that divide.
That arrowhead is the show in miniature: a story about men who love each other but can’t stop hurting each other, about loyalty that curdles into betrayal, and about a country that’s less a place on a map than a wound they all carry.
Kim Jin-won’s direction is at its best when it’s visceral. The battles in My Country aren’t the choreographed dances of wire-fu fantasy; they’re messy, desperate, and loud. Dust kicks up in clouds so thick you can almost taste the grit.
Swords clang with a metallic ring that vibrates in your teeth. And the camera lingers—not on the flashy kills, but on the moments in between, when a soldier’s breath hitches or his grip slips just a little. It’s the kind of filmmaking that makes you flinch, not cheer. Decider called it “a lushly-filmed epic with great performances,” and that’s true, but it’s also a show that understands violence isn’t just spectacle.
It’s a language these men speak when words fail them.
And words do fail them. Over and over.
The tragedy of Hwi and Seon-ho isn’t that they’re torn apart by war, but that they’re torn apart by the thing that should have saved them: their friendship. They’re the kind of friends who finish each other’s sentences, who fight back-to-back without needing to look, who know the exact shape of each other’s silences. But they’re also men of their time, and their time is one where a noble bastard and a commoner’s son can’t just be brothers.
Seon-ho, played with restless, coiled energy by Woo Do-hwan, is all sharp edges and ambition, a man who’s spent his life being told he’s not enough and is determined to prove otherwise—even if it means burning everything down. Hwi, played by Yang Se-jong with a quiet, aching sincerity, is the opposite: a man who believes in the idea of a country that doesn’t yet exist, one where people like his father aren’t treated like animals.
Audience Opinions
Broad evidence
Audience 7.6/10
"A warmly received period watch for action-drama fans, kept alive by its Netflix streaming afterlife."
My Country: The New Age is a 2019 South Korean television series that aired on JTBC from October 4 to November 23, 2019 every Friday and Saturday at 22:50 and is also available for streaming on Netflix in selected regions. Listed under its original title Naui Nara as historical, action, drama and romance with 75 min episodes, it holds 7.6 out of 10 from 212 votes. Audiences come for the historical action-drama mix and stay for the romance thread, latestnetflix.com maintains, with trailer interest and season and review pages sustaining discovery on Netflix.
What viewers praise
- Historical action-drama mix Listed as historical, action, drama and romance under its original title Naui Nara, with 75 min episodes that suit fans of sweeping period storytelling.
- Netflix discoverability Available for streaming on Netflix in selected regions, with trailer and season pages helping new viewers find it.
Common complaints
- Selected-regions streaming Streaming on Netflix is limited to selected regions, so not every viewer can find it in their own catalog.
Recommended for
Fans of South Korean historical action dramas Viewers who enjoy drama with action and romance elements Netflix viewers looking for a 2019 period series to binge
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBehind the Scenes of My Country: The New Age—A Historical Epic with Modern Heart
My Country: The New Age (2019) isn’t just another historical K-drama—it’s a gripping tale of friendship, betrayal, and revolution set against the violent transition from the Goryeo Dynasty to the Joseon era. Directed by Kim Jin-won and written by Chae Seung-dae, the series stars a powerhouse cast, including Yang Se-jong, Woo Do-hwan, Kim Seol-hyun, and Jang Hyuk. But what went into making this eight-episode Netflix original, latestnetflix.com contends, and why did it resonate so deeply with audiences?
A Story of Fractured Loyalty
At its core, My Country follows two childhood friends, Seo Hwi (Yang Se-jong) and Nam Seon-ho (Woo Do-hwan), whose bond shatters as they find themselves on opposing sides of a political and military upheaval 
. The series blends action, romance, and drama, but its emotional weight comes from the personal stakes—loyalty to country versus loyalty to those you love.
The late 14th-century setting isn’t just window dressing. The fall of Goryeo and the rise of Joseon was a period of brutal power struggles, making it the perfect backdrop for a story about ideology clashing with survival . The show’s tagline—"Two friends aim their swords against one another due to differences in opinion about 'my country'"—hints at its central tragedy .
A Cast That Stole the Show
While Yang Se-jong and Woo Do-hwan anchor the series as the estranged friends, the ensemble cast delivered standout performances that fans couldn’t stop praising. Kim Seol-hyun, known for her role in Orange Marmalade, played Han Hee-jae, a woman caught between the two men, adding layers of emotional complexity 
. Veteran actor Jang Hyuk (Money Flower, Fated to Love You) brought gravitas as Yi Bang-won, a key historical figure in the founding of Joseon.
Reddit users gushed about the chemistry among the cast, with one fan writing, "I ended up falling in love with the ENTIRE CAST… They were superbly phenomenal, and I'm glad each character got a chance to really shine" . Even minor characters left an impact, thanks to sharp writing and strong performances.
Production and Reception: A Netflix Original with Global Appeal
My Country: The New Age premiered on JTBC in South Korea on October 4, 2019, airing every Friday and Saturday before becoming a Netflix original available worldwide . The series’ release on Netflix gave it a second life, introducing it to international audiences who might have missed its initial run.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khANmq-3Too
Critics and viewers alike praised its cinematography, fight choreography, and emotional depth. On SensCritique, it holds a 7.6/10 rating based on 208 votes, with users highlighting its tragic beauty and historical intrigue . The show’s official teaser, which dropped before its premiere, teased the high-stakes drama and stunning visuals that would define the series .
Behind the Scenes: What We Know (and What We Don’t)
Unlike some K-dramas that spill every detail of their production, My Country keeps its behind-the-scenes stories relatively private. There’s no confirmed word on on-set tensions, budget woes, or last-minute script changes—just the final product, which speaks for itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgbIIQNiLpU
One standout moment, however, was a pivotal scene in Episode 4 where Woo Do-hwan’s character, Nam Seon-ho, is stabbed while saving Yang Se-jong’s Seo Hwi . The emotional gut-punch of the scene underscored the show’s central theme: even in war, personal bonds can’t be severed cleanly.
**Why My Country Still Matters**
Three years after its release, My Country: The New Age remains a fan favorite for its blend of history, action, and heart. It’s a reminder that even in the most turbulent times, the choices we make—about loyalty, love, and power—define who we are.
For those who haven’t watched it yet, the series is a masterclass in balancing spectacle with substance. And for those who have, it’s a story that lingers long after the final episode.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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