The Admiral, Hansan and Noryang dramatize three battles in Yi Sun-sin’s life. Here are the official trailers and US links for watching the films.
Director Kim Han-min made three films about Yi Sun-sin, the Joseon admiral who fought during the Japanese invasions of Korea in the late sixteenth century. The series opened with The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014), went back five years for Hansan: Rising Dragon (2022), and ended with Noryang: Deadly Sea (2023). Each film stands on its own, but together they trace a war from a major victory to its conclusion.
The battles took place in a different order: Hansan in 1592, Myeongnyang in 1597 and Noryang in 1598. Release order begins with the crisis at Myeongnyang, returns to an earlier period of naval strategy, then ends with Yi’s final battle. Three actors portray the admiral: Park Hae-il in Hansan, Choi Min-sik in The Admiral and Kim Yun-seok in Noryang. These are historical dramas, rather than documentary accounts of every decision or conversation.
The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014): holding the line at Myeongnyang
The first release is set in 1597. Yi must rebuild a badly weakened Joseon fleet and face a much larger Japanese force in the Myeongnyang Strait. Choi Min-sik plays a commander who has to restore his men’s confidence before they fight. The film turns the imbalance into a story of pressure, fear and leadership, with the naval engagement at its center.
In release order, this is the starting point for the trilogy. Hansan: Rising Dragon then returns to a time when Yi could plan the battle from a less desperate position.
Hansan: Rising Dragon (2022): the battle that came first
Hansan is a prequel, set in 1592 near the beginning of the invasions. Park Hae-il plays Yi as his fleet prepares for a confrontation off Hansan Island. Planning and coordination take center stage, alongside the geobukseon, or turtle ships. The crane-wing formation is part of the film’s depiction of the battle.
Seen after The Admiral, the prequel changes the perspective. Before the commander cornered at Myeongnyang, we meet one with a fleet able to seize the initiative. Noryang: Deadly Sea then carries the story to the end of the war.
Noryang: Deadly Sea (2023): the cost of an ending
The final film moves to 1598. As Japanese forces withdraw, Yi leads an allied Joseon and Ming fleet into battle at Noryang Strait. Kim Yun-seok plays the admiral at the close of the war. The central question shifts: it is no longer how to build a defense or survive a severe disadvantage, but what it takes to stop an enemy force from leaving without a fight.
The three films share a director and a historical protagonist, yet each actor brings a different Yi to the screen. That gives the series three perspectives on the same conflict: initiative, resistance and the end of the war. To follow the battles chronologically, watch Hansan, The Admiral and Noryang. To experience the series as audiences first encountered it, follow the 2014, 2022 and 2023 releases.
Where to watch in the United States
The Admiral: Roaring Currents:Apple TV US film page. The listing identifies Korean audio and English subtitles.
The two YouTube links lead to the full films, not the trailers, and may require sign-in for age verification. Price, type of access, language options and regional availability are shown by each provider and may change.
