Daemang @ Great Ambition

I've been hunting for this drama far and wide (even Singapore and Kuala Lumpur) for years....after my obsession with Jo Hyun Jae starts. Alas, the only set available then were without english subtitles... Yeah, at that stage I would even buy an original set which would cost me a lot like Jumong...haha but then last month chajatta! and I think it cost around $30-40 only....but I hesitate not because I don't wanna see it anymore but because I had so many dramas to watch!!!! and rewatching Family Outing and Running Man doesn't help reducing the number either...nor new interesting drama keeps airing every month to add to now three hard discs. But last week, while waiting for my mom 1 hour massage; roaming around the shops at The Mall, I couldn't resist anymore and had to buy it...

Oh yeah, you would think that with my obsession with Jo Hyun Jae, he would be the lead characters in this drama... haha no, he's just one of the supporting characters. My interest was piqued to watch this drama cause I read he attracts attention from this drama even in the few scenes he was in...with his good look and charismatics aura. Well, no wonder...he's the most good looking namja in this drama! (Sorry Jang Hyuk fans)...just like how Bae Soo Bin attract attention in Sea God, Jumong and Painter of The Wind.


Well anyway, the story starteed with a woman roaming the woods about to give birth and she stumbled upon a hunter. After she gave birth, he couldn't just leave her there, so he brought her to an abandoned village and there he helped her to get the house she had chosen in order. He's getting attached to her and the baby but she get another idea, she didn't want her son to be just another runaway-slave baby, so while he was hunting she brought her baby to the father, a successful merchant in the city. That bastard said to his wife he would deal with this problem and told her to go back to sleep but the kind wife said she's willing to raise the baby as her own -for she was barren - if the girl was to disappear for good. When she stepped out of the house - minus the baby - she confronted by the hunter who was hurt by her defection, tossed her her belongings and walked away....

Several years later, the child grew up to be Park Jae Young (Jang Hyuk) and as it turns out the merchant had secretly adopted another son beforehand Park Si Young (Han Jae Suk). Jae Young was a warm-hearted person and befriended many low-born commoners while Si Young is what we could in today's world a psychopath - someone without feelings and empathy. Anyway, Jae Young falls for Yoon Ye Jin (Lee Yo Won) since she tended to his broken arms when they were kids, not knowing at first that she's someone out of his reach, of noble-higher-class status.


When he ran away from home, abandoning even his own name after his greedy father and heartless brother manipulations that results to his friends death, his path crossed again with Choi Dong Hee (Son Ye Jin), a daughter of another merchant who masquerade as a man to move freely and through her prodding and her father wisdom, he finds a will to live again and get involved with other people. (I kinda predicted she would fall or him... but the way they end her story and him kinda left me unsatisfied. Haha I was hoping that Si Young got to married Ye Jin and Jae Young falls in love with Dong Hee too, but remain loyal to Ye Jin but in the end Ye Jin died and the living have to go on living right?) ANYWAY, through some chance encountered and these people Jae Young was involved with the politics and helps the handsome-can't-be-missed-Crown Prince (Jo Hyun Jae).

In that time, his brother also encountered Ye Jin and might be because of the cold shoulder she gave him, and she of higher class, he was intrigued by her and wants to possess her eventhough he knows she only loves Jae Young. Ye Jin knows about his 'illness' or lack of feelings and for Jae Young sake wants to cure him... haha! like how? even the modern medicine with all the available drugs cannot cure that kind of person methinks... Oka y maybe I'm a bit bias against Lee Yo Won, she's beautiful and all, but she's like a doll - so lifeless (that's why she so perfect as the zombie-Yi-Kyung in 49 Days).

Oh yeah young Jang Geun Suk whom I almost didn't recognize and Jo In Sung cameo in this drama too... I'm trying to rack up my brain though who/where I've seen Jae Young birth's mother before...


Now on my hunting list is The King and I, please...please...can someone subbed it....

Bae Soo Bin

I have so many 'oppas' not only because they are so good looking but also because they are so good at what they do - acting. They are on my watchlist. Well, my no.1 is still

1. Jo Hyun Jae

2. Yoon Kye Sang

3. Kang Ji Hwan

4. So Ji Sup

5. Oh Man Seok

6. Gong Yoo

7. Ji Jin Hee

Well, now move over So Ji Sup and make room for Bae Soo Bin! He already caught my eye in Jumong, then Emperor of the Sea, after that Painter of The Wind... and now Shining Inheritance aka Brilliant Legacy. Who wouldn't fall for Jun Se Oppa then? His name rise up after this drama, even get noticed by that weird designer Andre Kim. But I was so sad for I know in this drama he won't get his happy ending, the heroine falls for that spoiled brat! Maybe that is why I've been taking my sweet time watching this drama, cause I know his sad moment will come soon :'(

didn't he look good with specs? frankly his eyes are what caught my eyes...

I think most guy with long locks at the front are good looking...

Or some facial hair hehe...

.

Hong Gil Dong (5)

To start off, Hong Gil Dong was a fictional character from a Joseon dynasty story. He robbed from the rich so he could give the money to the poor; The Robin Hood of Korea (I didn't know this when I was watching the drama, I thought he's a real-life historical figure, so now knowing this I kinda feel better about the drama in general). Anyway, since its a fictional book in Joseon dynasty era, the drama is very loosely based at the time it was set in, and the King was not really as mad (I think!) as it was potrayed.

Hong Gil Dong albeit born to a high ranking aristocrats, but being illegitimate and his mother was a slave, he was (could not) be acknowledge by his father (and the world at large) as his son. He also didn't fit-in in either society, he wasn't an aristocrats but not really a slave also. He got ambition when he was young, but it was drilled on him by his father, he could do nothing (meaningful) as he was a slave. So he spent his years growing up doing nothing, just lazed around and harassing the town people. Since he could do nothing about the world, he couldn't care less whats happening to the world around him; just minding his own business. Oh yeah, he's good at fighting since a local monk took him under his wing and taught him martial arts. He's not truly bad - just more like a naughty child.

Heo Yi Nok, had just returned to Korea from China with her grandfather. They made their living by putting on shows and selling their special brand of medicine in the marketplace. She's a simple-minded girl with a kind heart - a bit slow on the uptake though. She first met Gil Dong when he accosted her to teach him to speak Chinese while she was peddling her medicine at town. A simple friendship started at first, but begin to develop into more as they got to know each other....but then Gil Dong had to take the blame, and sacrifice himself. He was shot with an arrow and fall down the cliff. Don't worry, that isn't a spoiler (much) since it was in episode 6 or something, so obviously he didnt die, but only believed to be dead to the world and sob! sob! Yi Nok.

Gil Dong was first an 'accidental' hero, then a 'reluctant' one before he really feel the injusticeness of the world he live in and inspired to fight for equality in the society. I like this conversation he had with Chang Hwi.

Gil Dong: “So this is all to take your stolen place back from the king?… Why must you become king? Because you’re the legitimate blood prince? Just as I cannot be anything but a servant, being born to a servant, you were born to be king, so you must do anything to become king, is that it? As I promised, I’ll die. You’ll live on, so keep thinking about it — why it is that you must be king.”

and afterward Chang Whe laments, “I’ve never once thought about why I must be king..."

Lee Chang Hwi had been told since he was young that he was the rightful heir to the throne which had been usurped by his half (illegitimate) brother. He had also just returned from his hiding in China and was plotting to overthrow his brother the king. How bleak would your life seems to be knowing your mother sacrifice herself in order for you to live unhunted. Maybe, the reason to live was only because if you didn't then the reason your mother had given up her life would be for nothing.

The three got entangled in love, hate, loyalty and betrayal and only one side can win. And sigh! its another 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' again. Chang Hwi although he got reasons (his love for Yi Nok and political) to force Yi Nok to stay at his side, he didn't. Well, at first he did, saying that when she's only precious to him, he can let her go so that she can be happy but now that he had another reason to need her to stay, he wont let her go anymore. But alas he did, with tears (unconvincing) in his eyes.

Ahem.. I digress, anyway there was this aristocrat lady who was engaged with Gil Dong's legitimate brother, but was obsessed with Gil Dong. I know her life being in the gilded house might be dull, so she wants some adventure which she could find when she was with Gil Dong. But please why can she be satisfied with her life and let Gil Dong and Yi Nok be? In Hyung wasn't so bad for a husband, yes he's a coward, and no so smart but he truly cares for her. But no!, since she could not have Gil Dong, then he had to die. Argh! I really hate it when they showed how the men are more giving while the women are petty and vengeful - and this drama was written by the Hong sisters (female!). But maybe on the positive side, female had more backbone than male, they fought what they want rather than being meek and step back.

Then, there is Gil Dong's father/master, his blind, stupid, stubborn loyalty to the crazy king was beyond my understanding (kinda remind me of Hang Tuah). Yes, maybe the king was a decent man at first, with ideals to make the world a better place -before he got sidetrack with his guilt and insecurities - but when the king turns 180 degrees (or should it be 360 degrees?), why couldnt he own up to his mistake, count his losses and make it right? Adding more wrongs won't make it right. Why did he as the monk said "could only look on when the world he help to build and protect kills the persons he love"?

There's so many scenes that I love in this drama, so many dialogues...to describe it all would make this post even more longer. Lets just keep it short and say I LOVE KANG JI HWAN! Haha... I don't know if I love KJH or his character here. Its just that his face are so expressive. It was said Joo Ji Hoon and Jo Hyun Jae were supposed to star in this drama as Hong Gil Dong and Chang Hwi but they both were unable to make a compromise with the production agency. Much as I love Jo Hyun Jae, but I don't think he's suitable for the role of HGD, maybe Chang Hwi... (Sorry, I don't like Joo Ji Hoon - he's much a wooden actor compare to Jang Geuk Seok).

Jang Geun Seok, what can I say about him? Maybe, it's just hard to act as a cold person. Would it need a haughty look? a sad look? or maybe seems like wooden man or a robot. But I love him as the young master in Hwang Jini, cry buckets over him. Here, not so much (but I bet he's better than Joo Hi Hoon would be :P ) When I was watching the HGD's special at the end of the drama he was so cute and adorable when he smiled and laughed. Hmm... if one of my nephews look more like him, maybe I would be like 'pilih-kasih' (favoritism) just to see him smile... haha...maybe!

Sung Yuri - love her here! After dissapointed with her passable acting in Snow Queen and One Fine Day (hate her in First Love of Royal Prince), she really shows some improvement in this drama. And the chemistry she had with Kang Ji Hwan - no wonder they won the KBS best-couple award.

There's this scene where she offered Gil Dong some kinda food (maybe candy) to Gildong. He ate it at first, and commented on the weird taste. She told him the candy get wet cause she didn't remember it was on her when she took a bath at the stream earlier. Gildong remember then, she not only took a bath in the stream, she also took a piss there! He took out the candy out of his mouth and gave it back to Yi Nok, and she non-chalantly put it in her own mouth. Did she really ate the candy Gil Dong spit out? or did they swap it with a new one?

Hmm... to date I think this is the first drama that I rewatched immediately after finished watching the entire drama - to the point I put Yi San Vol.4 on hold. The 2nd time around, I watched it at more leisurely pace - since I already know the ending - savoring the good scenes. The 2nd time around, I noticed the ridiculousness of the band of thieves would help Chang Hwi claimed the throne, being Chang Hwi group that killed their former leader in the first place. They said he was a good man, their leader - worth dying for; but they thought they foiled Chang Hwi first attempt to dethrone his brother was a sufficient revenge??? Ridiculous!

Love the sountrack, especially these two songs:

If - by Tae Yeon

Fate - by Park Wan Kyu

Cast:

Name: 강지환 / Kang Ji Hwan *
Real name: 조태규 / Jo Tae Kyu (Cho Tae Gyu) *
Profession: Actor *
Birthdate: 1979-Mar-20 *

Drama:
Triple (MBC, 2009) *
Hong Gil Dong (KBS2, 2008) *
Capital Scandal (KBS2, 2007) *
90 Days, Falling in Love Days (MBC, 2006) *
Exhibition of Fireworks (MBC, 2006) *
Be Strong Geum Soon (MBC, 2005) *
Save the Last Dance for Me (SBS, 2004) *
More Beautiful Than a Flower (KBS2, 2004) *
Nonstop 4 (MBC, 2003) *
Summer Scent (KBS2, 2003) *

Dying to see Triple (Yoon Kye Sang is also in here!), gonna rewatch Capital Scandal, Err...hesitate to watch 90 days and Fireworks coz i don't like both lead actress and can't find Geum Soo with a subtitle!!!!

Name: 성유리 / Sung Yu Ri (Seong Yu Ri) *
Nicknames: Shil Shilee / Tokki *
Profession: Actress and singer *
Birthdate: 1981-Mar-03 *

Drama:
Swallow the Sun (SBS, 2009) *
Hong Gil Dong (KBS2, 2008) *
The Snow Queen (KBS2, 2006) *
One Fine Day (MBC, 2006) *
Prince's First Love (MBC, 2004) *
Thousand Years of Love (SBS, 2003) *
My Platoon Leader (MBC, 2002) *
Bad Girls (SBS, 2002) *


Name: 장근석 / Jang Geun Seok *
Profession: Actor, singer *
Birthdate: 1987-Aug-04 *

Drama:

Beethoven Virus (MBC, 2008) *
Hong Gil Dong (KBS2, 2008) *
Hwang Jin Yi (KBS2, 2006) *
Alien Sam (2006) *
Lovers in Prague (SBS, 2005) *
Nonstop 4 (MBC, 2003) *
Daemang (SBS, 2002) *

Still wonder why they cast him in a love-triangle alongside KJH and SYR, he's so much younger than them!!!!

3 Dads 1 Mom NGs!

I love watching Korean Dramas' NGs (bloopers) after watching the drama (especially if the drama have a sad ending - it lifted up your mood back). But there's something about 3 Dads and 1 Mom NGs that makes you smile like a loony person infront of your computer's monitor. It's full of laughter!

Look at the baby - how she stop crying when the director yelled "CUT!" ^_^

Bought the DVD of this drama already, the subtitles doesn't looks o great. Hmmm..when will I get to watch it ?????? I remember a comedy sitcom that I used to watch during my pre-teen days... maybe the title "Out of This World", its about this kids who was half human, half alien. She had this ability to stop time by connecting her two index together, the she was able to communicate with her alien father. Or maybe have powers like Hiro Nakamura (Heroes). Isnt it nice to be able to stop time, when you have a deadline, you dont have to rush, just stop time and you could do it leisurely... haha, it will make proscrastinate more!

Seo Dong MV

Faces of Jo Hyun Jae in Seo Dong Yo



Jang and Princess Seon Hwa

The other Princess

Seo Dong Yo NG

The one that got me laughing was when Seon Hwa was bitten by a snake, and Ryu Jin tries to carry her... haha is Lee Bo Young that heavy? But it seem Hyun Jae have no problem in carrying her, or else there would be an NG on that too right?

Ballads of Seo Dong (5)

" Destiny is not the path that you can't avoid but the path you choose to take although you can choose to avoid it. But there is one path that I took because I could not avoid it; it was an unavoidable path - that path was you my princess" - Jang/ King Mu

Finally, I got to rewatched this favourite drama of mine (Really, really discipline myself not to drop by any cds shop). I wanted to skip the episodes before Jang was born and his childhood years, but with my 'excellent' memory, I already forget relevant information, sigh! so I do need to rewatched those episodes...

So to cut the story short, Jang was born from a forbidden liason of the King WI Deok of Baekje and a palace dancer Yeon Ga Mo. Knowing of Yeon Ga Mo preganancy, the King ordered her to flee and hide for her life. He gave her a pendant, a night glowing pearl, in which only the his sons could possessed, therefore if she gave birth to girl, he ordered her to throw the pendant to the deepest pond. Yeon Ga Mo raised Jang on her own till he was 10, when she couldn't rein in his 'inventiveness' anymore, she send him to Mok Ra So at the Taehaksa institute. [Taehaksa was Baekje’s prestigious institute of science technology located within the palace ground, it possessed and developed the most up-to-date technology at that time, and the institute was always in danger of industrial espionage from other countries like the Goguryo and the Silla]. Mok Ra So was the guy she was in love with and planning to marry before the king get in the way.

King Wi Deok, was a sorrowful king, oppressed by the nobles and his own nephew, Buyeo Sun who was after the throne. Apart from Jang, he had three other prince that was acknowledge, the eldest Crown Prince Ah Jwa, the second prince died at a young age and the third one was also very ill. Crown Prince Ah Jwa had to seek safety in Japan, after several attempts to eliminate him, and there were rumours that he was already dead. Buyeo Sun pressed the king to appoint his father, the king's brother, to be crowned as the next succession to the throne. However, on the night of the ceremony, strong storms came about, in which halted the ceremony to a stop. Buyeo Sun blames it on Taehaksa people, specifically Mok Ra So who was the strong supporter of Crown Prince Ah Jwa, and ordered them all to be killed. But thanks to Jang, Mok Ra So and several others managed to flee before the raid began. Hahaaha... it was funny to think that no matter how advanced our science and technology is right now, the possibilty for us to engineer desirable weather conditions at will???? let alone during that time period...

So anyway, Jang brought the runaways to his mother village before they all flee to Silla. He and Mok Ra So asked the identity of Jang's father, but she still keep the secret. She told Jang to come back to her when he was 20, then she would tell him who his father was, but alas she was killed by the soldiers who was pursuing them. They all took refuge in Silla, where they became tradesman supplying goods to the Silla's palace. There, while delivering the goods, Jang met Princess Seon Hwa for the first time...

The love story between Jang and Princess Seon Hwa was truly a better "Romeo and Juliet" story. Born to two different enemy states, at first Princess Seon Hwa thought that her royal title was nothing but a burden, separating her from Jang. She was willing to give it all up, her princess status, her parents, life of luxury, her country just to be with him, just a lowly peasant. I would call any real person who did this stupid and naive, but since this is just fiction...what-the-hell, it was touching to see a love so great, that there's nothing she would not do for him. It brought to mind the phrase, 'behind a successful man, stood a strong woman', it was true in this case, cause without Seon Hwa, it might not be possible for jang to raise to greatness. She was there to paved the way for him, always there when he needed her, when he's feeling lost and defeated, she pull him back up again and prod him to move. But what has he done for her?

The first time I watched this drama, I hate the character Satek Giru so much. But now, I can see him in a different perspective. Like he said, he might be a villain in Baekje but in Silla he was a hero, willing to risk his life and infiltrate enemy camp, to learn their tools. Like he said also, who in this world isn't selfish, willing to do something for personal gains? A much lesser man, would slunk into the corner after all he had worked hard to build gone in a blink of an eye. But not Giru, he lost everything, his country, his family and the woman he love. What else is there to lose apart form his life? He got nothing to live for anyway. Its either Everything or Nothing at all, he said. All I want is everything.

Jang said Giru mistake was betting his life on someone else while what he should have done was betting on himself. Blinded by his hatred towards Jang and driven by vengeance, he let himself be used and when he's no longer useful to that person, he was hunted down to be eliminated. But even in the end, he dont know what he had done wrong to deserve that fate, he still put the blame on Jang.

Another pityful figure, Princess Woo Young. At first she was a hateful character, just another one of her brother, Buyeo Sun's henchman. But then, she realised that after all those challenges that Jang had faced and overcome, she had come to admired him and fall in love with him. She sacrificed a lot for Jang and save his life countless time, but she can't make him love her. The joy on her face, when painstakingly finished handsewing a garment for Jang and then to have it rejected. I know it is better that way, for Jang to make her known where she stood, break her heart and be done with it, rather than show her kindness and giving her false hope - there are times you gotta be cruel to be kind, but still...sigh!

Then, after she also helped him with the nobles, Jang gave her the most precious thing he had, th night glowing pearl, to show her his appreciation for all her helps that he could never pay back - she rejected it. She said, if he wants to thank her, then promise her that in his next life, he'll be her man. If not them, then the next life, or the next life...sob! sob!

Another woman who was in love with Jang, was Eun Jin, the girl he grew up with at Haneul Jae. But although she truly loves Jang also, she always shows her merry and supportive face. I truly like Koo Hye Sun character here (dying to see her serious side in The King and I).

Will it make that lasting impression for me before if the last episode was not a tear-jerker romantic? I don't know...cause the last episode was the one I remembered the most, but now after rewatching it again I believe there were other scenes between Jang and Seon Hwa that are more touching. Lee Bo Young was beautiful as Seon Hwa, but she just don't have the chemistry on screen with Jo Hyun Jae. And when she tries to be playful and mischievous, it just isnt the same class as Lee Da Hee and Yoon Eun Hye.

Jo Hyun Jae - what else is there to say, he's perfect. His strong gaze shows his stubborness when he believes he was right. His troubled face, when he was thinking too much. I just wished that Ryu Jin was a bit on the smaller stature as Hyun Jae, so that he does not steals the scene with his taller big frame...

In one of the website, found this....

In an interview Hyun Jae was asked what he thought of Jang. He answered, "In my opinion, he is like God. He is too good to be true, like no human. He always thought about others before himself ". He went on to say, "While portraying him, I thought, 'If I were him, I would have done this'. To be honest, my personality is nothing like Jang. He is very generous. No matter how others treat him, he always accepted and was willing to forgive, which is not possible for me. I think no one in this world would be like that."

Cast
Jo Hyun Jae as Jang /Suh Dong (King Mu of Baekje)
Lee Bo Young as Princess Sun-hwa of Shilla / Ladi Jin Ga Gyeong
Ryu Jin as Sa Taek Gi Ru / Kim Do Ham
Koo Hye Sun as Eun Jin
Im Hyun Sik as Bumro's dad
Lee Chang Hoon as Mok Rasoo
Jung Sun Kyung as Mo Jin (Eun Jin's mother)

Kim Yeong Ho as Buyeo Sun

History Lesson:

During King Mu reign, the Three Kingdoms (Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla) were at war with each other, as alliances shifted and the neighboring China also experienced a change of dynasties.
Because reliable historical sources are hard to find for the Three Kingdoms period, the specifics of Mu's policies are not known.

Reign
Early in his reign, Mu attacked Silla several times. He also requested assistance from Sui Dynasty of China to attack Goguryeo. Following the Goguryeo-Sui War, the Sui was replaced by the Tang Dynasty in China in 618.
In 627, he attempted to recover land lost to Silla, but stopped when Tang intervened diplomatically. The same year, he sent the Buddhist monk Gwalleuk to Japan with texts on Buddhism, astronomy, history, and geography.
He formally established the Mireuksa temple in 602. He is also said to have ordered the repair of Baekje's Sabi Palace in 630, and the construction near his palace of the earliest known artificial lake in Korea [2]. His policies in the latter half of his reign, which emphasized construction projects at the expense of national defence, are often thought to have contributed to the fall of Baekje which took place twenty years after his death.
There is reason to believe that he moved the capital of Baekje from Sabi in Buyeo County to Iksan, at least briefly. Archaeological evidence in Iksan, including tombs attributed to Mu and his wife Queen Seonhwa, appears to confirm this. [3]
Mu retained close ties with Tang China, but Tang later allied with Silla in the wars that ultimately unified the Korean Peninsula under Silla's rule by 668.

Seodong-yo
The Samguk Yusa relates a legend regarding Mu's marriage to a princess of Silla, although historians consider it unlikely to be true, given the hostilities between the rival kingdoms. In this story, the young Seodong (Mu's childhood name) falls in love with a Silla princess, and intentionally spreads a song about the princess and himself among the people. Thanks to this song ("Seodong-yo," or "Seodong's Song") the Silla king banishes the princess, and Mu marries her and becomes the king of Baekje.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_monarchs_of_Korea

If you watched Jumong, then Jang was the great, great great.... grandson of him. One of Jumong's son founded Baekjae.