Emperor of the Sea

Infobox kdrama/Header
title_name = Emperor of the Sea


size = 80px
caption =
ko_name = 해신
ko_name_trans = Hae-sinInfobox kdrama
genre = Drama
producer = Kang Il Soo and Kang Byung Taek
network = KBS2
first_aired = November 24 2004
last_aired = May 25 2005
num_episodes = 51
timeslot = Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9:50 p.m.Infobox kdrama/Namebox
title = Emperor of the Sea
hangul = 해신
hanja = 海神
rr = Hae-sin
mr = Hae-sin

"Emperor of the Sea" (해신 "Hae-sin", lit. Sea God) is a 51 episode South Korean epic drama that aired in 2004 on KBS2.The show focuses on the life of famous historical figure, Jang Bogo (장보고), who was born a slave but rose to the highest ranks of Silla society. The show was received extremely well, holding the number one spot in the ratings for the majority of the weeks it aired.

Credits

Cast

* Choi Soo Jong (최수종) as Jang Bogo (장보고)/Goong-bok (궁복)
* Song Il Gook (송일국) as Yeom Moon (염문)/Jang (장)
* Kim Heung-Soo (김흥수) as Yeon (연)
* Chae Si Ra (채시라) as Madam Jami (자미부인)
* Soo Ae (수애) as Lady Jung-Hwa (정화)
* Kim Kap-su (김갑수) as Yi Do-hyung

Staff

* Screenwriter: Jung Jin Ok (정진옥)/Hwang Joo Ha (황주하)
* Producer: Kang Il Soo (강일수)/Kang Byung Taek (강병택)

eries synopsis

Based on the life of a true historical figure, Emperor of the Sea is an epic Korean Drama based on a novel by author Choi In Ho. Choi Soo Jong stars as Jang Bogo, who rises from a lowly slave to the military commander of the sea during the Unified Silla Dynasty (676~935). Along the way, he battles pirates, and engages in a heated rivalry with Madam Jami, a Shilla noble who squares off against Jang Bo Go for trade rights in the South Sea. Song Il Gook, winner of the 2002 KBS New Actor award, is Yeomjang, Jang Bo Go's charismatic comrade, who supports Jang in his ascension to The Emperor of the Sea. But Yeomjang competes with Jang for the love of Jeong-hwa.

Episode guide

Episode 1: The drama begins with a short description of the history of the time in which the series takes place. "After the affair of An-Sa, the Chinese Tang Dynasty quickly lost power. The small king tried to attack the king..." Then it shows a foreshadowing of Goong-bok as an adult leading a force of Tang's troops attacking rebel troops. Then, it is taken back when Goong-bok was a teenage slave living in Cheonghaejin (청해진) where takes his friends to a cliff and tells them they have to jump into the water in order to follow him. Only his cousin, Yon, attempted the terrible jump risking his life. Goong-bok, not assuming anyone would jump, was in shock and jumped off the cliff as well to save Yon. He allowed Yon, after saving him, to go to the errand. Day turned into night and Goong-bok sneaks out and heads for Chunghae Port. There Yon meets up with him and follows. Goon-bok leads him to spy on their boss' son, Joong Dal, who is trying to seduce a woman into making love with him. Goong-bok interrupts them by beating Joong-Dal up. They flee and meet up with their friend,Soon-Jong, who bribes them into letting him join them. Goong-bok and Yon accepts the bribe and leads him to the coast where they set off on a boat, and sneaks into a merchant ship sailing to Tang. They get caught and get brought back to Chunghae where Goong-bok and Yon are punished. While talking to the shipyard master, Goong-bok's father, was asked to repair merchant ships, which is illegal. His father accepts and was assigned to repair two ships. The next day, Goong-bok and Yon were working when they see a hawk. Goong-bok shoots the hawk with an arrow not knowing it belonged to the Young Master of Chunghae. Goong-bok gets brought to the Government office and fences with the Young Master, only to get get defeated. Ashamed of his poor fencing skills, he finds a street performer, Yom Jang.

Episode 15: Goong-bok finishes speaking with Yom Moon and leaves with an awful decision he had to make. Goong-bok who at the time was demoted to the merchant laborer, noticed certain problems with ships which would certainly sink the ship and its items. Goong-bok who spent earlier part of his life as a shipbuilder's son, obviously saw these problems and he was promoted as the director of the entire operation.

Episode 51 END: Yeom Jang kills Consul Jang Bogo with a concealed knife and everything is in chaos. Chunghaejin is eventually taken over by Kim Yang and all of the main characters except Jang Bogo's son and Lady Jung-Hwa die. Jung-Hwa takes Jang Bogo's son away on a boat to Yangzhou, as she tells him "Remember this waterway, for you will sail it all your life."

Awards

The film managed to earn many awards at 2005 KBS Drama Acting Awards. The drama is one of the dramas of 2005 who said to have been "decorating 2005 KBS Acting Awards ceremony".

*2005 KBS　Acting Awards: Top Excellence Acting Award 최우수상 (Choi Soo Jong)
*2005 KBS　Acting Awards: Best Actress 우수상 (Soo Ae)
*2005 KBS　Acting Awards: Best Actor 우수상 (Song Il Gook)
*2005 KBS　Acting Awards: Best Couple Award (Song Il Gook and Soo Ae)
*2005 KBS　Acting Awards: Most Popular Actor Award (Song Il Gook)

See also

* List of Korea-related topics
* List of Korean television shows
* Contemporary culture of South Korea
* History of Korea
* Unified Silla

External links

* [http://www.kbs.co.kr/drama/jangbogo/index.html Official KBS website]
* [http://www.emperor-sea.ir Emperor of The Sea Official Iranian Fans]