Korean Historical Drama home page

Korean Historical Drama home page

[please excuse the plain set-up...this is truly under construction]

Summary

Nuances

Personal Testimonies - How I got into them

Fan Community

Series Descriptions

History Timeline

Translations (Alternate Spellings of names)

Links

To put it simply, these are soap operas based on real history. They take place long ago, so there are no (shouldn't have) weird modern twists to it.

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Nuances of the shows:

Sex is occasionally inferred, but not shown (unlike American soap operas)
Because it’s based on real history, main characters might die without warning
The narrator will occasionally explain the “real” history, and explain how a particular scene may be either based on a legend, or even just made up for dramatic purposes.
According to at least one professor, the shows (such as Wang Guhn) are very historically accurate, in terms of costumes and general facts
Actors from other historical dramas will have a role (sometimes significant ones) in the latest show
It's gaining popularity among non-Korean-Americans (though 2nd generation Korean Americans don't seem particularly interested)

How did I get started?

i got into "Korean Historical Dramas" about this time last year because i was flipping channels, and saw these cute kids. Since it had subtitles, i got drawn into wondering "What's gonna happen next with these kids?" The drama, "Chang Nok Soo", was following the life and times of King Yeon San (who, i guess is portrayed as tyrannical, according to "official" history) and his concubine, Chang Nok Soo (also spelled Jang Nok Soo).

Here are the series I have seen, from most recent, to my first, Chang Nok Soo.

*Series*	*Time Period*	*Summary*
Dae (Great) Jang Geum	1482 to ~ 1540 AD	The dramatic story of a woman who rose through the ranks of the Royal Kitchen, but through her intelligence & tenacity, actually wound up being the Royal Physician in the Korean Royal Court. This drama features a lot of food preparation, which would qualify this show for both the History Channel and the Food Channel!
Age of Warriors http://mooin.kbs.co.kr/	1170 AD to 1250 AD Age of Warriors – Beginning Age of Warriors - End above images created by "Hellraiser"	NOW PLAYING: Follows a tumultuous time in Korean history where the military took control from the royal family. Stars the actor who played "Kyun-Hyun" in emperor Wang Guhn.
Ladies of the Palace	???????	(not shown in Chicago yet)
Dawn of the Empire	945 AD to 970 AD Dawn of the Empire
Emperor Wang Guhn	900 AD to 937 AD	Describes the Founding of the Koryo Dynasty
Tears of the Dragon http://english.gija.com/click67.htm	1392 AD ~ 1420 AD	"Tears of the Dragon" takes place at the founding of the Choson/Joseon Dynasty, and the rough new rule of the Yi family
West Palace	1592 AD to 1612 AD	West Palace ", which aired in Chicago from Sep'95 to Feb'96, took place during the reign of King Kwanghae at the turn of the 17th century. Like Yeon San, he was deposed in a coup. To the people, he seemed to be a tyrant, but the show portrayed him as a good man being heavily manipulated by court officials.
Cho Kwang Jo	1519 AD to 1530 AD	The aftermath of Chang Nok Soo (see below)
Chang Nok Soo	1480 AD to 1519 AD	Shows how a Korean king became a tyrant (assuming that the cause was a very dysfunctional family)

Links

now a good link? E-mail me =>

JP Paulus / jp [at] paulus.com

General Web Sites & message Boards

*Website*	*Comments*
www.Koreanwiz.org	Most comprehensive site on Korean dramas (historical & modern)
www.Kbs.co.kr	Korean Broadcasting System
www.Groups.yahoo.com/wangguhn	Yahoo group dedicated to the massive saga, “Emperor Wang Guhn”, and subsequent series. Heavy representation from Philadelphia , Chicago, also Seattle, Quad Cities & LA
www.Kbc28.tv	CHICAGO fans—connect here. Includes a message board: KBC 28 Fan Club message boards http://deiner.proboards18.com/index.cgi
www.jp.paulus.com/koreandrama.html	This page (you can cut & paste for you own website!) My Other web pages include the JP Home Page My TV page Uptown Chicago
www.Koreanhistoryproject.org	One of the best sites on Korean History on the internet. Specific for the Sagas: Emperor Wang Guhn (Establishment of Later 3 Kingdoms, and the War for Unification) Dawn of the Empire Age of Warriors – Beginning Age of Warriors - End
www.jp.paulus.com/chosonkings.html	List of the Choson/Joseon kings
http://briefcase.yahoo.com/belialuo	great screen caps of Wang Guhn show
The Cyber Inisght http://my.dreamwiz.com/insight/	Click into the Hermit Kingdom Virtual Adventure into the Choson/Joseon Dynasty By Yang Sung-jin

Message Boards

Message Boards	*Comments*
KBC 28 Fan Club message boards http://deiner.proboards18.com/index.cgi	CHICAGO fans—connect here.
www.Groups.yahoo.com/wangguhn	Yahoo group dedicated to the massive saga, “Emperor Wang Guhn”, and subsequent series. Heavy representation from Philadelphia , Chicago, also Seattle, Quad Cities & LA

Number of hits since i set up the counter, on 20 May 2003: 20 May 2003: 20 May 2003: 20 May 2003: 20 May 2003:

E-mail me =>
JP Paulus / jp [at] paulus.com

or more conventionally,

JP Paulus

c/o Uptown Baptist Church

1011 W. Wilson Avenue
Chicago IL 60640
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(c) 2003 JP Paulus JP [at] Paulus . com