Chungking Express Chungking Express
Feb
22
2006

[KOREAN TV DRAMA REVIEWS] 해신 (海神, Emperor of the Sea)

Posted by X at 6:27am.

Posted in Film & DVD Reviews , Martial Arts, Drama, Action, Asia.

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해신 (海神, Emperor of the Sea)
(HaeShin - lit. God of The Sea)
HD특별기획 드라마 (HD Special Project Drama) - KBS TV 2005
51 Episodes - 60 Minutes p.e.
Aired from November 11, 2004 to May 5, 2005 on KBS2
Official Website

NEXT
이 죽일놈의 사랑 (A Love To Kill) - KBS 2005

PD
강일수 (Kang Il-Soo)
강병택 (Kang Byung-Taek)

WRITER
황주하 (Hwang Ju-Ha)
정진옥 (Jung Jin-Ok)

CAST
최수종 (Choi Su-Jong) as Jang Bogo/Goong-Bok, 채시라 (Chae Si-Ra) as Madame Jami, 송일국 (Song Il-Guk) as Yeom Moon/Yeom Jang, 수애 (Soo Ae) as Lady Jung-Hwa, 김흥수 (Kim Heung-Soo) as Jung Nyeon, 이원종 (Lee Won-Jong) as Choi Mu-Chang, 박영규 (Park Young-Gyu) as Seolpyeong, 김갑수 (Kim Gab-Soo) as Lee Do-Hyung, 채정안 (Chae Jung-Ahn) as Lady Chae-Ryeong, 정성환 (Jung Sung-Hwan) as Chang-Kyum, 이희도 (Lee Hee-Do) as Mak-Bong, 강성필 (Kang Sung-Pil) as Joong-Dal, 김아중 (Kim Ah-Joong) as Baek Ha-Jin, 이연희 (Lee Yeon-Hee) as young Jung-Hwa

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THE SHOW
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For a variety of reasons, including the quantity of resource material available and the public’s familiarity with the period, Joseon (1392 - 1910) had always been Korea’s favorite period when it came to films and TV Dramas. After all, one of the most popular folk tales (Chunhyang of many film and TV Drama adaptations), and many famous figures (King Sejong, Prince Yeonsan, Lady Jang, Prince Sado, Admiral Lee Soon-Shin, medical genius Hur Joon) made their mark in that period. But the more people grew accustomed to those stories, the more they felt the need for something new. Although tentatives to move history forward were frequent, the closer the history portrayed on screen was to our modern days, the more political those shows became. An entire series of shows dealing with Korea’s various republics started emerging from the 80s, with last year’s fantastic MBC Drama 제5공화국 (The Fifth Republic) dealing with Jeon Du-Hwan’s rule. So they weren’t simply 사극 (sageuk, Historical Dramas), but full fledged Political Dramas, sometimes with an agenda and an axe to grind.

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With people increasingly tired of Joseon Palace life, the three major stations in Korea took different roads: MBC created a brand of ‘new age’ Historical Dramas centered on ‘heroes’ the average Korean could relate to. Be it the amazing story of one of the country’s leading figures in medicine with 2000’s landmark 허준 (Hur Joon) or legendary merchant Im Sang-Ok in 상도 (Sang Do), those ‘rags to riches’ stories eventually led to the birth of Fusion Dramas, with 2003’s 다모 (Damo) as the first shining example of the new genre. But KBS took another direction, focusing on Goryeo (918 - 1392), the Wang Dynasty. With three consecutive shows—태조왕건 (Wang Gun), 제국의 아침 (Dawn of The Empire) and 무인시대 (The Age of Warriors)—KBS portrayed the Kingdom’s history from its progenitor and founder Wang Gun to Lee Ui-Bang’s coup d’etat in 1170 (passing from Emperor Gwangjeong in ‘Dawn of the Empire’).

Although ‘Wang Gun’ was an incredible success, with ratings of over 60% and plenty of acclaim from critics and viewers alike, the following two shows failed to capture the public. Historical Dramas in the traditional sense, the three shows focused more on political intrigue and a strong ensemble cast instead of MBC’s ‘new age’ Dramas, often centered on a couple of figures. The biggest critics of those shows often said that while the new historical setting was a welcome change of pace, nothing much had changed from the palace manipulations of Joseon-based Dramas. Although KBS moved to another Joseon-based Drama in 2004, the excellent 불멸의 이순신 (The Immortal Lee Soon-Shin) (which mixed traditional elements with MBC’s new age formulae), a few people involved with the Goryeo series took things in another, unexpected direction.

Kang Byung-Taek and Kang Il-Soo, who worked together in ‘Wang Gun’ as assistant producers, embarked on a very ambitious and risky project: making a serious attempt (although not the first, obviously) at an Historical Drama set in the Unified Shilla period, adapting a famous novel by master Choi In-Ho, and casting Choi Su-Jong, who started a second career of sorts with the incredible popularity of ‘Wang Gun’. But they knew doing another ‘traditional’ Sageuk wouldn’t have worked, so they learned a few things from ‘Damo’, 대장금 (Dae Jang Geum) and other new age Dramas. Part of the dramatization process for 해신 (Emperor of the Sea), telling the story of legendary ‘God of the Sea’ Jang Bo-Go, one of the most influential figures in 9th Century Korea, would involve using tropes associated with ‘regular’ TV Dramas with a modern setting, and improved production values to attract a younger crowd.

Kang had a long history of working in Sageuk, even before the Goryeo series, as he was in the production team of the 1996 masterpiece 용의 눈물 (Tears of The Dragon), and also worked for 3 years on KBS’ Historical Documentary series 역사스페셜 (History Special). The first thing he did was moving the show from the traditional Weekend spot to Wednesday and Thursday, when the most popular (and often the best) Dramas face off in a 3-tier ratings war. With a budget of over 15 Billion Won (quite high by last year’s standards, although by now it looks like peanuts), wisely spent on several locations around China, the two Kang were ready to write a new chapter in KBS history. And maybe even get their throne back after years of MBC domination, at least on the critical sphere.

Although you might be familiar with the Three Kingdoms era so entertainingly portrayed in Lee Joon-Ik’s 황산벌 (Once Upon a Time in the Battlefield), ‘Emperor of the Sea’ deals with the later Three Kingdoms period. The Three Kingdoms were Goguryeo in the North (parts of Manchuria, current North Korea, Gyunggi and part of Kangwon Province, more or less); Shilla in the South East (current Gyungsang Province) and Baekje in the South West (current Jeolla Province). One of the reasons why ‘Battlefield’ worked so well was its using this Three Kingdom period allegory to mirror the current regionalist attitude in Korean society and politics, which in many ways stem from conflicts happening in this period. When Shilla absorbed the small Kingdom of Gaya around the middle of the 6th Century, this alerted neighbouring Goguryeo and Baekje which formed an unlikely alliance. This moment is where ties between Shilla and the Tang Dynasty in China increased exponentially, until the two marched together against Baekje and Goguryeo in the mid 7th Century, beginning the Unified Shilla period. This was also the dawn of the Balhae Kingdom up North, which is the basis for the recent Wuxia 무영검 (Shadowless Sword).

Although the late 7th Century was a moment of great military expansion for Shilla, it only ended up deepening the rift between nobles and commoners. The 골품제도 (骨品制度, Bone Rank System) used in Shilla back then was in some ways similar to what would later happen in the Joseon Dynasty with the 양반 (yangban, literati) and 쌍놈 (ssangnom, commoners). Mostly based on lineage, this system was slowly eroding by the time the Unified Shilla period started, but its consequences for the commoners were still very difficult to handle, with hordes of people who didn’t have the means to pay taxes forced to become slaves in labor villages built to cater to the needs of Shilla’s nobility. You had farming villages, communities forging weapons, and even those who built ships.

One of those talented ship-builders was Goong-Bok (Choi Su-Jong)—also nicknamed 궁파 (弓巴, able archer, roughly) in the 삼국유사 (三國遺事, Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms)—who along with his friend Jung Nyeon (Kim Heung-Soo) spent his youth in Chunghaejin (the current Wando, a little Island near Namhae), one of the best places in the region for ship building and repairing. The 삼국사기 (三國史記, Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms) records that Goong-Bok and Jung Nyeon were able fighters, and the latter was even a great swimmer. Still very young, the two went on a journey to Tang China, where their fighting skills didn’t remain unnoticed, as they eventually joined the Wuning Jun (the army of the Wuning District, now Jiangsu Province) as Junior Commanders. But military life wasn’t Goong-Bok’s vocation. Although the bone rank system limited him in Shilla, he always dreamed of becoming a merchant, spending his life on the sea, discovering new worlds and opening trade routes with other countries.

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Back then certain areas of the Tang territory were ripe with commercial activities dominated by ethnic Shilla people, especially in the Shandong and Jiangsu Provinces. That’s where young Goong-Bok learned the tricks of the trade, and gained the name Jang Bo-Go (which in Chinese meant ‘lucky family name’ - commoners in Shilla didn’t have family names). But the condition Shilla men were facing in China changed him, prompting him to return to his native land, and form a sort of of ‘traders paradise’ in Chunghaejin, a garrison created after King Heungdeok appointed him maritime commissioner in 828.

By the end of the Century’s first third, Jang controlled a fleet of impressive proportions, suppressed pirate activities in the waters between Tang, Shilla and Japan, and managed to create the first trading route between the three countries. While Jang was instrumental in influencing the fate of Shilla politics for a decade or so, if we distance a moment from his feats and look at the bigger picture, we’ll see he was merely a piece of the puzzle. Between 800 and 857 the Shilla throne changed hands seven times, as part of a controversial internal war between nobles over the style of government two ruling clans wanted (one wanted a more centralized, Chinese-style government, the others wanted to keep the bone rank system intact). The moment Jang involved himself in palace politics, the ruling clans simply started using him: either as a scapegoat enemy to combat, or as a pawn to use on the way to power.

He was known as a God of the Sea both in Japan and China, yet the story was a little different in Korea. We all know history is written by the winners, but Historical Dramas are written by people, often with opinions, surely with certain needs (entertaining an audience). Korean history often saw Jang’s acts as treason (saying why would spoil and essentially ruin the second part of the Drama, especially if you know nothing about Jang) and simply considered him a private warlord with immense political clout, more interested in gaining power than in further developing his incredibly successful commercial activities. But since Confucian scholars wrote those records filtering history through their set of values, a few hundreds years after Jang’s feats, one could simply interpret them as if Fox News wrote today’s history for tomorrow’s generation. But this Drama is different, much more so that anyone even vaguely familiar with the legendary accomplishments of Jang Bo-Go could ever expect. With the help of Choi In-Ho’s three-parts best seller, writers Hwang Ju-Ha and Jung Jin-Ok (who wrote parts of ‘Sang Do’ in 2001) created a different Jang Bo-Go, something closer to what we’d call hero.

When you think of famous sources of adaptation for Korean Cinema (and later TV Dramas), the name Choi In-Ho might not sound familiar, but Chungmuro wouldn’t be the same without his influence. Born in 1945, Choi became the youngest writer to win the Hanguk Ilbo’s annual literary contest in 1963, and after that one of the most successful literary careers started flourishing. Several of Choi’s best sellers have been adapted (either by Choi himself or others) on the big screen, and we’re talking about classics: 별들의 고향 (Hometown of the Stars) by Lee Jang-Ho in 1974, one of the biggest box office successes of the 70s; Ha Gil-Jong’s 1975 masterpiece 바보들의 행진 (March of Fools); 겨울 여자 (Winter Woman), the biggest hit of the 70s; Bae Chang-Ho’s smash hit 고래 사냥 (Whale Hunting) from 1984; Kwak Ji-Gyun’s 겨울 나그네 (Winter Wanderer), amongst the most acclaimed melodramas of the 80s; and, last but not least, several different version of his 불새 (Phoenix) novel, including the TV version starring Moon Jung-Hyuk, Lee Seo-Jin and the late Lee Eun-Joo. But simply dramatizing the novel (which wasn’t 100% historically accurate, obviously) wasn’t enough, so the writing team added fictional characters, as with most other Historical Dramas, traditional or not.

With Goong-Bok and Jeong Nyeon taken care of, the Drama needed some strong antagonists to work. Yeom Moon (later Yeom Jang) was one historical figure they could use, as his involvement with Jang Bo-Go was already familiar. Han Jae-Seok, always on the verge of becoming a star but never really catching fire, was cast in the role. But the team also created many fictional characters: the vicious Madame Jami (Chae Si-Ra), one of the many Shilla merchants based in Tang China; Lee Do-Hyung (Sageuk veteran Kim Gab-Soo), leader of a gang of pirates; Choi Mu-Chang (Lee Won-Jong), the usual ‘big guy with a heart of gold’ who helps Goong-Bok and Jeong Nyeon in their endeavors, and finally Lady Jung-Hwa (Soo Ae) and her brother (Jung Sung-Hwan).

The draft dodging scandal of 2004, which forced Song Seung-Heon to drop out of 슬픈연가 (Sad Sonata) and Jang Hyuk out of 왕의 남자 (The King and The Clown) also hit ‘Emperor of the Sea’, as Han Jae-Seok was one of the people involved. The production company had to make a quick decision about his replacement, as shooting already started (there’s a few pics online with Han posing with Choi Su-Jong in costume) and they couldn’t delay their trip to China. Old (but still as beautiful as she was on her debut!) fox Chae Si-Ra, a longtime veteran of classics like 여명의 눈동자 (Eyes of Dawn) and 서울의 달 (The Moon of Seoul) quickly made a proposal to PD Kang: Song Il-Guk. Although back then he was just known as a ‘famous son’—of Kim Eul-Dong, one of the ajumma in 마파도 (Mapado: Island of Fortunes)—Song worked with Chae in KBS’ 애정의 조건 (Terms of Endearment), where he showed he had enough potential to become a star. With Han out of the picture, Song Il-Guk became the new Yeom Moon.

Everything was ready to begin: a two months long shoot in China (Shanghai, Shandong and the Desert areas near Central Asia), top stars, spectacular locations, naval battles and plenty of mano y mano action to satisfy the fans. But while the history buffs might have been intrigued by the period setting and the central figure, the writing team tried to do something new, in a way similar to what ‘Damo’ succeeded in presenting a couple of years back. Kang wanted to get rid of the image KBS Sageuk like the Goryeo series had, so centered on dialogue and political intrigue but a bit too cold and ‘meaty’ for the average viewer.

So through the writers, he brought the Drama closer to the people: he simplified the dialogue (perhaps too much) and the issues, increased the action and melodrama, and even threw in the dreaded 삼각관계 (love triangle). Yes, because even if Jang’s commercial and military feats are still the focus of the story, a good portion of the show is spent showing the struggle between Jang Bo-Go and Yeom Moon to win over Lady Jung-Hwa. And it certainly makes for interesting viewing, especially for those used to old formulas which had gotten a little stale. Yet, despite upping the ante in terms of emotional power compared to the Goryeo series (at least the last two, although I’ve only seen parts of ‘The Age of Warriors’), ‘Emperor of the Sea’ suffers the same problems other ‘regular’ TV Dramas often go through: although the beginning is quite exciting and well written, the middle portion dealing with the building love triangle drags quite a bit, and using Kim Beom-Soo’s 니가 날 떠나 (you’re leaving me) twice per episode for the first half of the Drama is a little excessive. And I like the song, imagine if I didn’t…

Also, one feels the ‘shorter’ format compared to traditional Dramas (100-200 Episodes against ‘Emperor’ and its 51) creates a sort of ‘Dumb Blonde’ effect. What’s that? Remember 24, when Elisha Cuthbert’s character would run into a new problem moments after solving the old one? Although Jang Bo-Go’s life has been full of interesting anecdotes, based on the very little historical data we have, by making him a sort of Korean ‘Gladiator’ (again, pun intended, you’ll see) and throwing everything but the kitchen sink at him, it all sort of removes you from the historical context. Hell, even ‘Damo’, a Fusion Drama which takes wild liberties in the storytelling department, was more historically realistic.

Kang commented that since very little data is available for this historical period, they went their way with art direction, costumes and sometimes even sets. But that’s not the problem, otherwise I could have never watched something like 형사 Duelist. You get a feeling you’re watching one of those excessive Hollywood colossal flick sometimes, with some of Jang’s feats in his pre-trade days looking like the average Braveheart or Gladiator rolled into one. And the dialogue is too simplistic, with some of the lines uttered by Jang Bo-Go sounding like the material you’d see in an unintentionally hilarious 70s action flick, like those with Park No-Shik and Lee Dae-Geun. ‘I will trust my enemy!’ - ‘Why?’ - ‘Because I trust myself first!’. This is not a Shilla version of 다찌마와 리 (Dajjimawa Lee), and the sub-par dialogue only ends up taking some of the pathos off of Jang Bo-Go’s (maybe that’s why I was rooting for Yeom Moon?) character.

But those might simply be prejudices I have after watching ‘traditional’ Historical Dramas for a long time, because there’s plenty to enjoy in ‘Emperor of the Sea’. For starters, this is one of the best looking Korean Dramas ever made. The battles in the desert remind of 무사 (Musa: The Warrior) in scale and realism, mixing excitement with strategy; the naval battles pale in comparison to 불멸의 이순신 (The Immortal Lee Soon-Shin) but are still well orchestrated and consistently engaging; the sets and costumes are stunning, far removed from the 백의민족 (white clad folk) blandness of many older Historical Dramas. This thing simply looks fantastic, and although production values won’t compete with the newer Fusion Dramas, they’re still miles better than older shows, in particular the Goryeo series. And, despite being conditioned by the writing team’s ‘inserts’, Choi In-Ho’s talent for great drama shines in the long run.

Abandoning the love triangle (or at least giving it less attention) around the final 20 Episodes, the show moves to the core of the story, the relationship between Jang Bo-Go, Yeom Jang and the King, and that’s when things get intense and exciting. Mixing the intrigue of traditional Dramas, the thrill of the action seen in ‘Damo’ (but this is more realistic, brutal Korean style, opposed to the 2003 show’s wuxia-influenced wire action) and production values usually associated with films, ‘Emperor of the Sea’ increasingly wraps the story around emotional power, not historical events, which at the end allows the cast to give it their all, without being trapped by their roles.

And as I said many times, without good acting Historical Dramas can’t work—unless we’re talking about 서동요 (The Ballad of Seo Dong). The dialogue can be oversimplified and a little too ‘Saturday morning superhero flick’, but Choi Su-Jong clearly has enough charisma to carry the role, and Song Il-Guk is just fantastic. There were more than a few instances when I sympathized more with his character than Jang Bo-Go’s holier-than-thou heroic histrionics, because he’s less an icon and more a real person full of conflicting emotions. Song was even called ‘Lead killer’ back then, as he became more popular than Choi, even playing a supporting role. If the most important scenes concerning Yeom Moon/Yeom Jang are always so hard hitting, that’s certainly thanks to Song’s wonderful performance.

Last but not least, the ‘salad dressing.’ If you weren’t a Kim Gab-Soo fan before, this show will change your mind, as he’s simply mesmerizing. Playing the kind of role which could become like a 50s villain, he gives his character the right amount of pathos and terrifying calm, enough to make you understand why people fear and respect Lee Do-Hyung so much. But Chae Si-Ra is no different, making Madame Jami a devilish femme fatale, embracing all her friends and foes and biting them in the neck when they least expect it, like a vicious snake. Kim Heung-Soo proves once again 꽃보다 아름다워 (More Beautiful Than Flowers) wasn’t a fluke, as he admirably carries the role of Jung Nyeon with the right balance of youthful energy and the maturity of someone who’s gone through many ordeals. And, although Soo Ae’s character is the most predictable and cliched, she does a good job. It would take a day to list all the minor characters, from Lee Won-Jong’s terrific performance as Choi Mu-Chang’s to Lee Hee-Do’s usual smarmy character, but let’s just say it’s a great ensemble cast.

‘Emperor of the Sea’ is a challenging show for those used to the old ways. It works with different dynamics, and embraces different genre elements. It’s not as historically relevant as traditional Sageuk, and some of the allegory seems tacked in at the last minute. For those who grew up with Dramas like ‘Tears of The Dragon’, the change might be too much to handle, as even the last bastion of storytelling-based Dramas has been invaded by the ‘melodrama code’. But the formula is still young, so elements of the past keep re-emerging, in some ways stronger than you’d expect. That’s the major strength of this show, balancing two different, seemingly incompatible worlds (that of sageuk and regular TV Dramas) and creating something that still feels exciting. That’s the reason why it did so well in the ratings, and why it’s a very good start for those who never experienced Historical Dramas. This trend might lead us in very dangerous waters, like finding a ‘Joseon Winter Sonata’ down the line, something I clearly don’t want to see. But taken in this context, as a tentative to do something new and embrace the entire spectrum of people watching TV, it’s quite successful.

Given the choice, I’d still go back and watch ‘Tears of the Dragon’ or 허준 (Hur Joon), but when it comes to exciting, well written, extremely well acted ‘New Age’ Historical Dramas, this is a great start.

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AVAILABILITY
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DVD - Korean Version Part 1 (English Subtitles)
DVD - Korean Version Part 2 (English Subtitles)
DVD - Korean Version Part 3 (English Subtitles)

The biggest obstacle Historical Dramas face in cracking the International market is their length and cost. Even something like 대장금 (Dae Jang Geum), which is quite short by Historical Drama standards, requires a big investment, especially if it’s a blind buy. Spending between 200 and 300 US$ on something you’re unfamiliar with is not exactly smart buying. But ‘Emperor of the Sea’ is certainly worth the price of its 3 boxsets. To get started on Historical Dramas, it’s even better than ‘Dae Jang Geum’ or ‘Damo’, as its historical elements don’t have the impact of those other two shows, and you can follow the story easily even without knowing a thing about the historical setting (whereas ‘Damo’ and especially ‘Dae Jang Geum’ will lose a lot without some background context). There’s only one version (well, three volumes of one version), and it’s unlikely it’ll surface anywhere else. But if you’re intrigued by Historical Dramas and you’ve already seen ‘Dae Jang Geum’ or ‘Damo’, this is a good choice.

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Reader Comments

  1. cyberman 02/22/2006 @ 10:42am

    X ... I have to agree with most of what you wrote here. I can fully understand how it is in some ways easier to empathize with Yeom Moon than Jang Bo Go ... especiall after the horrific treatment Yeom Moon recieved from Jang Bo Go at one point. However, when you really sit down and rationally think about it, Jang is the more righteous character and always trys to do the right thing. Jang is not without flaw either as he cannot clear his mind of Jung Hwa even when his personal situation changes. Song Il Guk did really give a sizzling performance. You could feel all his anguish, heartbreak and suffering. It is easy to underestimate Choi Su Jong’s performance as it was more understated and cerebral, however. It was definitely a great performance. Kim Bab Soo make Christopher Lee seem amaturish in comparison; the character he created was dispicable yet complex. Ruthless but loyal, you almost understand why Yeom Moon stayed loyal to him. I also enjoyed the Joong Dal character played by Kang Sung Pil as he squeezed every bit of juice out of that curious character. Cahe Shi Ra (how I loved her in Moon of Seoul) was very good also, playing the viciousness with so much poison and unrepentance. Soo Ae did really well ... convincingly portraying the tranformation from a sheltered daughter to a tough but fair merchant. It was a good series ... yet there were too many longing looks out into the horizon with the familiar song playing. At times, the (over) usage of the words “Aggassi” made one cringe a bit. But I do think they were trying to chart out new territory and think they did well overall. Perhaps other series will build on this foundation. I think in parts, Seo Dong Yoh does to a degree but with better script and lesser acting talent from the leads. I certainly will stay in my mind for a while. Good review, X!

  2. ann tan 02/22/2006 @ 3:44pm

    Mr X, you’ve done it again A most interesting review.Thanks !!

  3. x 02/22/2006 @ 5:56pm

    Might be the acting, but it wasn’t really ‘that’ scene which won me over (fantastic stuff though). He’s just a more interesting character, not the usual villain in Sageuk - like the guy who plays Kim Myung (don’t remember his name but he’s a Sageuk regular), all machismo and stuff. Plus the ninja scenes kick ass. ^_^

    Guess I’m not a big fan of righteous characters. Kim Myung-Min had another aura as Lee Soon-Shin. While watching this, it might be the slightly hackneyed dialogue, but many times I was like: “잘났다 증말...”. ^^

  4. Sevket 02/22/2006 @ 7:44pm

    This is shown on Turkish TV TRT1 but due to really bad showtimes I couldn’t watch it more than two episodes

  5. Michelle 03/06/2006 @ 4:25pm

    This is one of the best Asian Drama Movie I’ve seen. I’ve been watching it on the AZN Television in California but couldn’t stand the wait to watch one episode a day so I went out and rented the DVD.

  6. hmkgkljk 03/08/2006 @ 10:51am

    hello I m betül I m emperor of the sea like my opinion soong more beutıful to play always beutıful player actor....

  7. büşra 03/09/2006 @ 2:07am

    hello I m betül I m emperor of the sea always wached and soong u I LOVE YOU

  8. andromeda 03/09/2006 @ 1:03pm

    “Emperor of the Sea” very good

    Cumbo is big star artist smile

  9. meowmix 03/09/2006 @ 9:30pm

    EMPEROR OF THE SEA IS SUCH AN AWSOME MOVIE. I TOTALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH IT WHEN THEY AIRED IT ON THE AZN CHANNLE WE HAVE HERE IN CALI. THIS MOVIE HAD SO MANY ELEMENTS TO IT, THE FIGHTING SCENCES WERE SO REALISTIC AND KILLER I LOVED EVERY PART.IT ALSO MADE ME CRY ALOT. I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT GOONG-BOK MARRIED LADY CHAE RYUNG(WHICH MAKES ME WANNA KNOW WHAT PARTS OF THE MOVIE WAS REAL & WHAT WASNT + WHO WERE REAL PEOPLE AND WHO WERE MADE UP FOR THE FILM).BECAUSE MY FAV CHARTER WAS LADY JUNG HWA. I FELT HER PAIN IN EVERY WAY. IRONICALLY EVERYONE SHE LOVED DIED ALONG THE WAY ONE AFTER ANOTHER BY THE HANDS OF YUM MOON WHO SO DEARLY LOVED HER.AND THE FACT THAT SHE DIDNT GET TO BE WITH HER LOVE OF A LIFE TIME GOONG-BOK BROKE MY HEART. I MEAN HOW COULD HE CHOOSE CHAE-RYUNG AFTER EVERYTHING JUNG-HWA & HIM WEN THROUGH. I MEAN THEY HAD THAT ONCE IN A LIFE TIME KIND OF LOVE WITH THEM SINCE THEIR YOUTH. THE ENDING REALLY KILLED ME THOUGH, IT WAS SO SAD. I CRIED MY EYES OUT. THE WORDS SHE WAS SAYING WHILE SHE WAS SPREADING GOONG-BOKS ASHES INTO THE SEA & WHEN SHE WAS TALKING TO THE BABY. I WAS LIKE OMG SO SAD =( . BUT YES. THIS MOVIE TOTALLY ROCKS!! I LOVE EMPEROR OF THE SEA!!!

  10. Kaneda Hollinshed 03/10/2006 @ 4:57pm

    i love the movie i watch it all the time on the azn channel on comcast cable the channel is 420

  11. usame ildar 03/11/2006 @ 2:01am

    This is the best drama i have ever watched on the TV. It has been broadcasting on the TRT1 channel in Turkey. I offer my friends to watch this splendid drama. I just wanted to thank to all crew.

    WELL DONE BOYS !!

    CONGRATULATIONS…

  12. merve 03/18/2006 @ 10:28am

    I am watching this drama and I like it very much especially Yeum Jang.I think he is better than Jang Bo Go.could you send me Yeum Jang’s(song ıl gook) pictures.thanks a lot.

  13. Lavada 03/19/2006 @ 3:06pm

    I love Emperor of the Sea. It’s one of my favorite dramas.

  14. Tom Loud 03/25/2006 @ 12:00am

    I accidently saw the first episode on AZN with my wife who is of Korean desent.I found it intriguing but was’nt head over heels for it at first. Then we saw another episode after the characters had just reached adulthood, THEN we were HOOKED! We had to plan our busy schedule around the time of each episode.It was too much, around episode 25 we bought the DVD’s. Oh what a difference! No commercials, far better quality, we can watch in marathon style.

    We did’nt care that much about Goong Bok at first, but by the time he took over the business, we really got to love him and yeon.

    HATED JAMI (good acting) and Joon Dal (bad acting), Loved Yeom Moon/Jang, truly a moving performance by Song Il Kuk that has you sympathizing with a brutal assasin! A great series that we have fully enjoyed, though like so many asian stories,a tragic ending.

    Even though the filming was done on video, it was of far better quality than your average soap opera. Many outdoor sceens and a lot of action. And for my last and possibly unpopular comment. Lady Jung Wha, in her hope to not hurt anyone ends up destroying the lives of everyone she is with.If she had only been kinder to the general director, maybe he would have killed a little less.

  15. ha-jin 03/27/2006 @ 6:56pm

    Well i love it so much. i can’t believe ha-jin and yeon got married. YEON IS SO HHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!!!

  16. hajina 03/27/2006 @ 7:03pm

    THEY GOT MARRIED I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!!!!

  17. JUNG-HWA 03/28/2006 @ 7:27am

    HUGE SPOILERS

    I CAN’T BELIEVE HE MARRIED CHAE=RYONG WHAT JUNG-HWA DID 4 HIM IT ENDS LIKE THIS. THAT’S MESS UP. OMG YEON AND HA-JIN GOT MARRIED!!!! BUT THEN HA-JIN DIED I WANT TO KILL THE PEOPLE WHOP KILLED HER!!!!

  18. kemal 03/28/2006 @ 7:32am

    Bu denizler imparatoru adlı diziyi çok beğeniyorum arkadaşlar bana göre kurtlar vadisi dizisinden daha güzel . Kurtlar vadisini de izledim ama bu dizinin bir çekiciliği var. Başka herhangi bir dizide olmayan şeyler var. Bana göre çok özel bir dizi. İnsanların kendi düşmanlarına bile saygısı var. Gerçekten çok özel bir dizi özellikle Türkiyeden yazışan arkadaşların birbirleriyle bu dizi konusunda olayları tartışmaları eleştirileri ve olumlu görüşleri konusunda birbirlerimizi bilgilendirmememiz gerekmektedir. Hatta başrol oyuncuları ülkemize davet etme konusunda çalışmalar yapabilsek daha iyi olacaktır.

  19. Ha-jin 03/28/2006 @ 4:55pm

    HUGE SPOILERS

    --

    --

    --

    --

    omg!!!!!!! they got married. hajin & yeon… also that she made a baby… But she died.. Some guy killed her… she got kicked in the stomach where the baby was.. then she spit some blood out.. then she kept on fighting.. then this guy slash her in her stomach. then she died. yeon was trying to look 4 hajin.. then he said,"to master choi hajin just disappeared with out a word.” then master choi said” try to find hajin.” then they did. then this guy said’” we found her.” in a sad face. then yeon saw this cloth ovewr this body then yeon took out the cloth then he was saying hajin, hajin hajin, hajin......... What now............. hajin.. hajin, hajin, my baby, my baby, my baby.. he also said wake up hajin wake up hajin!!!!!then he was so crying.............

  20. Christina Z.Davis 03/28/2006 @ 5:25pm

    My husband and I are very much rap up in this series called Emperor of the Sea. I am a lover of all world history and to see this series is better than American TV. I want to know the cast have any email address so fans like me can write to them. My ancestors are from Greece. I have at least 1/3 Spartan blood in me. I enjoy the scenery of Korea and I would like to see the country. I find the cast so young in age. This program is outstanding and far better than American drama. Historically speaking this is a masterpiece in the acting, scenery, plots, themes, photography, Whatelse can I say and I regret it isn’t shown on American Broadcasting channels. How many of the actors speak English ? The reason I am asking this question is among my travels I have notice

    even here very few are biligual. Write me Christina Z. Davis

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    [removed].

  21. HA-JINA 04/01/2006 @ 9:08am

    Hey could u sent me a picture of Yeon all by himself!!!!????? PLEASE!!! well thanks!!!

  22. HA-JINA 04/01/2006 @ 9:09am

    Hey could u sent me a picture of Yeon all by himself!!!!????? PLEASE!!! well thanks!!!

  23. CHAE-RYONG 04/01/2006 @ 9:17am

    HEY U GUYS!!! I LOVE EMPEROR OF THE SEA!!! DEFINTELY YEON!!!! WELL COULD U EMAIL ME A PICTURE OF YEON BY HIMSELF!!!! WELL THANKS ALOT!!!!

  24. JUNG-HWA 04/01/2006 @ 9:26am

    hi can u send me pics of everyone.. except the bad guys.. thankx.. please..

  25. Kaneda Hollinshed 04/02/2006 @ 5:37pm

    [Guys, no spoilers. If you want to comment about things like that, add a spoiler warning before. It ruins the fun.]

  26. anthony 04/05/2006 @ 1:11am

    SPOILERS

    So-it isn’t over yet-we know Goong bok will die--does anyone get to kill the bad guys? Does Jami keep on living? She HAS to die!! I think she should die when a large box of her silver overturns on her--money ending the life she strived for. Irony at its best!!! Hehehe. Does Ha-Jins kilers go unpunished? Turn this over to an american writer for another spin--all the good guys prosper and ALL the bad guys get whats coming to them!! May I--uhmm--------they--rest in peace.

  27. kaye 04/05/2006 @ 1:06pm

    IM IN LOVE WITH YEOM JANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *sigh*

  28. Lina Hewitt 04/10/2006 @ 1:36pm

    SPOILERS

    Love the drama Emperor of the Sea, loved so much when and brought the DVD. I just finish watching it...Didn’t care much for the Ending...What happen?? I felt, like I was watching the movie “The Alamo”, watch that, seen it....It also left me with ?..Like what happen to the young King? What happen with Jang Bogo baby? And Where in the hell did Lady Jung Hwa got Jung Bogo Ashes? It was sad seeing her there in the ship with his ashes, but all I could think of, where did she got it from, when there was this big Alamo thing going on. And poor Yum Moom, what an asssss..Loved him, or hate him..What an asssssss...This man die for her more or less to gave her time to get out with Jang baby...And he did saving her, and not even one though when to him at the end. But I stll love it, it was a good drama to watch, Love the show “Lost”, but I loved this show more. Loved Chae Si-Ra as Lady Jami..She was so good begin bad..And most of all Loved Song Il Kuk as Yum Moon, he played him so well you didn’t know if to love him or hate him. But there were time I just wanted to kick his butt. Like wake up..But then I wake up, and say its only a show. He could kick my butt...See ya..

  29. Kaneda Hollinshed 04/11/2006 @ 8:59am

    Does Lady Jami die from drowning herself

  30. TZ 04/11/2006 @ 3:49pm

    I am currently home rehabilitating a back injury, I caught this on AZN, (I am not Asian). This is the first Korean drama I have ever seen and I was caught up in it very quickly. I had to rely on english subtitles, so I am sure the storyline and dialogue was a bit dumbed down for me. Nonetheless, this was a fascinating story that makes me want to learn more about Jang Bogo and the Shilla dynasty.

    I agree with many of you, that Yeom Moon’s char. was often the most interesting. I have to say, I was disapointed in him for choosing to kill Jang Bogo in the end. Was this part historically accurate?

    In any event, it was very entertaining and makes me want to keep my eyes open for new Korean dramas.

    Anyone know if there is an English version of the novel by the same title?

    tz

  31. HMS 04/11/2006 @ 8:03pm

    SPOILERS

    Yes TZ, Jang’s assasination is historically accurate. I’ll post a quote from wiki.

    ........................ “Jang Bogo (?-846, alternately 841), also known as Gungbok, rose to prominence in Korea in the late Unified Silla period as a powerful maritime figure who for several decades effectively controlled the Yellow Sea and Korean coast between southwestern Korea and China’s Shandong peninsula. His impressive fleet of ships was centered around the island of Wando off Korea’s southwestern tip. So influential a figure did Jang become in late Silla politics that he was granted official office as Maritime Commissioner of the Cheonghaejin garrison (on Wando) and came near to marrying his daughter into the Silla royal house before his assassination in 846.”

    ........................... “In 845 Jang overplayed his hand when he maneuvered to marry his daugther to King Munseong (r. 839-857), son of Sinmu. Aristocratic factions at court, no doubt fed up with the machinations of Jang (a man in all liklihood from obscure provincial origins outside Silla’s aristocratic order), then plotted to have him killed. The Samguk Yusa, a late 13th century Korean book that mixes history and tales of marvels and popular legend, relates that the Silla king was pressured by aristocrats to deny Jang his marriage and that as a result Jang began to conspire against the king. Whether it was the Silla king or the aristocracy that was behind Jang’s demise is unclear. However, both the Samguk Sagi and Samguk Yusa relate that in 846 Jang was assassinated at his Cheonghae garrision headquarters by Yeomjang 閻長, an emissary from the Silla court who had arrived concealing a knife in his garments. Gaining Jang’s confidence by pretending he had fled from the Silla capital, he then attacked Jang as they shared wine.”

    In 851 the Cheonghae garrision was disbanded and its troops dispersed. The location of Jang’s burial spot remains unknown.

  32. x 04/12/2006 @ 12:19am

    Guys, I don’t want to cut your enthusiasm about the show, but please use spoiler warnings when you discuss important parts of the plot. There’s people who still haven’t seen the show.

    Otherwise I can just delete the iffy parts, right? So please have some consideration for those who haven’t seen this.

  33. May 04/13/2006 @ 1:15pm

    Yesterday was the last and final episode and this was unexpected to watch. My son actually likes the movie since the beginning and the last episode was the worse for him to watch. We were just wondering if it was ever know of the heird of Bo-go Jang and it’s history. Did himself become like his father? We overheard of the Taiwan Version of the movie from episode 52 to 75. Is this really true that the movie didn’t end on episode 51?

    Overall, this is a really great movie and we totally recommend to everyone who watch drama movie that this is a “GOTTA A SEE IT” kind of movie.

    Mom and Tyson

  34. x 04/13/2006 @ 2:52pm

    Taiwan has 75 episodes because they cut from 60 to 45 minutes for broadcast. 51st Episode is the end.

  35. Mary 04/13/2006 @ 6:59pm

    SPOILER

    Gawd! I’m still emotionally drained from the ending of Emperor last night. I am not one to sit and watch movies but like others,I accidently came across this program while channel surfing and was hooked by the second night of watching,probably around the 35th episode. The story, the acting, the sets were all magnificent. I found my heart racing, my breathe held and my pulse pounding quite often. I can’t say who I loved more..Jang Bo Jo, Yeon Jung his bud or Yeom Jang. My heart is aching and I cried so much. Song Il Kuk had so much emotion running across his face in the final scene with Jang Bo jo, you didn’t need dialogue to know what Yeom was feeling. Great job!

    I have been trying to find out more about the cast members but information seems to be hard to come by. It’s so interesting to see pictures of the actors in real life. Choi Su-Jong is so young looking as is Song Il Kuk! And there are so many different spellings of the names.

    I am having withdrawal symptons since it won’t be on from now on.Wahhh!!!!

  36. JJ 04/13/2006 @ 7:56pm

    The ending is too sad. The cast is great. I agree that Song il gook did a great job.

    There are pictures of Korean actors/actresses at this website:

    http://www.hancinema.net

    (Click on actors/actresses. They are sorted by last names.)

  37. Cem 05/04/2006 @ 6:15pm

    Müthiş güzel bir dizi. Diziyi izlemiyorum sanki yaşıyorum. Hayatımda televizyon da seyretmişliğim yoktur nadiren. ama bu dizi gerçekten çok hoş. İnsanların birbirlerine olan nezaketleri, birbirine ilgi duyan karşı cinslerin arasındaki saygı ve kibarlık.. Dövüş sanatlarının kültürlerindeki yeri.. Birbirlerini öldürmeye yeminli kişilerin herşeye rağmen birbirlerine onurlu davranmaları ve selamlamaları. Bize cumhuriyet ile kaybettiğimiz birçok değeri yine hatırlatıyor. Belki sinema tarihi açısından çok profesyonelce değildir, konu hakkında ukelalık etmek istemem ama ben yaşayarak izliyorum. Bizdeki dizilerde mahzun kırmızıgü, alişan, özcan deniz denen zibidiler oynuyor. küfür aşağılama hakaretin bini bin para. Keşke onlarda bunları izleseler. Yazık… Jang bo-go’nun patronu öldüğünde inanın ben de hüngür hüngür ağladım. O kadar etkilendim. Tebrik ediyorum. Keşke bu tebriklerimizi dizi oyuncu ve yönetmenlerine iletebilsek, türkiyede birçok hayranı olduğunu bilseler..

  38. Selçuk 05/12/2006 @ 9:17am

    Hİ im Selçuk from Turkey.

    Fİrst of all i have to say that ‘Emperor of the Sea” drama have really much spectator in Turkey.If its DVDs will be sold in Turkey they can make a big profit.

    It remebers me the feeling and behaviors which are forgetten between us.They are inside of us but life and impatienty makes us forgetfull.a person who is honored can show respect to its own enemy and can be polite even she wants to kill him.That is the thing that im looking for.

    I wish Emperor of the Seas episodes or Turkish subtitled DVDs or VCDs will be sold.

  39. derya 05/12/2006 @ 9:39am

    Hi.My name is derya.I’m turkish girl.emperor of the sea very good.my favorite tv film.ı like actress nd actors magnificent.ı lile watching.

  40. Hanefi Kavuncubaşı 05/23/2006 @ 3:57am

    This production is very well.I want to say,thank you very much.

    I hope,You have chance for forever.

    Hanefi from Turkiye

  41. hamiyet YILMAZ 07/11/2006 @ 2:14pm

    ı watch this drama and ı like so much.ı live in turkey.ı watch all part please dont finished thsi drama.ı want jangbogo son grow and come backcungechin and kill the bad commander.please please ı want to watch this drama again for grow his son and takes his father revenge for the commander. ı love all people there and why you finished this drama like these.ı want to watch an other parts.yeumyang jangbogo all people died why the senarist write this.and whyt the people died please

    try again and please ı want jangbogo son take the revenge of his father.thank you for all.this drama is so beautiful here many people cry all place ı think 12 million people watch this drama in turkey every part.please send for me oene email.ı wait thank you for all gain

  42. necati kaplan 07/11/2006 @ 3:13pm

    Today It ended in Turkey with episode 51. Drama was incredible. Koreans did a perfect jop. Thank you.

    But unfortunetly I couldn’t watch last 10 minutes of the last episode. PLEASE if someone makes a summary for me I will be very grateful. What did happen to jung guwa, Jum Yang , Kyum Yang and the city Chunge(I know what happened to chang bo gu -I wish I do not-)

    Thank you,

    Türkçe de anlatabilirsiniz. teşekkürler şimdiden

    I am waiting.

  43. HANDAN 07/15/2006 @ 2:57pm

    THIS IS THE BEST SOAP OPERA I HAVE EVER WATCHED…

  44. yon_hajin 07/30/2006 @ 3:29am

    hey im elif 14 from turkey

    haeshin is great i always watch it im trying to find some pics videos musics or wat ever u have plz share me

    i want get some episodes if u know a web site about them plz share with me

    thx

    plz tell me wat u think about my banner

    http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5207/janghwayeumjangden0.jpg

  45. jangbogo 08/14/2006 @ 11:07am

    degerli arkadaşalar ben bu site adresi jang-huwanın yani soo-aenin ve jangbogonun mail ve msn adreslerini netten ögrenmek için tıkladım.ve sizden bana yardımcı olabileceginiz yönünde umutlandım.degerli denizler imparatoru dizisi arkadaşlarım lütfen bana bu konuda yardımcı olun.bana ulaşabileceginiz msn adresim:goonbo_75@hotmail.com.şimdiden tşk ederim

  46. ellenb 10/05/2006 @ 11:07am

    mr. x i totally agree with you! song il kook’s character is much more charismatic than jang bogo. i really was rooting for him more than the lead character. and i agree that choi jo soong’s acting is really holier than thou . he was taking himself so seriously! i still have around 7 chapters but it is really getting to be more exciting by the episode as it races to the end.

  47. sadık 10/10/2006 @ 6:40am

    hello

    beattufelcinema

  48. jbg 10/26/2006 @ 10:19am

    hi everybody,i’m from turkey. if you want to see more about the emperor of the sea,visit this site

    http://www.denizlerimparatoru.net

    have a good time;)

  49. Alfiana P.D.S 11/14/2006 @ 6:55pm

    knp???eror lagi???padahal saya hanya ingin download foto2nya????my comments is, i’m very glad with be it, thank you, Tifa Kinomoto

  50. TIFA KINOMOTO 11/14/2006 @ 7:05pm

    I’m very glad with be this program?but why indosiar .com can’t opened??i just want see their picture & be member, but always can’t???i miss you lautan indosiar??in other hands i want,if can i want Magician of Love can launching in this mounth or after Who Prince Return Into A frog The end??Can???Tifa Kinomoto???tank’s???

  51. Stone 11/16/2006 @ 12:55pm

    Any information on who did the wardrobe for this drama, and/or other wardrobers of dramas from this period? The attire is much better than during the time of the emperors.

  52. lucy 11/17/2006 @ 9:18pm

    I watch the emperor of the sea not because I am looking for romance but because I am completely taken in with the determination of Jang Bo-go. Even if he dies in the end that has not ended my passion for the role he played in Korea. His motivation is incredible and I wish most people could emulate him.

  53. rio 11/17/2006 @ 11:12pm

    i really LOVE the show...im hooked with it...ive watched it in DVD and finished it for 3 days...i barely eat..hehehehe… i love SONG Il Kook....

  54. Laufasa nuusa 11/20/2006 @ 1:35pm

    Hi my name is laufasa I am samoan and hawaiian and I always watch you guys show the Emperor of the sea I really like it.

  55. John perdi 11/22/2006 @ 2:55pm

    Very good drama I love it.

    I just have one question. on episode 21 Jung Hwa

    promise Yum Moom tom become his woman if he saves

    Jang Bogo. I couldn’t watch episode 22. Did she

    become his on episode 22? or did he refuse to take

    her because he didn’t have her heart?

    Thanks,

    John

  56. karissa 12/02/2006 @ 12:43am

    I like emperor of the sea because of its story,about Goong bok,from being a slave into a hero.Actually I like the struggle between Goong Bok and Madam Jami.YES!!!!!!!

  57. Esra 12/07/2006 @ 8:44am

    hello ım esra ım from turkey my email adress is [removed]
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    [removed] ı like korean peoples and korean movie!!

  58. JOAN SWINDELLS 12/22/2006 @ 11:26am

    I HAVE ONLY SEEN “EMPEROR OF THE SEA IN SECTIONS, WHAT I LOVE THE MOST IS THE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC, STILL LOOKING AROUND FOR THE ENTIRE 3 VOLUMNS TO BUY SOMEDAY WHEN MY SHIP COMES IN. LOVED CHOI SOO JONG, AND SONG IL KOOK, THE WERE GREAT. ‘VE NOTICED THAT KOREAN TV DRAMAS ALWAYS HAVE A DUMB ENDING, HOPE THEYCHANGE THAT FORMAT, YOU DON’T GO FULL GUNS WITH AN EPIC LIKE THIS ONE AND GIVE US A RIDICULOUS ENDING.,KOREANS ARE WONDERFUL MOVIE MAKERS, THE CLOTHES AND MAKEUP ARE TO PERFECTION, AND MUSIC TO DIE FOR, I FEEL LIKE I’M IN HEAVEN WHEN I PLAY THE CD’S. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME PLEASURE IN MY OLD AGE. JOAN

  59. bengaltiger 12/26/2006 @ 5:15pm

    I’m from San Francisco and Episode 49 will be on in a couple of hrs I really loved watching the Emperor of the Sea but I missed the beginning it’s ok i’ll be buying the whole 3 dvds later. I’m quite taken in by the love btw Jang bogo and Jung Hwa and also Yeomjung?? I know what the end is but overall it has been a mesmerizing drama and bravo to the writers and costume designers and director. where can i see more of the stars of the movie and eng subtitles too cannot read in korean. thanks!!

  60. aznfan 12/27/2006 @ 9:03pm

    what happen to Ladi Jami????

  61. bless 12/28/2006 @ 12:12pm

    from start to ending it seems like bogo-jang will never realized his dreams....his always on the losing side...he even died in the end so sad....don’t like those kinds of ending...i wished he redeemed himself in the end....but what can we do....it’s already done....the drama is finished.....good at least i don’t have to watch it again....the plot is always the same....i don’t know but i don’t like it....i just watch it out of habit....yehey i get to watch another drama...geez i wished it’s a new one....not a re-run....

  62. ibrahim 12/31/2006 @ 4:55am

    I LOVE YOU EMPEROR OF THE SEA

  63. kübra 01/03/2007 @ 11:54pm

    ı love you jang bo go.emperor of the sea is very good drama.

  64. denise 01/15/2007 @ 11:15pm

    beautiful

  65. Angela Cruzado 01/22/2007 @ 10:36pm

    napakapanget ng “emperor of the sea” ang gulo gulo,ang panget pa ng mga bida

  66. seth tambago 02/20/2007 @ 7:14pm

    i like this movie very much..very nice movie…

    napaka galing nila tsaka napaka ganda ng story..

  67. canpolat 02/24/2007 @ 6:47am

    çok güzel bir dizi. karakterler çok yerinde seçilmiş. senaryo çok kaliteli. sanki bir güzel ahlak eğitimi.

  68. lance bikerz 02/24/2007 @ 7:04pm

    this is a good movie and an inspiration to the filipino youth

  69. Baek Ha-jin 02/24/2007 @ 11:15pm

    Annyeong! Yeah I’m really addict with these drama. Actually I’ve watched this several times in DVD! I liked the 2 KIM love team: KIM HEUNG-SOO (Jeong Yeon) and KIM AH-JUNG (Baek Ha-jin)!!!!! yeah they’ve got married and i love them!!!! bwahahaha But I was so sad when Ha-jin died.... huhuhuhu!!!!! It was their love story that i loved most!!!

  70. Raed 03/08/2007 @ 3:22am

    I do not understand why Jang Bogo had to die! The film was going to be much better if he was going to survive and achieve what he believed in.The result just showed that Jang bogo could not fulfil any of his nobel dreams which indicates that the good is losing and the eivle is wining.I never believed that he will die up to the last moment of the film! Disappointing for me and whom I know. The director could do better than that. Even the film Musa the worrior had the same impression. I believe the korean Senario writers should ask me about how the film should end for a better success smile.The Emperor of sea was great...But it could be greater.

    Raed from Iraq

  71. angie 03/09/2007 @ 10:14pm

    i love this emperor of the sea so much! I juz cant take the ending its too sadastic and too sad… it’s too disappointing.. do all the heroes should die in the end? its like evil invaded the whole island and bad ones won over good ones.. but i love it and I just CANT hate Yeom moon no matter how bad his role is..he’s so cute I juz wonder no other girls got attached to her in the story.. I love it good thing u put Song Il-Guk on that.. he’s great I love him!

  72. Baek Ha-jin 03/10/2007 @ 7:00pm

    TO HA-JINA:

    Annyeong! Well it’s just that i have read your posted comment last MArch 2006! If you want a picture of jeong yeon by himself only, I could send you! If you have any email add, just post it okay!!!

    Well, To give you more… he is one of the top 10 asian hunk! Wahahaha.... Try this website: asianhunk.net

    Click on Kim Heung-Soo…

  73. Baek Ha-jin 03/10/2007 @ 7:14pm

    Annyeong ha seyo?

    Well me, I’m also disappointed when JAng Bogo died. Because, what about the reform of the government he is fighting for? So in other words, the bad Lord Kim Yang had poisoned the mind of the young EMperor (the son and successor of the died emperoro Wu JIn). I just hoped that that little emperor have seeked justice for his dead father…

    Nevertheless, why Jung-Hwa Shanggong (Lady JUng-Hwa) was the only left? Yeah she’s with the son of Jang Bogo and MAdame Chae-ryung… For me she seemed to be like the storyteller of the story.

    Though the ending was sad, i feel happy for them because they had brought the reality that justice is blind…

    Hehe.. Here in Philippine TV, it’s just last March 9,2007 that the story ended. BUt I had viewed it before!

  74. Kim Simbap 03/13/2007 @ 8:15pm

    ~~~SPOILER WARNING~~~

    Much of my priase for the production and direction of this show will only be a reiteration of everything written above, so I’ll just proceed to the main content ^_^

    I think Yeom Moon’s character is very cloudy. He literally poured 90% of his life for his “love” for Lady Jung Hwa. In the show, he’s actually a skilled person, but it was all a waste because he didn’t have a clear propaganda or principle in life. His mentor Dohyung has already warned him before that if he let his emotions get through him, this will lead to his downfall. And it did! 90% love for Jung Hwa, 10% vengeance against Jang Bogo, and zero for himself. He forgot the most important thing - which is his own life! Because of this he allowed Madam Jami and Kim Yang to manipulate him in the early and late part of the show respectively, for their own selfish ends, and with disastrous results for Yeom Moon.

    Madam Jami’s tragedy really brought tears to my eyes - so much more than any other scene in the show. Both Jang Bogo and Jung Hwa unconditionally forgave her crimes despite the pains she has brought them in the past and even during those times. She was given the chance to turn to the right side, but even in the end she chose to run to her hidden wealth. But worldly wealth is merely of this world and it will come to pass. She was once a great woman in terms of great political and commercial renown, but her riches did not save her from the sowworful realities of life. Yes, despite her devilish cruelty and selfish ambitions throughout majority of the show, I felt sadness more than hatred for everything she did.

    Another very sad scene is the death of Hajin in the hands of Baekyum and (I forgot the name...) She should have listened to her husband’s advice and stayed home. Preggy mommies should really take care of themselves well. But that’s just part of the story.

    Another dramatic scene for me is part of the last episode where Chunghae’s army is nearly defeated. Choi Muchang and Jung Nyeon get surrounded by ~20 enemy soldiers. For a short while they looked at each other and made their final salute. It was like they were saying, “Hey dude, looks like this is the end of the line for us. But it was nice meeting you. /GG smile” They died fighting (FOR A WHOLE DAY!) and I think this is a more worthy death than Jang Bogo’s.

    And yet another scene that struck me is the part where Neung Chang, Madam Jami’s right hand man, sheds tears for his fallen master in his final moments before they are caught by Jang Bogo and his men. Although Madam Jami was a very despicable person, Neung Chang stayed loyal and did his duties and even fought to the end to protect Madam Jami - he had no regrets of serving even an ‘evil’ master. The only thing he regrets according to him, was that he never took action all these years to give her unsolicited advice on the wrongs she was doing. It was a good decision anyway, since Madam Jami will probably never heed them.

    The loyalty of some characters in the story are really admirable: Neung Chang to Madam Jami, Baekyum to Yeom Moon, etc. And contrary to all these is Jungdal’s character: he shifted to serving one master after another and betraying them each time. Although I really hate those kind of characters, I still think he played well and even served as brief comic relief, along with Makbong and his son Soonjong.

    And did you know how much alcohol Yeom Moon consumed in the entire fifty one episodes of the series? I never bothered to count…

  75. zehra 04/22/2007 @ 6:33am

    ı am interested in yeum jang ı want to listen emperor of the sea musıcs if you want to found me wrıte me agaın

  76. phcare 04/23/2007 @ 7:46pm

    The worst ending of a drama i’ve ever seen. You could have changed a little of the last scene by letting good triumph over evil, otherwise the drama is great.

  77. MEHMET 05/14/2007 @ 2:58am

    SİZİ ÇOK SEVİYORUM ÖZELLİKLE JANGBOGOYU LTF JANGBOGO BENİMLE KONUŞ DJMEHMET_66@HOTMAİL.COM.GOOOD BYY

  78. Metin 06/05/2007 @ 7:24am

    Dizi film izleme alışkanlığım yok ama ben bu Denizler İmparatoruna müptelayım. İşimi, gücümü bırakıp koşuyorum dizi saatinde televizyonun başına..

    Konusu ve oyuncularıyla harika bir dizi . Keşke bu Koreli kahramanları Türkiye’de görebilme şansımız olsa.

    Ben özellikle dizi oyuncuları hakkında Türkçe bilgi edinmeyi çok isterdim.

    Tüm Denizler İmparatoru severlere selamlar..
    -----

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