New Obsession!

Well... many of you will be aghast to learn that I've retained my obsession with Korean historical dramas. Some may recall reaction to my post on "Hwang Jini" (see HamsterPost for 16 July 2007) which went over like the proverbial lead balloon. Well, now I'm into something far, far more butch. "Dae Joyoung!" This one is chuck full of war, torture, murder, deception, and... oh yes... FABulous costumes!

SYNOPSIS
This 100-episode epic drama vividly depicts the life of King Dae Jo-yeong and other heroes of the Balhae Kingdom, which dates back 1300 years ago. The role of Dae Jo-yeong is portrayed by actor Choi Su-jong, while the role of Yi Hae-go, Dae Jo-yeong’s rival for the supremacy in the northern territories, is portrayed by actor Chung Bo-seok. The two also face off over the love of Cho-rin, a woman from the Georan tribe, and King Bojang’s niece, Suk-yeong. The role of Cho-rin is played by Park Ye-jin, while Suk-yeong is portrayed by Hong Su-hyun. Several key historic figures in the drama are played by seasoned middle-aged actors, whose masterful acting underscores the drama’s well-knit plot. The drama drew the spotlight even before its premiere for efforts to produce a perfect picture, as even a special KBS video team was set up to create true-to-life fighting scenes, such as a massive siege warfare between Goguryeo and the Tang Dynasty created using 3D digital characters and the scene showing the collapse of a mountain during the Ansi Fortress battle.

A quick Google search will demonstrate what a world-wide phenomenon this is. The series is 100 episodes long. On AZN, we're somewhere in the 50"s Woohoo! Lots left to go! Here are some images for your delectation: