[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Dae Jo Yeong" Episode 31

In the past twenty episodes of "Dae Jo Yeong" I'm skipping over, the title character has integrated into the military to the point that the show isn't really about him anymore, having instead moved on to a power struggle between the military and civil spheres of Goguryeo society. As part of this struggle, General Yang (played by Im Dong-jin) has been hauled into the palace for conspiring against state legitimacy, as defined by the royal family. General Yeon (played by Ahn Hong-jin) had previously escaped to the Tang Dynasty in China to escape such political prosecution.

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"Dae Jo Yeong" has a very credulous interpretation of military officials. General Yang's arrest is protested by civilians who seem ready to die for his freedom- it's worth noting that as a war hero against the Tang Dynasty, the popularity of his standing isn't all that surprising. General Yeon's position is more dubious. He had to abuse the trust of a close subordinate to escape, and by the end of this episode, has been bullied by the Tang Dynasty into acknowledging Goguryeo as a vassal state of China.

For history this old we only know the broad strokes. Most of what happens in "Dae Jo Yeong" is dramatic license, some of it more obvious than others. But the drama's willingness to treat both generals as fundamentally honorable figures, especially when contrasted against their civil equivalents, works mainly as a statement on how South Korean culture views honor or duty. Or, well, it did twenty years ago anyway.

While "Dae Jo Young" is not without romance, the show is by and large a serious epic with a heavy emphasis on costumes and close-ups contrasting fundamentally noble generals with more sinister politicking. Amusingly enough, General Yang himself admits to having come up with a plan to undermine Goguryeo. As we can see, the sheer paranoia of the internal conflict is unsustainable, if only because the Tang Dynasty is paying attention and willing to exploit the advantage.

The choice of heroes isn't a surprising one- soldiers in more classical eras of Korean history are known to repel invaders. Bureaucrats are more likely to invite them in. But in this drama, generals have to navigate politics if only as a means of temporary survival in the hopes that the situation might somehow improve. Far off now from any kind of formal battle, a careful tactical stage is now being set.

Written by William Schwartz

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"Dae Jo Yeong" is directed by Jeong Yeong-cheol, Kim Jong-seon, Yoon Seong-sik, written by Jang Yeong-cheol, and features Choi Soo-jong, Jung Bo-suk, Lee Deok-hwa, Park Ye-jin, Hong Soo-hyun, Kim Jin-tae. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2006/09/16~2007/12/23, Sat, Sun 21:40 on KBS.