[Article] Why 'Sungkyunkwan Scandal' is the best drama of the year 2010?

[Article] Why 'Sungkyunkwan Scandal' is the best drama of the year 2010?
Roytavan : Writer
Original : http://twssg.blogspot.com/

When I heard 'Sungkyunkwan Scandal' first of all I think of Mr. Bae Yong joon, he was study in 'Sungkyunkwan University'. However, another one great 'Historical Korean Drama' that I've watched. After finishing a long and tiring 'Chuno', 'Dong Yi' the historical drama of 2010, I landed on a drama that I think it's shorter and lighter than the previous. But it's really surprised me, yes it's shorter, and lighter but not as light as I thought. It's deep, entertaining, hilarious and full of quote in many episode of drama for teach mylife, yet fascinating historical drama I have ever watched. With many beautiful and candy-eyes actors which surprisingly have a great acting.

The Historical Drama 'SungKyunKwan Scandal', which is based off the bestseller novel 'The Lives of Sungkyunkwan Confucian Scholars', will employ a hanbok designer, publicity marketing company and a company specializing in merchandise for their production line up and have formed a blueprint for everything ranging from filming to the sales of goods related to the drama. The novels pleasantly depict the love lives of the youth of Sungkyunkwan during the Tang Dynasty.


Some of the critiques given include:

- Though KBS’s”Sungkyunkwan Scandal” was “not this year’s most well-made drama, it was the most meaningful” (Yoon Hee Sung).

- “It didn’t go down the path of naive hypocrisy or malpheumisms packaged in coolness, and in this generation in which it is hard to speak of dreams, it was a drama that showed rare balance and frankness and tossed out the most basic questions necessary for dreams” (Baek Eun Ha).

- “Besides the outside shell of the romance and coming-of-age stories, it managed to confront and question again and again issues of principles, problems of the time, reform, and intelligence. It was ‘this year’s discovery’ that nobody saw coming” (Cho Ji Young).

- “It wasn’t a drama that made its viewers laugh or cry, but there was no other drama that warmed our hearts like this.” (Yoon Hee Sung)

- “the second half deteriorated and the story wasn’t unified from time to time” [...] “But the energy from that [lack of unification] allowed the drama to be a youth, sageuk, and political drama [all at once]” (Kang Myung Seok)



Historical Background of Sungkyunkwan (성균관)

During the reign of King Jeongjo the 22nd ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. About three years before 'Hwaseong Fortress' was built. King Jeongjo son of Crown Prince Sado, who was put to death by his own father, King Yeongjo (21st Joseon ruler) . King Jeongjo wanted to find the 'Geum Deung Ji Sa', a letter by King Yeongjo which stated his grief about the death of 'Crown Prince Sado' and people behind his death.

Sungkyunkwan is a University in Korea that has a long history. Established in 1398 and had a motto : "Humanity, Righteousness, Propriety, and Wisdom" which reflects the basic spirit of Confucianism. In that time, Sungkyunkwan was more than a college, it's a site of political feuds where only limited people could enjoy it. People who graduated from Sungkyunkwan would become government officials and only men from noble families allowed to study there.



Storyline of Sungkyunkwan Scandal (성균관 스캔들)

Sungkyunkwan Scandal (성균관 스캔들),This drama is set in Sungkyunkwan University during the Joseon era, revolving around the exploits and love stories of four youths. When her younger brother falls ill, Kim Yoon Hee enters the school in his place disguised as a boy in her desperation to find a way to support him, and becomes friends with Lee Sun Joon, extremely rich and the brains of the gang, playboy Goo Yong Ha and the rebellious Moon Jae Shin. These four young people met each other and learned about friendship, love, dream, hope, and life itself.

First, there is Kim Yoon Hee, a smart and brave girl from a poor family. She has to pretend as a boy, yes it's another girl in boy's disguise like Coffee Prince, You're Beautiful, and Painter of the Wind. Yoon Hee did this to get a life. She lost her father when she was only 12 years old, with sick younger brother who needs medication and helpless mom, Yoon Hee is the only hope in the family. So she picks up the transcription jobs from a book-store owner Mr. Hwang. Not only transcribing, she sometimes also become a surrogate attendee in a civil exam in Sungkyunkwan University. Yoon Hee did anything to maintain her family. Even risk her own life.

And then, she met Lee Sun Joon, the arrogant and upright man from the first class family, not just a mere rich family, but the only son of the Left State Minister Lee. Who intrigued with her boldness and her statement that challenged his mind. One statement that Lee Sun Joon will never imagine before, when Yoon Hee said : I don't think that Joseon is such a great nation. For Lee Sun joon's point of view, Joseon is a great one. But from Yoon Hee's, Joseon is a country which never treated its people fairly, not for a woman and Namin (A weak political faction) like her. Lee Sun Joon recognized her talent and made Yoon Hee enter the Sungkyunkwan University as a student.

There, she met with another two leading roles. Gu Yong Ha, the playboy and cynical student who always wears fancy and lavish materials to cover his real background, and Moon Jae Shin, the youngest son of Chief Inspector Moon who is a rebel but actually it's just a mask behind his anger and hopeless heart.

Kim Yoon Hee, disguised as a man under her brother's name Kim Yoon Shik and start to venture the Sungkyunkwan and she could die if she is caught, because at that time, there was a strict rule in society about man and woman.