Gunman in Joseon

Gunman in Joseon
Promotional poster
Also known as	The Joseon Gunman The Joseon Shooter Gunfighter of Joseon
Genre	Historical Action Drama Romance
Written by	Lee Jung-woo Han Hee-jung
Directed by	Kim Jung-min Cha Young-hoon
Starring	Lee Joon-gi Nam Sang-mi Jeon Hye-bin Han Joo-wan Yu Oh-seong
Composer(s)	Choi In-hee
Country of origin	South Korea
Original language(s)	Korean
No. of episodes	22
Production
Executive producer(s)	Lee Gun-joon
Producer(s)	Yoon Jae-hyuk
Location(s)	Korea
Running time	Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 (KST)
Production company(s)	Gunman in Joseon Co. Ltd. KBS Media
Release
Original network	Korean Broadcasting System
Original release	June 25 (2014-06-25) – September 4, 2014 (2014-09-04)
Chronology
Preceded by	Golden Cross
Followed by	Blade Man
External links
Website

Gunman in Joseon (Hangul: 조선 총잡이; RR: Joseon Chongjabi) is a 2014 South Korean television series starring Lee Joon-gi, Nam Sang-mi, Jeon Hye-bin, Han Joo-wan, and Yu Oh-seong.^[1] It aired on KBS2 from June 25 to September 4, 2014 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 22 episodes.

Plot

1876, the third year of Emperor Gojong's reign. It is a time of great upheaval and rapid modernization, with conflict brewing between the two leading political factions, the Sugu (conservative) and the Kaehwa (enlightenment). Those on the Kaehwa side support Gojong's enlightenment policies during this time of change; Joseon was known as a hermit kingdom through the nineteenth century, keen to isolate itself from foreign influence. In previous years, Joseon had rejected Western overtures to open trade lines, which had led to military clashes with American and French forces. While newer ideology advocated a more open policy, it had yet to take root. Adding to the mounting tensions, recently Gojong's Kaehwa supporters have begun, one by one, to fall victim to a mysterious figure toting a brand-new style of gun.

Park Yoon-kang (Lee Joon-gi) is the son of the last great swordsman of nineteenth century Joseon. After the tragic death of his father and the enslavement of his younger sister, Yoon-kang trades his sword for a Western-made lever action rifle as he embarks on a revenge mission, but ends up becoming a hero for the people.^[2]

Cast

Main characters

• Lee Joon-gi as Park Yoon-kang

Due to an estrangement from his father Park Jin-han, Yoon-kang lives an indolent life, drinking and flirting at the gisaeng house, and never once having a dream or thinking of the world at large. But he is exceedingly skilled with the sword, like his father who is a legendary swordsman. After Jin-han is killed by conspirators then falsely branded a traitor, his children are also punished. The girl Yoon-kang loves, Soo-in, helps him escape arrest, but while on a boat he is shot, falls into the water, and is presumed dead. But Yoon-kang is rescued by a group of men heading to Japan, and three years later, he returns to Joseon under the assumed name Hasegawa Hanjo to embark on his revenge mission.^{[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]}

• Nam Sang-mi as Jung Soo-in

Soo-in is a feisty and intelligent noblewoman, despite her sheltered upbringing. Though she retains her wonder at modern gadgets such as the camera, Soo-in's heartbreak over Yoon-kang's "death" has made her jaded at the seeming pointlessness of changing the world for the better. But upon meeting Hasegawa Hanjo, she instantly recognizes him as Yoon-kang despite his denials. Through the twists of fate that follow, Soo-in develops into a strong, tough modern woman.^{[8][10][11][12]}

• Jeon Hye-bin as Choi Hye-won

A cold-hearted, unapproachable merchant's daughter. Hye-won desires to acquire enough wealth to hold the world in her hand, but things change when she inconveniently falls for the Japanese trader Hasegawa Hanjo, who unbeknownst to her is Yoon-kang, her father's enemy. As a child, she was a slave who was raped by her master and beaten by her mistress.^[13]

• Han Joo-wan as Kim Ho-kyung

He leads a lonely existence due to his status as the illegitimate son of Minister Kim Byung-je. Thus, Ho-kyung dreams of revolution and a new world. Ho-kyung is close to the Jung family, who treat him as a beloved son, but the feelings he harbors for Soo-in are romantic and not brotherly.

• Yu Oh-seong as Choi Won-shin

A merchant and assassin with an expressionless face and a heart full of ambition. He is involved in a conspiracy against the king, picking off the latter's allies one by one. Won-shin is also Hye-won's father.

Supporting characters

• Choi Jae-sung as Park Jin-han

A stern but principled man, he is Yoon-kang and Yeon-ha's father. As head of the king's royal guard, his job includes tracking down those plotting to interfere with the king's reforms.

• Kim Hyun-soo as Park Yeon-ha

Yoon-kang's younger sister. Upon the court's orders, she becomes a slave after her father is posthumously branded a traitor.

• Choi Cheol-ho as Moon Il-do

Park Jin-han's second-in-command. Three years after Jin-han's death, Emperor Gojong orders him to secretly reopen the gunman case.

• Lee Dong-hwi as Han Jung-hoon

Yoon-kang's best friend, and a timid police officer.

• Choi Ji-na as Park Jin-han's wife

When Yoon-kang was a young boy and Yeon-ha a baby, their mother was kidnapped and used as bait by bandits. Yoon-kang blames his father Park Jin-han for not complying with the ransom demand to stop advancing his troops in order to spare his wife's life, believing that was the reason she was killed.

• Um Hyo-sup as Jung Hwe-ryung

The official state interpreter, and Soo-in's father. He and Park Jin-han became friends after the latter saved his life during one of his travels, so Hwe-ryung welcomes Jin-han's children into his household to hide them from their father's enemies.

• Kim Ye-ryeong as Lady Kim

Jung Hwe-ryung's wife and Soo-in's mother. She worries that her daughter has disconnected herself from the world since Yoon-kang's death.

• Ahn Ji-hyun as Jan-yi

Soo-in's loyal maid.

• Nam Myung-ryul as Hyun Am

Leader of the Kaehwa faction, who is assassinated while giving a speech to his followers. Among his pupils were Soo-in and Ho-kyung. Hyun Am wrote a book of his teachings and left it in Soo-in's keeping before his death.

• Kim Jung-hak as Oh Kyung

The last living Kaehwa scholar who becomes the assassins' next target.

• Choi Jong-won as Kim Jwa-young

Nobleman who is the head of the powerful Andong Kim clan. He is Gojong's most powerful opposition and is the leader of the Sugu faction.

• Ahn Suk-hwan as Kim Byung-je

One of the top state councilors in Gojong's court. He is a member of the Sugu faction.

• Lee Min-woo as Emperor Gojong
• Ha Ji-eun as Empress Min
• Choi Jae-hwan as Sang-chu

Hanjo's Joseon-born interpreter.

• Ryohei Otani as Ganemaru

A Japanese man who is part of Hanjo's entourage, but doesn't know his real identity.

• Yoon Hee-seok as Kim Ok-kyun

The man who rescued Yoon-kang from near death and took him to Japan. He is a Kaehwa scholar.

• Jin Sung as Sung-gil

One of Won-shin's assassins.

• Kang Sung-jin as Kim Moo-deok

One of Won-shin's assassins.

• Park Jae-min as Jong-tae

Traveling peddler turned assassin.

• Jung Geun as Son Taek-soo

Won-shin's mole in the police force who was bribed to give false testimony that Jin-han was a traitor.

• Kim Ga-eun as Im Je-mi

A slave girl who enters Hanjo's employ and teaches Ganemaru the Korean language.

• Seo Dong-won as Gunpowder technician
• Kim Eung-soo as Yamamoto

Production

Lee Joon-gi, Nam Sang-mi and Choi Jae-sung previously starred together in Time Between Dog and Wolf (2007).^[12][14]

Filming locations included Andong, Buan, Gochang, Mungyeong, Yeongju, Masan, and Sokcho.^[15][16]

Original soundtrack

Ratings

Awards and nominations

International broadcast

Country	Network	Airing dates
Thailand	PPTV	June 21, 2015 - September 26, 2015
Myanmar	MRTV	2015
Vietnam	HTV2	September 4, 2015

See also

• Gapsin Coup

References

External links

• Gunman in Joseon official KBS website (Korean)
• Gunman in Joseon at KBS World
• Gunman in Joseon at the Internet Movie Database
• The Joseon Shooter at HanCinema