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[Drama 2014] KBS - Jeong Do Jeon 정도전


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Yes, that's it! The ratings has slightly gone up again, reaches its next peak at 16.1% in episode 13, and later keeps up at 13~14.9% in later episodes.
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Jeong_Do_Jeon/Episode_Ratings
@Kathy You shouldn't rush things, my friend. I suppose official sites like DF or Hulu will probably release this drama as soon as it's almost completed with subs. According to the articles above, "Jeong Do Jeon" is only popular among middle-aged men, therefore, it's difficult to look for a fan-subbing team, mostly young people, who is fully interested in this drama.
"Jeong Do Jeon" Jo Jae Hyun (Jeong Do Jeon) acknowledges Yoo Dong Geun (Lee Seong Gye)
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Jo Jae Hyun (Jeong Do Jeon) acknowledged Yoo Dong Geun's (Lee Seong Gye) virtue.
On the sixteenth episode of the KBS 1TV drama "Jeong Do Jeon", Lee Seong Gye (Yoo Dong-geun) faced Lee Seong Gye for the first time at the quarters.
Jeong Do Jeon peeped at Lee Seong Gye's real value. In the history books, it says Jeong Do Jeon met Lee Seong Gye for the first time under an old pine tree.
Jeong Do Jeon said, "He's rusty but has morality. He will be a great leader. "
Credit: Hancinema, Newsen

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Jo Jae Hyun teaches at Kyungsung University
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Korean actor Jo Jae Hyun was appointed as an associate professor at his alma mater, Kyungsung University, according to local media yesterday.
The 47-year-old actor will be lecturing on two subjects in the Department of Theater and Film. Jo has a Master's degree from the School of Performing Arts and Media at Chung-Ang University. 
Jo has appeared in numerous films and dramas in the past 20 years such as MBC's drama series "New Heart" and the movie "Romance - Movie", which co-starred Kim Ji Soo of the SBS drama "Kind Words."
He is currently playing the lead role as Jeong Do Jeon in the KBS historical drama "Jeong Do Jeon."
By Jin Eun Soo [estyle@joongang.co.kr]
Credit: Hancinema, KoreaJoongAngDaily.

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Jeong Do Jeon: True Gentleman-Scholar
Kim Young Oak, a fast-talking oriental-scholar doctor-writer, is currently attracting record-breaking numbers of viewers with his philosophy lecture series on EBS TV.Touching on a variety of subjects including traditional Korean thought, the series is indeed entertaining and educational, except for his unrestrained word choice and multilingual verbiage peppered with English, Chinese and Japanese.During one of his shows last week, the former Korea University philosophy professor made an interesting comment about Jeong Do Jeon, a well-known Joseon court official.With his trademark screaming tone, Kim Young Oak argued that Jeong Do Jeon was the "true gentleman-scholar" who upheld traditional ideals no matter what.There is no doubt that Jeong Do Jeon (1337-1398) played a key role in helping Lee Seong Gye establish the Joseon Kingdom.Yet Joseon contemporaries had a conflicting opinion about Jeong. The official record in the King Taejo Annals downgraded the achievements of Jeong and yet other officials commented on Jeong's excellence as a scholar and politician.At the same time, King Taejo very much appreciated Jeong's role. In an article, dated Jan. 25, 1395, the king said Jeong's comprehensive knowledge of classical texts and history was unparalleled and Jeong's political genius helped found the nation."Moreover, Jeong has both a gentle personality and dashing political sense. Since I took the throne, Jeong has done an excellent job in governing the nation and publishing historical documents," King Taejo said.Curiously, Jeong's personal background was not that colorful. His father was a mid-level court official during the later period of the Koryo Kingdom and his maternal grandmother was a house servant, a critical disadvantage at a time when class was of the utmost importance.In 1360, Jeong passed the state examination of the Koryo government and began to develop his turbulent career.At the time, the Koryo court was in a state of confusion regarding its policies toward China. In 1375, Jeong ventured to oppose a group of officials only to face a harsh punishment.He was exiled for two years and released in 1377. Disappointed, Jeong stayed in his hometown before establishing a local school in Seoul. But some people, particularly local bigshots, did not want Jeong hanging around.The hostility directed at him pushed Jeong to embark on a life of wandering which lasted nine years, a bitter experience for an ambitious and highly intellectual gentleman-scholar.Jeong's troubled life reached a turning point in 1383 when he met with Lee Seong Gye, who was then a local governor from a northeastern region.Lee Seong Gye and Jeong went on to pave the way for the future nation building by eliminating the old Koryo bureaucrats.Boosted by Lee Seong Gye's favor, Jeong rose up the court ladder and expanded his influence in the military.But the Koryo officials did not cave in easily. Jeong was exiled again during the second year of the Koryo King Gongyang in 1391 after relentless political attacks made by Koryo officials.The Koryo officials did not forget the weakness of Jeong's family background while mounting personal attacks. But Lee Seong Gye sped up his plan to overthrow the declining Koryo Kingdom and Jeong regained his position as chief strategist.In 1394, Jeong secured the treasury and the command of local military units as a top Joseon official. In June, he pushed for the basic law of Joseon and mapped out a plan to move the capital from Kaeseong (nowadays Pyongyang of North Korea) to Seoul.Jeong also set up a basic philosophical and political foundation for Joseon, discriminating against Buddhism and favoring neo-Confucianism.But not all the Joseon officials had a favorable opinion of Jeong, whose influence seemed to expand every day.Lee Bang Won, who later became King Taejong, deemed Jeong as a dangerous figureand staged a coup to take the initiative in 1398. In the process, Lee Bang Won killed Jeong, ending the saga of the "true gentleman-scholar."Generally speaking, Jeong was both a literati and military officer. Jeong often said that he was the chief architect of the Joseon Kingdom, not Lee Seong Gye.During the late Koryo period, Jeong witnessed the dire situation firsthand while experiencing hardship himself. Foreign forces often pillaged local villages and the corrupt Koryo officials harassed the populace.The difficulties strengthened Jeong's patriotism and reform oriented mindset. His nation-building movement not only involved the political coup but also the developing of overall governing systems designed to resolve the festering problems of the decaying Old Kingdom.Given Jeong's role in launching a new nation, one might think he espoused the monarch oriented political structure, but his basic principles did not support uch a notion.Instead, Jeong believed an ideal political system should be based on powerful cabinet members responsible for well arranged and diversified governing functions.The underlying notion was that all policies should be aimed at helping the populace and if the king loses public support, then a coup can be staged. Jeong also supported a merit based bureaucracy in which ability outweighed background with his renowned power of logic, Jeong authored a number of books while dipping his feet in practical politics.Jeong's profound knowledge covered a wide range of academic fields and his grand vision were only some of the features that mesmerized Kim Young Oak."Although the king ordered our gentleman-scholars such Jeong Do Jeon to drink poison as a form of persecution, they did not seek a shameful exit. They accepted their fate but never lowered their voices in pointing out what was wrong with society and the nation," Kim said during his TV lecture.
"Jeong did not flinch at the murder attempt of Lee Bang Won since he knew the Joseon Kingdom would be ruled according to his own vision and system even if he died, and that is why he accepted his death with laughter," Kim said, adding that such an upright attitude was essential to Korea's traditional gentleman-scholar.  
By Yang Sung Jin (Click Into The Hermit Kingdom)

Source: http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click095.html

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Since this drama has mentioned "Japan" - so I'll include some articles about relationship and conflicts between Korea and Japan during Joseon era.
Part 1: JAPAN
Korea-Japan relations soured after Tokyo unilaterally scrapped the bilateral fisheries agreement in February, followed by Japan's seizing of several Korean fishing boats in its self-imposed restricted waters. The recent dispute left a bitter aftertaste, which is embarrassing, yet hardly surprising. After all, history tends to repeat itself.No historical document illustrates the long-standing conflicts between the two neighboring countries better than the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty. Historical records about Japan in the Annals abound. According to the search results by the CD-ROM Annals, there are a total of 12,710 articles under the category of "Japan." On the very first page of the Annals, the historiographer mentions Japan. As expected, it is not a friendly passage; it is about a military expedition in a bid to defeat the "waegu" ("wakou" or literally "Japanese pirates") the seaborne Japanese marauders prevalent in the mid-14th century."The Joseon's diplomatic principle toward Japan in the early stages was focused on blocking the wakou's raids and, to that end, the Joseon government often resorted to conciliatory measures such as allowing the Japanese marauders to trade with the Joseon," said Lee Nam Hee, senior researcher of the Korean Studies Database Institute.In understanding the geopolitical situation of the day, the importance of the wakou cannot be emphasized too much. For instance, Lee Seong Gye, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty, was himself elevated into a national hero after defeating the Japanese pirates at the end of the Koryo Dynasty. Upon ascending the throne, Lee pushed ahead with diplomatic negotiations with Japan in order to tame the "wakou."In 1403, Joseon and Japan exchanged formal diplomatic letters, opening a new chapter of bilateral relations. It is now known as "kyorin," or diplomatic ties between Joseon and Japan on an equal footing.
Equal But Not Always
"It's true that the Joseon king and the chief shogun in Japan were on equal terms but other local governors in Japan wanted to establish a diplomatic channel with Joseon as a tributary state," Lee said.The Joseon-Japan relations became multi-layered, not only because Japan's political structure was decentralized, but also because Joseon willingly allowed such a diversified diplomacy in a bid to resolve the wakou issue.The mutual interest translated into a frequent exchange of diplomats and delegates. Joseon dispatched formal delegates 65 times to the chief Shogun. "Most of the dispatches were done in the earlier period, reflecting a greater interest on the part of the Joseon rulers at that time with regards to the wakou," Lee said.Japan, on the other hand, sent official delegates to Joseon some 60 times. When it comes to individual contact, mostly from the less influential shoguns or local governors in Japan, the number goes upwards of 2,500, displaying how badly Japan wanted to trade with Joseon.Japan's desperate position is understandable. The Japanese were in great need of necessities such as rice and cotton clothing, and Joseon was the destination to get such items."An interesting fact is that most Japanese delegates wanted the Tripitaka Koreana (roughly 80,000 Buddhist manuscripts carved in wood) when visiting Joseon. At that time, new temples were sprouting up in Japan, and they wanted to own the sacred Tripitaka from Joseon, a symbol of the highest authority for a temple or individual," Lee said.In the first half of the Joseon period alone, Japan requested the Tripitaka Koreana 82 times. The Annals show that Joseon distributed the sacred Buddhist writings along with other artifacts such as temple bells and Buddhist images on 46 occasions."There's no question about the Joseon's immeasurable influence upon Japan's Buddhism," Lee said.Also exported to Japan around the mid-15th century was cotton cloth. Joseon's exports of cotton cloth to Japan totaled hundreds of thousands rolls per year, suggesting its considerable impact on Japan where there was no cotton.In exchange, the Japanese brought in rare minerals such as copper, tin and sulfur. Also imported to the Hermit Kingdom were luxury items such as medicines and spices.
Japan Exotica
Exchanges of officials, plus trade, resulted in greater exposure to each other's culture and society. A Joseon official named Park Suh Saeng traveled to Japan as a "Tongsinsa" (envoy to Japan) and reported what he witnessed there to King Sejong in 1429, which tells much about Joseon society, as well.One of the items that sparked Park's interest in Japan was a water mill. "Japanese farmers are irrigating with a water mill, which operates automatically, using the natural currents of the water. Therefore, we have made a miniature model now, which can be used for our farmers in irrigation," Park said.Another exotic thing to the eyes of Joseon people is a bathhouse in Japan. Park witnessed numerous private and public bathrooms, and thought it not only convenient but also very helpful for other purposes."In Japan, when a person boiling the water of the bathhouse blows a whistle, everybody pays money and takes a bath. We should establish bathhouses in public places in order to help our people to know how to use money," Park said. Which means Joseon had yet to establish a coinage system.Yet, Park's exciting experience was not without troubles. Above all, traveling to Japan across the East Sea was highly risky, to say the least. In addition to the turbulent conditions at sea, the Japanese marauders intent upon seizing the travelers were a constant threat."It took at least nine months for the Joseon delegates to visit Japan and return safely. And the difficulties of the travel are not hard to imagine. But Joseon kept sending those delegates in the hope of maintaining peaceful relations with Japan," researcher Lee said.But the peace was likely to fall apart mainly due to the intractable "wakou" and other Japanese preferring smuggling and pillaging to an official route.In 1419, King Sejong sent Lee Jong Mu to attack Tsushima to wipe out the bases of the Japanese marauders. As a result, the wakou's activities subsided, but not for long.Unable to produce enough food on their mountainous rocky islands, the rulers of Tsushima repeatedly sent missions to Joseon to express their regret. The Joseon government, in response, granted the Japanese limited trading privileges.In 1443, Joseon reached an agreement with Tsushima, called The Treaty of Gyehae (in which the Daimyo of Tsushima promised to pay tribute to the King of Joseon; in return, the Joseon court rewarded the Sō clan with preferential rights regarding trade between Japan and Korea), allowing them to do limited business here. The annual trading ships from Japan were regulated to under 50, and the traders had to show their credentials authorized by the lord of Tsushima. According to the agreement, three ports -- Chaepo (Changwon), Pusanpo (Pusan) and Yompo (Ulsan) -- were opened to the Japanese traders along the Joseon's southeastern coast. And a restricted zone named "waegwan" (trading and living quarters for the Japanese in Joseon) were established in order to control the Japanese visiting Joseon.Yet, the Japanese were not satisfied with the official trade; many of them resorted to smuggling. In 1438, the Uijongbu (State Council) reported to the king: "The Japanese are cheating the documents to get more food, which should be resolved immediately. Also, more strict checks on the visitors are needed to prevent them from cheating."On the part of the Japanese, trading with Joseon meant a handsome profit. Therefore, they wanted to get into Joseon desperately, resulting in a sharp increase of trade and more trade vessels, which violated the agreed treaty of 1443. At one point, more than 3,400 Japanese were staying in the "waegwan" in Chaepo alone.
Ungrateful Troublemakers
However, more Japanese led to more troubles. In 1510, the Pusan governor punished a Japanese criminal in order to tame the increasingly violent and unruly Japanese in the waegwan. But it triggered the Japanese's anger in three ports. With the supporting soldiers from Tsushima, the Japanese rose in arms against the Joseon commander. The disturbance was put down immediately, while the privileges at the three ports were abolished and trade relations were severed.But the lord of Tsushima begged for a resumption of trade with Joseon, which resulted in another treaty in 1512. The agreement stipulated that the number of ships allowed to trade was cut in half and the Japanese in the three ports were expelled.The trade, resumed by the request from Japan, broke apart when 20 Japanese vessels intruded into the Joseon territory without permission in 1544.Again, the Japanese entreated for the resumption of trade, which Joseon accepted on the condition that stricter regulations would be placed upon them.Then again, in 1555, the Japanese marauders invaded a port in Jeolla-namdo (South Jeolla) and killed the people and pillaged the villages, resulting in another souring of relations between Joseon and Japan.After the disturbance, Japan did not send a diplomatic mission to Joseon for some 30 years, a blessing for Joseon, eager not to be bothered by Japan. However, it was a curse in disguise. The Japanese were building up their political and military power during this time and invaded Joseon in 1592, which is now called the "Hideyoshi Invasion." (10 years Imjin War)Even after the devastating war, Japan repeatedly requested for trade with Joseon. Trade eventually resumed again, along with the establishment of waegwan, which turned into a trouble spot saddled with crime.On the fair-weather nature of the Japanese, Tongsinsa Park Suh Saeng commented in his report to King Sejong, which reminds us of today's fisheries agreement unilaterally scrapped by Japan: "In general, the Japanese are ignorant of decorum and politeness. They are quick to send delegates when they want something from us, yet slow to honor our affairs when they are in need of nothing."
By Yang Sung Jin (Click Into The Hermit Kingdom)

Source: http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click010.html

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This drama also features Lee Bang Won (later King Taejong) from his young ages to the time he killed Jeong Do Jeon; therefore, I will later re-post 4 more articles from "Click Into The Hermit Kingdom" regarding him, thus I'm looking forward seeing how he is going to be portraited here.
Part 2: Tsushima, An Island of Conflicts With Two-Faced Japanese
It is a pity that Japan unilaterally scrapped the fisheries agreement with Korea earlier this year. The Japanese know better than anyone else that such a move will anger Koreans, who harbor long-running grudges against Japan. Yet, Korean fishing boats were seized by the Japanese authorities in its arguable restricted waters.
In understanding the Korea-Japan conflicts, nothing is better than the CD-ROM Annals of the Joseon Dynasty filled with detailed information about relations between the two neighboring countries. Interestingly, the Annals demonstrates that Japan frequently kidnapped Koreans, including those on fishing boats, back in the mid-14th century. 
The inhuman acts were mostly committed by the seaborne Japanese marauders or "wakou,'' who raided and pillaged the Korean villages.
The central place where the wakou indulged in the reckless piracy was Tsushima island, only 49.5 kilometers away from the southern port city of Pusan. In fact, the Annals contains almost countless entries referring to Tsushima, suggesting its importance as the point where the two nations often collided with each other head-on.
The seriousness of the situation the intractable wakou caused is well reflected in the Annals' account of the strengthening of the Joseon naval force.
Lee Seong Gye, founder of the Joseon Dynasty, and the succeeding kings in the earlier period put much effort into increasing the naval power in an effort to confront the wakou. A document dated 1408 shows that the number of military ships reached as many as 613, with some 55,000 soldiers in the naval force.
King Taejong, Lee Bang Won, (reign: 1400-1418) was particularly concerned with building up naval power. An article of the year 1420 shows the king's enthusiasm even two years after he formally retired from the royal office. 
Participating in a field training exercise of the military ships, King Taejong pointed out the slow speeds of the Joseon ships and ordered speedier ones built. Later, he supervised the first run of the newly built ships to make sure that they could catch up with the Japanese pirate boats.
The increased naval power of the Joseon Dynasty, along with the strengthened coastal defense, made piracy more difficult for the wakou.
Japanese Boat People
With nowhere to raid, the Japanese increasingly opted for patriation in the Joseon Kingdom, often crossing the sea aboard shabby boats. In 1397, ten Japanese ships surrendered to the Joseon authority. In the same year, a Japanese monk named Wonhae' applied for naturalization with his wife and children. According to the record in the Annals, Wonhae was given a surname, "Pyong," and later appointed as a government official in the medical department, honoring his career as a doctor in Japan. At that time, the Joseon government gave this particular surname to almost all the Japanese wanting to settle in Joseon territory. 
The number of the naturalized Japanese shot up because the Joseon government adopted a carrot policy of accepting the Japanese to discourage the violent wakou, thereby keeping the coastal area in peace. 
There is an episode which shows how badly the Japanese wanted to live in Joseon. In 1426, the Joseon government accepted 14 Tsushima islanders who applied for naturalization. What is intriguing is the fact that they wanted to sell liquor in Joseon territory to make a living, which the Joseon government allowed them to do later. Though selling liquor was by no means a respectable job, the Japanese had no other choice in order to survive.
The Joseon government knew the reason why the Japanese were dying to get out of Tsushima. High-ranking official Huh Cho said, "Tsushima islanders are stealing and pillaging mostly because the island is rocky, thus unsuitable for farming. They are giving up their consciences because of hunger and starvation.''
The general perception toward the Japanese living in Tsushima island, was not be favorable. Official Yu Chong Hyun's report to King Sejong in 1418, is especially revealing as to the Joseon people's idea of what the Japanese are like: "The Japanese on Tsushima island are so violent and wild that they don't care about their own death. Also they take revenge over very small affairs, which makes it hard to predict what they will do to us.''
Also making the image of Japanese worse is a report dated 1429 by Park Suh Saeng, who visited Japan as a Tongsingsa (envoy to Japan): "Because there are many men, but little food in Japan, people often sell their servants for food. Meanwhile, some people kidnap other people's children to sell them for food."
The records related to the Japanese characteristics are numerous. Official Kim Ho In traveled to Tsushima and reported to King Sejo in 1432: "The Japanese don't know about leather shoes, wearing always wooden clogs. When they held a feast for me, the lord and his subordinate were sitting in the same position, and they had no class.''
Blind Loyalty, Reckless Suicide
In 1438, official Huh Jo pointed out the blind loyalty of the Japanese: "The Japanese emperor has never been challenged since time immemorial, and when the military chieftain is defeated and killed, all his subordinates commit suicide in a show of loyalty.'' 
More interesting information shedding light on Japan is preserved in the official report written by Yun Chi Wan, who visited Japan as Tongsingsa in 1687. Yun stated in his report that the highest-ranking official in Japan, who recently took office, was unpopular among the people and the poor harvest of the previous year, coupled with infectious disease put to death as many as 600,000 people.
In 1809, official Japanese interpreters reported on the general situation of Japan, including the popularity of the Joseon paintings and writings. "The Japanese admire our nation, and Tsushima island is respected by other local lords for its proximity to Joseon. When they get our writings and paintings, they preserve them with great care as if they are precious treasures,'' states the Annals.
On the one hand, the Japanese seemed to admire the Joseon Dynasty. On the other, they sent spies and went on pillaging sprees, despite the conciliatory gestures of the Joseon government. A spy incident in 1417 is a case in point. A Japanese named "Sul-na'' was arrested by the Joseon soldiers. Charged with the spying, Sul-na confessed that he was in charge of getting the information about the wealthy people in the seaside villages, which would be used for future pillaging.
A more serious problem than spying was the massive inflow of the Japanese from Tsushima, who crossed the sea to settle in Joseon, risking their lives. Government officials were summoned by King Sejong to deal with the issue in 1434.
Carrot, or Stick?
An official named Chung Cho called for generosity: "The Japanese in Tsushima depend greatly upon us for their daily lives. It doesn't matter at all if we accept a couple of the Japanese wanting to settle here.''
In contrast, official Choe Yun Deok thought the other way around: "The Japanese are like wolves. Even though our government shows generosity and takes care of them, they definitely will not work for us as our people do and instead will engage in spying activities."
Choe continued to say, "They are coming to us not because they sincerely desire to be our subjects, but because they want some food since their island suffered a poor harvest recently.''
Indeed the Japanese wanted food, and more of and more of it. Worse, they became bolder in begging for it. In 1558, the lord of Tsushima requested military provisions six times larger than the usual request in the name of keeping the wakou from invading Joseon.
A government report then reveals how the Joseon officials reacted to the preposterous demand: "Tsushima islanders openly call themselves Joseon people. Yet they have requested six years of military provisions for one installment this time. On the surface, they seem to be loyal; beneath it, their real purpose is suspicious. It seems like they are capitalizing on every opportunity, to our disadvantage."
Despite the unwillingness on the part of Joseon government, the Japanese requested more food and other materials such as Buddhist scripts, bells, and all sorts of books in return for the hostages they had kidnapped from the coastal areas. 
In 1439 alone, more than 10,000 Japanese went to Joseon territory in order to get food and other precious materials, using fake identification documents.
The government knew that many of the Japanese forged the documents, but gave them enough food in a show of generosity, which resulted in a huge hole in Joseon's budget, amounting to more than 100,000 soks (1 sok = 5.12 bushels; 1 bushel = 36 liters, mostly used to measure "rice").
Later, the Japanese expanded the list of items they need from the Joseon Dynasty. They demanded coins, lumber for shipbuilding and even nails and planes. (Planes??? - I really don't get this.)
Beggars CAN Be Choosers
The unabashed Japanese even dumped the gifts they thought too small. In 1503, the Tsushima Japanese asked for 1,000 silver coins, which were unavailable in Joseon. So, the Joseon government gave the Japanese 100 rolls of cotton clothing, which they dumped at the port in protest.
The hopelessly treacherous Japanese in Tsushima island were, in fact, duly punished in the earlier period. In 1419, Japanese marauders invaded the Chungchong province, killing 300 civilians, which infuriated King Taejong, who was in retirement after handing over the throne to King Sejong. To be noted is that King Taejong was the very person who attempted a military attack on the island for the first time in history.
King Taejong declared a war against Tsushima island in a formal announcement dated June 9, 1419: "Tsushima island was originally in the Joseon territory. Considering the poor condition of the island, I granted the Japanese could live there, but the ungrateful people steal like dogs and rats, killing our people every year. Formerly, I embraced the wakou out of sympathy, relieving their hunger and even allowing trade, but they invaded us again and killed our innocent people."
King Taejong's anger against the Japanese translated into 17,000 Joseon soldiers on board 227 military ships led by Lee Jong Mu headed to Tsushima island and landed on Aso Bay for battles. The war that ensued cost more than 3,800 lives on the both parties, and ended with the surrender of the Tsushima Lord (daimyo), So Sadamori, on Sept. 29, 1419. This war was called Oei Invasion.
The policymakers concerning with the scrapping of the fisheries agreement by Japan should consider the historical facts in the wake of the Tsushima conquest by Joseon in 1419. Over the following centuries, Tsushima islanders never gave up the two-faced tactic of shamelessly begging for food and then downright pillaging whenever possible.
By Yang Sung Jin (Click Into The Hermit Kingdom)
Source: http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click010.html
Further reading (If you enjoy): Imjin War
1) Japanese Invasion of 1592: http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click012.html2) National Hero, Admiral Lee Soon Shin:http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click013.html3) Historical Facts and Faulty Myths Regarding Gobukseon (The Turtle Ship):http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click014.html

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Since Lee Bang Won, later 3rd king Taejong of Joseon, has made his appearance early in this drama and he also plays an important role here, I think it's better to fully include 5 more articles regarding him. His actor, Ahn Jae Mo, had also taken part in "Tears of the Dragon" as the role of 4th King Sejong of Joseon.

Part 1: King Taejong's Ruthless Instinct for Power
King Taejong, the third monarch of the Joseon Kingdom (reign: 1401- 1418), was decidedly ruthless in seizing and maintaining his power. For a superb nation builder, however, such characteristics are not regarded as a drawback but a rare virtue. Born to a fifth son of Lee Seong Gye, who later founded Joseon, Lee Bang Won (King Taejong's name before taking the throne) led a life marked by epoch-making incidents. In 1383, Lee Bang Won passed the state examination of Koryo Kingdom at age 17 and afterwards visited China as a member of a diplomatic delegation. In March 1392, when his father Lee Seong Gye was hurt in a fall from a horse in Haeju, his political archrival Jeong Mong Ju lost no time in attempting to undercut Lee's power by filing a negative appeal to King Gongyang, the last monarch of the Koryo Kingdom. Sensing his father's impending crisis, Lee Bang Won staged a counter offensive, assassinating Jeong Mong Ju. Thanks to Bang Won's audacious move, Lee Seong Gye's ambition to overthrow the declining Koryo Kingdom moved a step closer to reality. It was Bang Won who urged his father to mount a military attack on Koryo's armed forces, led by General Choi YoungBang Won also removed King Gongyang from the throne and led a drive to make his father king of a new nation. In the process, Bang Won did not spare his sword against powerful opponents. He killed his own brothers, relatives and even those who helped his father seize power. The ambitious prince eventually took the throne himself, having first ordered the assassination of Taejo's designated heir, his youngest son Bang Seok, and then disposing of the rival claim of his elder brother Bang Gan. 
Ruthless Ruler 
Considering the Joseon's underlying succession principle favoring the eldest son, Bang Won was far from the ideal candidate. Despite his shortcomings, King Taejong overcame the bloody political struggle and strove to lay the foundation for his nation-building effort, which culminated in a full-fledged national "take-off'' during the reign of his successor King Sejong. Before actually taking the throne, Bang Won was viewed as a threat to the reform-minded founding members of Joseon. That is why his name was not included in the list of the patriotic elite after Lee Seong Gye founded Joseon, although he took charge of the political and military maneuvering which led to the coup. In 1398, a political faction led by Jeong Do Jeon pushed for the elimination of Bang Won and his allies in the name of putting down opposition in the trouble-ridden northern frontier areas. Venting his pent-up anger, Bang Won staged a sort of a mini revolt, destroying the Jeong's faction and disposing of his brother Bang Seok. In the aftermath of the revolt, Bang Won repeatedly rejected an offer to take on King Taejo's status a heir-apparent, mindful of the volatile political situation. Instead, he climbed up the royal court equivalent of the corporate ladder, taking strategically important jobs and broadening his perspective. It was in 1400 when Bang Won crushed another brother-cum-rival Bang Gan and grabbed the title of crown prince, later assuming control of the military. In the same year, he became the de facto arbiter of national affairs under his brother King Jeongjong (Lee Bang Gwa). Bang Won did away with private armed retinues, attaching their soldiers to the Three Armies Headquarters (Uihung Samgunbu). Bang Won abolished these private armed forces in an effort to establish a centralized government authority. In November 1400, Bang Won finally ascended to the throne, becoming one of the most powerful rulers in the history of the Korean peninsula. 
Power, Power, Power!
Before emerging victorious in the prolonged power struggle, King Taejong engaged in a host of cutthroat political showdowns with his rivals. He knew his grip on authority was always vulnerable to challenges and revolts. Small wonder then that King Taejong embarked on house-cleaning as soon as he snatched up the throne from his brother. In 1404, King Taejong re-opened a three-year-old court case and sent Lee Ko Yi and Lee Cho into exile. Three years later, the king executed his brothers-in-law on charges of disloyalty. In 1409, he dug up the case again and had related figures killed off. While continuing the political purge, King Taejong began to redesign the sprawling government organizations. He changed the Privy Council into a State Council (Uijongbu) with greatly diminished authority and entrusted the overall government administration to six ministries, each authorized to report to the throne directly. The measure greatly improved the authority of the king and the central government's control over local administrations. To lay the foundation for the central government-oriented system, King Taejong had the Six Codes of Governance revised and expanded to reflect these new structural arrangements, creating the Basic Six Codes (Won Yuk Chon) and the Supplemental Six Codes (Sok Yuk Chon). Interestingly, the Annals of King Taejong fail to mention the assassination incident and bloody political struggle with his brothers. Instead, positive remarks (Bang Won was smart, intelligent and quick to learn) or mythical tales (he saw a white dragon in his bedroom a year before taking the throne) make up much of the Annals articles. It seems that King Taejong hoped to be remembered as a great ruler. But history is as ruthless as King Taejong in revealing the truth of how he reached that pinnacle. King Taejong featuring these contents was dramatized in detail by MBC for two years in 1997-98 in the title of "Tears of the Dragon'' (Yoo Dong Geun took the role of king Taejong, while Kim Mu Saeng (father of actor Kim Joo Hyuk) was king Taejo) which was a great hit soap opera.
By Yang Sung Jin (Click Into The Hermit Kingdom)

Source: http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click067.html

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Part 2: King Taejong, A Hunting Enthusiast King Taejong loved hunting. According to articles in historical annals, the king often went out to the fields to chase after wild animals, frustrating court officials who wanted their ruler to stay in the palace. King Taejong's appetite for outdoor activities was indeed peculiar. On Oct. 13 of 1395, when his father Lee Seong Gye ruled as king and was founder of the Joseon Kingdom, Lee Bang Won (King Taejong's name before taking the throne) was nearly killed while engaging in his hobby. "Lee Hwa asked Lee Bang Won to go hunting outside of the West Gate. But when they were hunting together, Lee Bang Won stood face to face with a leopard. When Song Ko Shin rode to rescue Bang-won, the leopard turned away from him and bit Song's saddle. Kam Dok Saeng shot the leopard to death,'' the article said. To the great embarrassment of court officials, King Taejong did not stop hunting even after taking the throne. On June 11, 1402, the Ministry of Rites came up with the novel idea forcing the king to restrain himself. The ministry put forward a formal policy under which the king is required to go hunting near the palace three times a year. However, the regulation was not very effective in reining in the royal hunter.King Taejong sneaked out of the palace under the cover of night to enjoy his hobby. The unusual outing was soon detected by government officials and sparked a chorus of opposition. Saganwon (Office of the Censor-General) filed this appeal to the king in September of 1403: "Your Majesty rode off to a suburban area alone on the 25th day of this month, which shocked each and every citizen of the nation. Please bring the secretaries and servants when Your Majesty goes out of the palace.'' 
Natural Born Hunter 
King Taejong replied, "I did indeed go out that night, because I heard flocks of wild geese approaching the area. But I regret it now.'' As the news of the king's repentance about his over-the-top pursuit of leisure spread, Sahonbu (Office of the Inspector-General) lost no time in filing another appeal. "Now that Your Majesty has become ruler of the nation which champions scholarship, hunting should be avoided because it is likely to harm the integrity of the royal status,'' the Sahonbu said. The Sahonbu's logic favored the pen rather than the sword. However, it failed to turn around King Taejong's steadfast support for hunting. It took only two days before King Taejong ventured out to the hunting ground. On Sept. 28, King Taejong changed his schedule and wandered around the hills near the city of Imjin. A ranking official, Cho So, said, "Your Majesty is hunting while leaving behind the court officials and attaches. It is feared that you might get hurt when falling off near the hills and puddles.""Are you suggesting I have to stop killing living things in accordance with Buddhist principles?'' the king retorted, referring to the harshly persecuted religion. Cho Hyu, another official with a negative view about the king's hobby, attempted to remind the king with his own statement: "Last week, Your Majesty went out alone. Since we implored you not to repeat the mistake, you admitted your mistake. But the hunting resumed in less than a week, which is clearly wrong.'' King Taejong did not want to lose a verbal war with his Confucianism-oriented officials. "Is there any law that blocks the ruler of the nation from hunting?'' the king answered back to Cho's indirect criticism. King Taejong was a highly self-disciplined ruler when it came to power struggles. He knew how to control people, attack his political opponents at the critical moment and maintain amicable relations with supporters. 
An Incurable Appetite for Hunting 
Why did such a sensible man fail to control himself as far as hunting goes? King Taejong himself provided an answer. "I did now grow up in the palace. Although I learned classical literature and happened to obtain the title of gentleman-scholar pursuing the philosophy of Confucius, my forefathers were military generals. Since my childhood, I used to ride a horse and enjoy hunting,'' the king said, according to an article dated Oct. 1 1403. King Taejong's main argument was simple in a way. Now that he was the seemingly undeniable ruler of the nation, he had a right to enjoy hunting from time to time in order to get away from the boring life of the palace. The king did not forget to excuse himself for the night-time hunting scandal: "These days, wild geese are passing the nation and it's also a perfect time for falconry. This cannot be done during the day time and that is why I released the falcons at night.'' King Taejong justified his hobby, arguing that no authoritative book of wisdom bans hunting. "The books just recommend us to avoid excessive hunting,'' he said. The king's unabashed attitude toward hunting, however, suffered a humiliating backlash. On Feb. 8, 1404, King Taejong fell from his horse while chasing after a deer, which was a disgraceful mistake for a self-styled hunter. In 1406, Saganwon filed another appeal to the king, calling for the suspension of hunting once and for all. After reading the lengthy, preachy document about the importance of sharpening one's scholarly mind inside the palace, King Taejong made this witty comment: "Saganwon officials attempt to reveal my weakness and publicize their own lofty fame by making appeals which are about trifle matters at best.'' 
By Yang Sung Jin (Click Into The Hermit Kingdom)
Source: http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click068.html

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Part 3: King Taejong's Rocky Marital Relations with Queen Wonkyong
Jealousy, if it comes as a result of unfaithfulness, is likely to jeopardize a marriage. But back in the Joseon period, the matter was not so simple. Because husbands were generally allowed to keep concubines, a man's wife had little choice but to keep a tight lid on her jealousy. Despite the social strictures, some brave women confronted the issue head-on. The striking example was Queen Wonkyong, wife of King Taejong and mother of King Sejong. Queen Wonkyong was one of the few women of the era who had a palpable impact on the politics of the Joseon Kingdom. Born to Min Chae, a member of the Koryo Kingdom's aristocracy, the Queen played a key role in furthering King Taejong's power at the same time as she raised King Sejong, one of the greatest rulers in the Korean history.Wonkyong's relationship with Taejong was rocky, to say the least. From the outset, the trouble lay in the fact the power-hungry monarch did not want his wife's family to exert any influence in the royal court. To control the burgeoning influence of Queen Wonkyong's allies, King Taejong resorted to successive unions with female members of other prominent families. Concubines were brought in one after another: Hyobin, Shibin, Sonbin, Uibin, Sobin and Sukui. As a result, the total number of King Taejong's offspring reached 29, meant to ensure that he would keep a lock on power in the face of challenges from other members of the royal family. In addition to his host of ladies-in-waiting, the Annals include mention of a number of unidentified women who "served'' King Taejong, which must have duly piqued Queen Wonkyong. The queen was firm in the belief that she had made an indispensable contribution to her husband's ascent to the throne. She thus expected due recognition. But King Taejong was eminently ungracious, taking on new concubine at will and maintaining a ready supply of concubine-candidates in the palace. 
A Woman Scorned 
According to an article dated June 18, 1401, King Taejong provoked the queen's ire by abruptly kicking out 20-odd servants and eunuchs in her service. Queen Wonkyong had been furious with the fact the king tended to pay more attention to virtually anyone around the palace in a skirt than to his beloved wife. As a means of revenge, she harshly disciplined a female servant in whom the king had shown an interest. But the queen's jealous outburst generated nasty repercussions. In the aftermath of the incident, King Taejong expelled all the servants of Queen Wonkyong, an apparent warning against future demonstrations of her jealousy. The royal couple's marriage had begun to come apart at the seams. Curiously, historiographers portrayed Queen Wonkyong as over-jealous: "Not long after the king ascended to the throne, there were few concubines in the palace. Queen Wonkyong, however, was born to be jealous, showing little affection for other people, which pushed the king to take up with other women.'' On March 7, 1402, King Taejong took one of the daughters from court official Kwon Hong as his concubine and Queen Wonkyong lost no time in voicing her dismal with the king's latest infidelity. "The jealousy of Queen Wonkyong deepened further. When the king was about to take on a concubine in a formal ceremony, the queen stepped out and grabbed the king's clothes, desperate to make her case. She did not stop crying and afterward did not eat. She had disease in her heart and the king suspended his handling of state affairs for several days,'' the Annals article said. In her efforts to win back her lost love, Queen Wonkyong urged the king to remember the days when the couple had worked closely to secure the throne. Deteriorating relations between King Taejong and Queen Wonkyong also had a political angle. The king executed relatives of Queen Wonkyong under the pretense of punishing traitors, which dealt a serious blow to the queen's status, not to mention her fragile emotions. 
Power Struggle 
In 1407, Queen Wonkyong's brothers, Min Mu Gu and Min Mu Jil, were impeached on charges of high treason. Desperate to rescue them, she secretly invited the wife of Min Mu Jil to the palace in hopes of resolving the crisis. Unfortunately, the king became aware of the queen's efforts, which was more than an adequate excuse to attack her. King Taejong told his subjects that he had already warned to the queen about the malicious plotting by Min Mu Gu but she did not repent. He continued to say the queen had become upset and made unpardonable remarks. In a show of strong warning, the king decided to move out of the main palace for awhile, which signaled a separation period. Despite the worsening situation, the king did not depose the queen. He restrained himself from taking revenge on her for the Min Mu-gu situation, reminding himself of the fact she was a key backer of his successful bid for supreme power. King Taejong's relations with his wife's family were originally amicable. The Min brothers stood behind King Taejong's political machinations at critical moments. The king even joined a political party formed by his father-in-law, Min Chae, on Dec. 13, 1405. But the high treason case of 1407 permanently severed peaceful ties. Two of Queen Wonkyong's brothers were expelled from the court and put to death. Two others were later hanged for having protested the execution of their siblings. Curiously, King Taejong stipulated in his will that he was to be buried alongside his first wife's tomb. Despite the fact their union was marked by jealousy and hatred, the royal couple was buried at Hunnung Mausoleum in Naegok-dong, Socho-ku, Seoul. 
By Yang Sung Jin (Click Into The Hermit Kingdom)
Source: http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click070.html

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Part 4: King Taejong's Resentment Against Stepmother
Favors may be forgotten but resentment lingers. For King Taejong, that bitter resentment was especially hard to shrug off. Chongnung, a royal mausoleum located at the southeastern foot of Mt. Bukhan in northern Seoul, is vivid proof. Buried in the tomb is Queen Shindeok, second wife of King Taejo who was the father of King Taejong. King Taejo's first wife, Queen Shinui, died one year before he founded the Joseon Kingdom in 1392. Shindok, a daughter of Kang Yun Song, a ranking Koryo Kingdom official, was deeply loved by King Taejo. And that relationship irked King Taejong, who had to witness his own father's unsparing affection for his stepmother.Shindeok rode a wave of revolutionary forces that underpinned the shift of power from Koryo to Joseon. She monopolized the attention of King Taejo and maximized the turbulent situation to expand her political influence. Few women had such knack for political maneuvering. Pulling strings as a member of Koryo's aristocracy, Shindeok persuaded key Koryo officials to pledge allegiance to Joseon's founder, King Taejo. Once the new nation was built, she waged a political battle to have her son Bang Seok appointed as crown prince, defying the festering sentiment of Queen Shinui's sons, including Bang Won, who later became King Taejong. Shindok's ambitious political somersault, however, was short-lived. She died on Aug. 13, 1397, wrapping up her high-profile life and opening the way for a brutal power struggle between royal princes. Grief-stricken, King Taejo built the tomb for his beloved wife in Chong-dong (where the British Embassy is now located) and named it Chongnung. The ruler also established a temple called Hungcheon-sa to the east of the tomb to placate the spirit of his dead wife. 
Bitterness Lingers 
Two years later, the so-called first Revolt of the Prince broke out, shattering Shindeok's dream. Protesting King Taejo's decision that endorsed the son of his second wife as crown prince, Lee Bang Won and his brothers staged a mini coup to expel Bang Seok and his allies. In the process, the Bang Seok faction was entirely removed from the political arena, which dealt a severe blow to King Taejo. Out of despair and shock, King Taejo retired, passing the throne to Bang Gwa, who became the second monarch of the Joseon Kingdom, King Jeongjong (reign: 1398-1400). But the hard-earned political stability did not last long. The ambitious Bang Won defeated the rival claim of his older brother Bang Gan in a fierce street battle in Seoul and grabbed the throne himself, emerging as King Taejong. With political opponents crushed, King Taejong undertook revenge against his over-ambitious stepmother Shindeok. In 1406, the State Council advised King Taejong to build houses near Chongnung, arguing that the tomb site was too large. King Taejong gladly accepted the proposal, allowing affluent yangban aristocrats to construct residential houses. All of a sudden, the wealthy class rushed to carve out their share near the tomb site, cutting pine trees en masse. The violation of the Shindeok's tomb was more than a shock for King Taejo, who was then retired. On May 5 of that year, Taejo visited Hungcheon-sa and performed the Buddhist ritual dedicated to Shindeok. Throughout his rare outing to visit his deceased wife, King Taejo never stopped shedding tears. According to the Annals, while the former ruler and founder of the nation was bursting into tears at the mausoleum, a host of construction projects were under way nearby. But that was the only beginning of the revenge against Chongnung. In 1409, King Taejong decided to move the tomb outside the capital area. As a result, Shindeok's tomb was relocated to the foot of Mt. Bukhan in northern Seoul. 
Relocation of Resentment 
The State Council explained the reason for the relocation: "All the tombs of former kings and queens are located outside the capital area, except for Chongnung. Since Chongnung's location at the heart of Seoul and near the reception office for diplomats is far from appropriate, the relocation should be duly implemented.'' On April 13, 1409, King Taejong took a further step on the issue of Shindeok's remains. He ordered all traces of the former Chongnung site to be cleared. Chongnung's pavilion was disassembled to build another government agency building. Stone structures were removed or buried to eliminate all traces of Shindeok. In 1410, King Taejong placed the tablet of his mother Shinui in the Royal Shrine, establishing her as the sole wife of King Taejo while downgrading Shindeok to the status of royal concubine. Even King Sejong, who succeeded King Taejong, did not view Shindeok in a favorable light. As soon as King Sejong ascended the throne, he ordered the relatives and families of Shindeok to organize a body for her rituals, downgrading them from a national affair. In 1426, King Sejong ordered officials to burn Shindeok's portrait, continuing the revenge handed down from King Taejong. It was only 160 years later that officials floated the idea of restoring the status of disgraced and downgraded Chongnung. Court officials suggested to King Seonjo that Chongnung be restored to the status of a legitimate royal tomb, wrapping up the long-standing animosity and resentment. But the king rejected the offer, urging officials to concentrate on current state affairs, not past incidents. In 1669, Song Shi Yeol, a high-ranking official, filed an appeal calling for the restoration of Chongnung's former glory, which was finally accepted by King Hyeonjong. That concluded the King Taejong-initiated revenge against Shindeok, a bitter end to a feud that had dragged on for a quarter of a millennium.
By Yang Sung Jin (Click Into The Hermit Kingdom)
Source: http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click069.html

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Part 5: King Taejong's Cunning Bid to Cement His Power
Maintaining political power is much more difficult than grabbing it in the first place. That is why so many rulers in both East and West have devised so many clever ways of perpetuating their reigns. This rule applies in particular to those who take the top seat by illegitimated means such as coups or outright murder. Constant anxiety is sure to have led to sleepless nights for many rulers who felt threatened by their unsteady grip on the top job. King Taejong, the third monarch of the Joseon Kingdom, was clearly no stranger to this anxious feeling. In a bid to establish a firm political base to protect his position and block revolt or coup, King Taejong devised what today's historians call a "Shinmungo'' system. Shinmungo was a novel channel through which ordinary citizens could deliver to the king unfiltered complaints about the government or any other kind of information. The system was a highly sophisticated means of communication between the powerful ruler and his citizens, evidently intended to improve the welfare of the nation as a whole. But King Taejong had an ulterior motive for installing and enforcing this supposedly generous channel of communication with his subjects. The chief reason for Shinmungo, at least in its initial stages, was to find and punish traitors. Under the complaint delivery system, an individual or a group of people were encouraged to beat a drum if they wished to file suit to the king directly and those who blew the whistle on traitors were handsomely rewarded. Still unsure about his position as monarch, King Taejong named a successor to the throne a couple of times between 1406 and 1409 in hopes of ferreting out "unfaithful'' subjects. 
Deadly Calculation 
In the process, King Taejong stressed the legitimacy of his supreme power and did away with hidden political dissidents who mistakenly expressed their support for the fake succession. On Aug. 18, 1406, King Taejong declared his wish to retire for the first time. "As the king tried to hand over the throne to the crown prince, a number of officials ventured to stop the process,'' one Annals article revealed. The king, however, insisted on abdicating, citing the repeated natural disasters that had descended on the nation since he took the throne. Royal officials vigorously opposed the king's well-calculated move, saying it was too early for the 13-year-old crown prince to manage the country. Finally, King Taejong sent the royal stamp, which symbolized the kingship, to the crown prince, Yangnyong Taegun, on Aug. 20. As the situation unfolded, court officials began to mull over the best way of capitalizing on the impending power transfer. Some officials stuck to King Taejong (even though their sincerity was somewhat questionable), while others sided with the crown prince, unaware of the vicious trap lurking behind the king's move. As a result, a group of high-ranking officials and even relatives of the royal family were expelled from the court or executed on charges of high treason. Supposed enemies were vanquished and loyal subjects discerned. Having settled the issue in a way which only strengthened his power, King Taejong skillfully withdrew his intention to resign on Aug. 26. The way he chose to announce his decision is intriguing. The king secretly summoned high-ranking official Lee Suk Bon and told him about a recurring dream. "Every night, I see my dead mother and she just keeps weeping and weeping. She even asks why I am trying to starve her. What does it mean?'' the king asked his advisor. 
Lee replied, "This is a clear sign from the deceased queen that if you hand over the throne to the young and fragile crown prince now, the nation is bound to collapse and no one will perform the ancestral worship ritual.'' 
Insatiable Appetite for Power 
On Aug. 10, 1409, King Taejong once again announced his resignation, blaming the frequent natural disasters on his lack of integrity as a ruler. This time around, court officials rushed to demonstrate their undying loyalty to the king, expressing unwavering allegiance. The king wanted to test Lee Suk Bon, who was regarded as one of his most loyal subjects. "These natural disasters have continually wreaked havoc on the nation. I think that's because my contribution to the nation has proved unsatisfactory to heaven,'' the king said. "Devoting all your efforts to handling state affairs was all you could do. I have never heard of a case in which handing over power prematurely saved a nation from natural disasters,''  Lee said. "Then, when can I get this heavy burden out of my heart?'' the king asked, halfheartedly. "Man usually loses his vitality after 50. Therefore, the succession can be delayed until you reach 50,'' Lee said. King Taejong, who had no intention of resigning whatsoever, was startled at Lee's remark, which suggested his reign should be limited to 16 years, a sort of early retirement for a king who wanted to rule as long as possible. Afterward, the king kept a close eye on Lee, questioning his loyalty. Coincidence or not, on June 4, 1416, the "16th'' year of Taejong's reign, Lee Suk Bon was stripped of his rank in the court and banished to the remote village of Hamyang on charges of disobeying the king. King Taejong, respected as one of the chief nation-builders of the Joseon Kingdom, could not overcome the chief flaw of power-hungry rulers -- an insatiable appetite for flattery. 
By Yang Sung Jin (Click Into The Hermit Kingdom)
Source: http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click071.html

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"Jeong Do Jeon", Lee Seong Gye (Yoo Dong Geun) will establish a country with virtue
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Jeong Do Jeon (Jo Jae Hyun) kept convincing Lee Seong Gye (Yoo Dong Geun).
On the eighteenth episode of the KBS 1TV drama "Jeong Do Jeon", Jeong Do Jeon (Jo Jae Hyun) returned to Court with the help of Lee Seong Gye at the age of 43.
Lee Seong Gye told Jeong Do Jeon, "I heard you're going to the Yuan Dynasty. I did as you told me and it really worked."
Jeong Do Jeon said, "When you achieve great work, there will be a time when your efforts will be acknowledged." Lee Seong Gye said, "I don't need great work. I am happy to have paid back my due to you."
When Jeong Do Jeon asked why he didn't want to do something great and Lee Seong Gye said, "Many people would have to die. I don't want blood." Jeong Do Jeon said, "I don't like blood as well but a country built on top of violence will fail because there's no tradition. However, a country built on the hearts of the people will last for a thousand years".
Jeong Do Jeon kept asking how tradition was made and he emphasized that it came from the hearts of the people.
Source: Hancinema, TVDaily.

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"Jeong Do Jeon" - Choi Young (Seo In Seok) gets furious with Lee In Yim (Park Young Gyu)
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Seo In Seok (Choi Young) was furious with Park Young Gyu (Lee In Yim)
On the 20th episode of the KBS 1TV drama "Jeong Do Jeon", Choi Young (Seo In Seok) went to see Lee In Yim (Park Young Gyu) who had made him step away from the clique.
Lee In Yim made him step away from the clique as Choi Young was a threat to his authority. As Choi Young presented justice, Lee In Yim suggested taking the responsibility of financial conditions and withdrawing together.
Choi Young was furious. Lee In Yim said, "Tricking someone for the victory of a goal is a skill, not a crime."
Choi Young yelled as if he was embarrassed, and Lee In Yim said, "How low can you get? Go away like the captain that you are."  Even Lee Seong Gye (Yoo Dong Geun) sided with Lee In Yim and said, "Calm down, you shouldn't do this."
Choi Young turned around and left after saying, "I will not forget this humiliation." 
Source: Hancinema, Newsen.

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"Jeong Do Jeon" Yoo Dong Geun (Lee Seong Gye) and Seo In Seok's (Choi Young) tense stare down. 
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Lee Seong Gye burst at last.
On the 21st episode of the KBS 1TV drama "Jeong Do Jeon", Lee Seong Gye (Yoo Dong Geun) and Choi Young (Seo In Seok) reached the peak of their conflict regarding Lee In Yim's (Park Young Gyu) pardon.
Lee Seong Gye and Choi Young agreed on Lee In Yim's punishment but Choi Young had a change of heart. King Woo pressured Lee Seong Gye to punish Lee In Yim.
Lee Bang Won (Ahn Jae Mo) worried that Lee Seong Gye would be called cold-hearted for not agreeing with Lee In Yim's pardon, but Lee Seong Gye said, "If I was afraid of what people said, I shouldn't be doing this."
Lee Seong Gye heard that punishment was being sentenced even though the case wasn't over yet and he went to speak with Choi Young who tried to convince him to let it go just this once. Lee Seong Gye didn't want to calm down and glared at Choi Young.
Meanwhile, Lee In Yim smiled at the thought of growing sympathy for him.
Source: Hancinema, reviewstar.hankooki

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"Jeong Do Jeon" Yodong is Koryo's land
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The Ming Dynasty envoys didn't agree.
On the 24th episode of the KBS 1TV drama "Jeong Do Jeon", envoys from the Mind Dynasty visited the Koryo.
Everyone was in confusion as the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty had asked for the area of Yodong (North Hamgyong of North Korea) and the envoys were against it.
One of them told King Woo (Park Jin Woo) that he would establish an army base in Yodong and the others were shocked.
Jeong Mong Ju (Im Ho) and Lee Saek (Park Ji Il) tried to convince them but they didn't listen and claimed those two were being stubborn.
The government officials voiced out saying, "We will take back the land we lost to Yuan but the envoys didn't give in."
Meanwhile, Lee Seong Gye (Yoo Dong Geun) went to see Choi Young who was training the army.
Source: Hancinema, reviewstar.hankooki

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Guest Daduxing

Hi
Does anyone know if KBSworld will release anymore english subtitles? I don't understand why they stopped releasing them.
Any updates?

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No. This drama with English subtitles is currently on air in KBS World (at 9:40pm Sat, Sun) and going up to episode 14 the previous week, but... seems like it hasn't been uploaded on the internet yet. Till now, there's only episode 1 with subtitles available.
"Jeong Do Jeon" Park Young Gyu is bold despite his banishment
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Lee In Yim made a surprise appearance.
On the KBS 1TV drama "Jeong Do Jeon", Lee Seong Gye (Yoo Dong Geun) wanted the withdrawal of troops and King Woo (Park Jin Woo) wanted conquest.
Lee In Yim (Park Young Gyu), who was banished, was enjoying fishing. When the children around him asked why he couldn't catch anything, he told them, "I'm fishing the years."
On his return home, he ran into Sim-bok.
When he heard about the request of retreat by Lee Seong Gye, he said, "Jeong Gook is going to be in confusion" and smiled. This was the perfect timing for him to return.
Lee In Yim chewed on the bugs he used as bait for fishing. Sim-bok also seemed disgusted by Lee In Yim who was already in deep thought.
Meanwhile, Lee Seong Gye was denied of troop withdrawal twice and was deplored.
Credit: Hancinema, Reviewstar.hankooki.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just a brief message...
It is very good news that true historical drama "Jeong Do Jeon" eventually becomes successful anyhow. Indeed, its viewership ratings has reached another peak at 16 ~ 17% - moreover, currently maintain its position in top 5; and at least, top 10 in the weekend show's chart. =D> :-bd
On the other hand, there's no news about the future drama which will take place after Jeong Do Jeon ends. Thus, I've read about the other upcoming 2014 sageuk dramas and... quite disappointed since there's none of them will be true historicals, they are all fictional. =((

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New costume drama for Nam.
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Actor Nam Seong Jin, of "Dae Jo Yeong" (2006) and "Gwanggaeto the Great" (2011), will join another costume drama, this time "Jeong Do Jeon", according to local reports yesterday.
(*Costume drama: A costume drama or period drama is a period piece in which elaborate costumes, sets and properties are featured in order to capture the ambience of a particular era.)
The 43-year-old actor will play King Gongyang, the last king of the Koryo Dynasty (918-1392). 
"He has just started shooting and, as he is the last king of Goryeo, he will show fierce conflicts with Lee Seong Gye [the founder of Joseon Dynasty]," said the actor's agency, Urban Works Entertainment. 
"He will try to convey a different side of King Gongyang by showing the character's weak and fragile emotions."
"Jeong Do Jeon", which airs on weekends at 9:40 p.m., has earned much praise for its authenticity. However, last weekend's episodes were canceled due to the Sewol ferry tragedy. 
Credit: hancinema, KoreaJoongAngDaily.

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"Jeong Do Jeon" Seo In Seok (Choi Young)'s final will
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Seo In Seok (Choi Young) left his will to Yoo Dong Geun (Lee Seong Gye)
On the 32nd episode of the KBS 1TV drama "Jeong Do Jeon", Lee Seong Gye (Yoo Dong Geun) closed his eyes at the visors' opinions that Choi Young (Seo In Seok) should be beheaded. Lee Seong Gye said, "He already received his punishment. He was tortured and driven away from this land."
Jeong Mong Ju (Im Ho) also said, "Still, what must be done should be done. This is for the sake of the envoys and the stable relationship of two countries. He would understand that." Choi Young was sent to the capital city and left Lee Seong Gye in prison for the last time.
Lee Seong Gye said, "I won't say anything. I want to ask you for forgiveness and understanding."
Choi Young said, "I didn't call you here to criticize you. This is what the heavens want. I want you to do something for me. I am going to become a ghost that protects the Koryo. I want you to be the watch man. Will you do that for me?"
"I've always thought of you as a son and I hope you will do as I ask as it is my will."
However, Lee Seong Gye couldn't answer right away. Instead he said, "I will tell you this. I will make a better world. I will do so that I won't be ashamed to see you in the other world."
Credit: Hancinema, Newsen

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