[Drama 2015] KBS - The Book of Corrections 징비록

[WingLiner]

3rd teaser is also released, with Ryu Seong Ryong in prison clothing. The other scenes are featured in the trailer.

(I re-upload this one in case the original video is region restricted.)

[valsava]

@mannschaft,  Thanks for the article and the video almost makes me want to watch admiral lee again.. 

[Guest charles91]

How nice and generous of you guys to provide informative piece of writings that reveal many historical facts being unknown to non-Korean viewers like us. It's much better to watch serious sageuks featuring actual men, their actions & feelings; sounds like they are walking out of the books.
Ryu Seong Ryong was like Jeong DoJeon as he witnesses the extreme suffering of people during wars and atrocities, the heroes died one after another, and talented men were trampled on. Ryu was lonely, no one actually helped him. He was put in a much more helpless situation than Jeong DoJeon, he could only write books to express his inner feelings after being kicked out of the court. Kim Sang Joong's expressions here are excellent. I'm really eager for this one; don't know if he has joined historical before, but he was very good in City Hunter and The Chaser. I've known this drama because his name is on the casting list.
It's fine if they don't put Admiral Lee here, we've seen enough of the naval battles and we are looking for something new. Hope this drama will be filling the missing parts being unseen in the past dramas.
Anyway, I wonder if anyone will be sitting home in weekend Valentine to watch historical... 

Keep the great work going guys! See ya all later.

[WingLiner]

3 more days to go...
First preview: 

[valsava]

@mannschaft,  Thanks for that first preview it looks so intense 

[WingLiner]

Kim Hye-Eun in "Jing Bi-rok" wears a heavy head wig


Actress Kim Hye-eun looked elegant in her palace Hanbok.
Kim Hye-eun stars in the new KBS 1TV drama "Jing Bi-rok" as Royal Kim and she said, "The pressure on my shoulders is as heavy as this wig".
Kim Hye-eun said, "This isn't my first historical but it's my first epic drama and I've always wanted to do it. It's a good chance for me and I studied a lot of history because of it. The writer even said I know more than she does. Everyone here is doing their best. This is the first time wearing a traditional wig; it's putting pressure on my neck so I'm doing yoga". She is the only woman on the set and she was too on the set of "Nameless Gangster" so she knows the drill. "I need to prepare a lot of snacks" she says.
When asked about her concerns about acting and the direction she sees herself going she said, "Kim was considerate of her father Seonjo's concerns and was adored for her wisdom. I try to make her look outstanding and I hope the viewers see her that way, too".
"Jing Bi-rok" is about Ryu Seung-ryong who suffers from the Japanese invasion for 7 years and decides that the country must be prepared at all times for any foreign attacks even in the future. The story is based on his very own novel.
The drama is produced by Kim Sang-hwi and written by Jeong Hyung-soo (along with his partner, writer Jeong Ji Yeon).
(Kim Hye Eun joined "Kim Suro, The Iron King" & "Heaven's Soldiers" non-Joseon period, she didn't have to wear such heavy wig.)
Credit: hancinema.

[WingLiner]

Konishi Yukinaga himself was most famous for defending Suncheon castle with 14,000 soldiers against the Joseon-Ming alliance with 54,500 soldiers and 4 generals Lee Soon Shin, Kwon Yul, Chen Lin, Liu Ting (nearly 4 times bigger than Japanese forces). The alliance suffered heavy casualties and eventually retreated. Victory went to the Japanese.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Suncheon
Videos from "Immortal Lee Soon Shin." (Lee Soon Shin will not make appearance in person in "Jingbirok.")
1/3

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[WingLiner]

Assumed brief description of the events featured in the trailer (I'm not quite sure but this narrative somehow reflects the situation)
In 1587, Hideyoshi sent the first envoy Yutani Yasuhiro to Korea, which was during the rule of King Seonjo to re-establish diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan (broken since the Japanese pirate raid in 1555), which Hideyoshi hoped to use as a foundation to induce the Korean court to join Japan in a war against China. Yasuhiro, with his warrior background and an attitude disdainful of the Korean officials and their customs, failed to receive the promise of future ambassadorial missions from Korea.(In the trailer, maybe Hideyoshi ordered Kato Kiyomasa to kill failure envoy member after tossing a scissor over his face.)
Around May 1589, Hideyoshi's second embassy, consisting of So Yoshitoshi (or Yoshitomo), Yanagawa Shigenobu and Buddhist monk Genso reached Korea and secured the promise of a Korean embassy to Japan in exchange for a group of Korean rebels which had taken refuge in Japan.
The So clan (So Sadamori), who agreed to engage in trading with Joseon from the Tsushima Treaty after the Oei invasion conducted under king Taejong Lee Bang Won's reign. Despite Hideyoshi's order to force Joseon's submission, the So clan neglected the order and tried to prevent conflicts with Joseon; Yoshitoshi reduced his visit to Joseon, and even introduced Joseon's court of "musket." Ryu Seong Ryong suggested advocating musket into Joseon's military, but the Korean court failed to realize its potency. In contrast, the Japanese often deployed the musket (arquebus) in combination with archery in war. That's why Joseon's forces were almost wiped off in most assaults.
Ryu Seong Ryong's description of Joseon's military: "not one in a hundred [Korean generals] knew the methods of drilling soldiers. The rise in ranks depended far more on social connections than military knowledge. Korean soldiers were disorganized, ill-trained and ill-equipped, and they were used mostly in construction projects such as building castle walls."
During the period between the 1st and 2nd invasions, the Korean government had a chance to examine the reasons why they had been easily overrun by the Japanese. Ryu SeongRyong, the Prime Minister, [constantly] spoke out about the Korean disadvantages.
Ryu pointed out that Korean castle defenses were extremely weak, a fact which he had already pointed out before the war. He noted how Korean castles had incomplete fortifications and walls that were too easy to scale. He also wanted cannons set up in the walls. Ryu proposed building strong towers with gun turrets for cannons. Besides castles, he wanted to form a line of defenses in Korea. In this kind of defense, the enemy would have to scale many walls in order to reach Seoul.
Ryu also pointed out how efficient the Japanese army was, since it took them only one month to reach Seoul, and how well organized they were. Ryu noted how the Japanese moved their units in complex maneuvers, often weakening the enemy with arquebuses, then attacking with melee weapons.
Source: wikipedia

[Ryu's straight personalities were considered thorns in other officials' eyes. A few people supported him (Jeong Cheol, Lee San Hae...) but most officials wanted to kick him out as soon as possible.]
Further reading:
http://koreanhistoryproject.org/Ket/C12/E1202.htmhttp://koreanhistoryproject.org/Ket/C12/E1201.htm
Source: Korean History Project/Korea in the Eyes of the Tiger
Japan - Korea: 1597 A year that lives in infamy (from NYTimes)
http://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/14/world/japan-korea-and-1597-a-year-that-lives-in-infamy.html
Reflecting the robbery & atrocities the Japanese troops committed during the Imjin War. They took priceless porcelain technology from Korea; they burn the storehouse of valuable records/writings. They even cut ears & noses from Korean corpses (soldiers & citizens) as war booties. The macabre Ear Mound & Nose Mound remains in Kyoto, Japan till now and it provokes intense objections. Anyway, there are still Koreans & Japanese coming to pay homage to the war victims.

[WingLiner]

Gwanghaegun Rebuilds Nation Torn Apart by War
By Yang Sung-jin 
With NATO's airstrikes pummeling the Yugoslav capital, Belgrade, the horror of the Balkan war continues to generate headlines around the globe. Whatever will happen later, it is innocent citizens that have been the most victimized in the brutal war. 
Gwanghaegun, the 15th monarch of the Choson Kingdom, knew what war meant to ordinary people. He was appointed as Crown Prince in April 1592, when the nation was in the midst of war with Japan. While witnessing the horrifying scenes of the war in person, Gwanghaegun underwent a painful experience himself. In the Choson Kingdom, Crown Prince-appointees had to get approval from China to secure legitimacy as a ruler. Ming China's Emperor declined to approve Gwanghaegun, citing his background: he was the second son of King Seonjo's concubine and his elder brother, Imhaegun, was still alive. King Seonjo dispatched a diplomatic delegation to Nanjing, the capital of the Chinese dynasty, to settle the issue on Dec. 25, 1595. In the letter addressed to the Chinese Emperor, the king stated, "Imhaegun has been disqualified as a future ruler. When the Japanese invaded in 1592, he was sent off to Hamgyeong-do, northern frontier province, to defend the nation, only to be defeated by the enemy.'' In contrast, King Seonjo began to list what his second son achieved during the war: "Gwanghaegun arrived in the city of Icheon, braving fog and thorny forests. He raised tens of thousands of people within 10 days and deterred the enemy from advancing further.'' The king made three requests for official approval from China, all of which were flatly rejected. In 1604, King Seonjo sent another delegation to Ming China in an attempt to resolve the issue of recognizing Gwanghaegun, only to be turned down again. With the conflict souring relations with China, King Seonjo welcomed a new queen known as Inmok in 1602. Four years later, the queen gave birth to a baby boy, Yongchangdaegun. 
Throne Thrown Into Question 
King Seonjo, who had had no other option but Gwanghaegun as Crown Prince, changed his mind on the issue at the sight of his "legitimate'' son. This unexpected new development left court officials divided into two factions: one for Yongchangdaegun and the other for Gwanghaegun. If King Seonjo had lived long enough to cement the position of Yongchangdaegun in the palace, history may have been re-written with Gwanghaegun pushed into the background. But that was not what happened since King Seonjo died two years after he saw his new son. Lying on his deathbed, King Seonjo realized he could not pass the throne on to his now three-year-old baby. In January of 1608, King Seonjo issued a formal statement declaring that Gwanghaegun would become the next king, ending the lengthy controversy among officials. Interestingly, the person who received the statement and was supposed to announce it in public was Yu Yong Gyeong, the leader who supported Yongchangdaegun. With King Seongjo bordering on death, Yu hid the document at his house to manipulate the situation. But Yu's ambitious plot was uncovered by Jeong In Hong and other officials, who pushed for Gwanghaegun as the next king. Confusion ensued and the Jeong In Hong faction capitalized on the incident to dominate the trouble-laden court. When King Seonjo died, Queen Inmok issued a public statement confirming Gwanghaegun as king on Feb. 2, 1608. Gwanghaegun was 34. The turbulent process of ascending to the throne as well as the devastating war with Japan influenced Gwanghaegun's mindset deeply. Perhaps that was why Gwanghaegun favored a diplomatic policy centered on the interest and welfare of the Choson people in the following years. Gwanghaegun stressed not only diplomatic shrewdness but also the practical power of the nation, namely national wealth. In the early stages of his reign, Gwanghaegun recruited officials from every faction as long as the person in question showed competitive ability. 
Taedongpop 
But the task was easier said than done. The war with Japan turned the entire nation into a wasteland, transforming farmers into wandering beggars. The absolute volume of arable land shrank dramatically, sending the productivity of farming into a tailspin. What Gwanghaegun undertook to overcome these challenges was to overhaul the taxation system, which favored the aristocrat and placed a heavy burden on ordinary citizens. Worse, many land registries had been destroyed and the number of "hidden'' fields not subject to taxation had increased. Particularly painful for farmers was the tribute tax, a hotbed of corruption. So Gwanghaegun implemented "Taedongpop'" (Uniform Land Tax Law) in 1608 in order to replace the tribute tax. The new tax system was first carried out in Gyeonggi province before being gradually extended to other regions. Although the government continued to collect tribute products from the peasants whenever necessary, the tribute tax system was effectively replaced by land-based taxation, a change that benefited the populace. On the diplomatic front, Gwanghaegun adopted a realistic line toward Japan, a nation which invaded Choson. Though bitterness was deeply ingrained in the Choson court, Gwanghaegun re-established formal relations with Japan in June of 1609. He also rebuilt the History Archives and printed a number of books aimed at enlightening the public. In distributing the books published by the administration, Gwanghaegun ordered a speedy process: "In the past, the king ordered the distribution of books, which took a couple of years. From now on, the books should be sent off to each region right away.'' Gwanghaegun's efforts to rebuild a nation torn apart by war deserve attention -- especially by those embroiled in a Balkan war whose end is nowhere in sight. 
Source: http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click060.html

[WingLiner]

Gwanghaegun: Reformer or Tyrant?
By Yang Sung-jin 
Gwanghaegun (reign: 1608-1623), the 15th monarch of the Choson Kingdom, is an intriguing, almost puzzling, figure in the eyes of today's historians. Gwanghaegun was one of two monarchs who were disgracefully downgraded to "gun" (or "prince") along with the notorious tyrant Yeonsangun (reign: 1494-1506). All other kings retained the formal royal titles, "jo" or "jong."Gwanghaegun was forced to step down in a 1623 coup orchestrated by a group of reform-minded politicians, including the prince who would succeed him and become King Injo. 
(In 1623, members of the ultra-conservative Westerners faction, Kim Ja Jeom, Kim Ryu, Yi Gwi, and Yi Gwal, launched a coup that resulted in the dethroning of Gwanghaegun, who was sent into exile on Jeju Island. Jeong In Hong and Yi Yi Cheom were killed, and followed suddenly by the Westerners replacing the Greater Northerners as the ruling political faction. The Westerners brought Injo to the palace and crowned him as the new King of Joseon. Although Injo was king, he did not have any authority since almost all of the power was held by the Western faction that dethroned Gwanghaegun.
Wikipedia)
Following this, the official annals of the king were lowered to that of "Gwanghaegun Diary."On closer inspection, however, the diary describes the king as a highly realistic ruler well versed in the mechanics of East Asian geopolitics. A number of articles point to Gwanghaegun's laudable efforts to set a healthy social order while promoting national wealth and power. Contrary to the general perception, King Injo's reign was worse than other kings. For instance, Gwanghaegun implemented an array of public projects aimed at rebuilding the nation torn apart by the Japanese invasion (1592-98). He also re-opened diplomatic relations with Japan in an effort to nurture peace across the Ming China (1368-1644) and Japan. Despite China's repeated calls for the Choson ruler's participation in a war between its Ming Dynasty and the emerging Qing Dynasty, Gwanghaegun used his diplomatic skills to delay entering the escalating conflict, ultimately protecting the Choson people from the war. Meanwhile, King Injo, upon ascending to the throne, executed those who upheld the mainstream policy of "equidistant diplomacy" as he opted for a pro-Ming line. King Injo's open bid to side with Ming China invited the devastating invasions by the Qing Dynasty twice, in 1627 and 1636. As a result, he had to accept direct responsibility for his kingdom's involvement in those conflicts. In addition, some 200,000-500,000 Choson women were taken by the Qing government as slaves to compensate for the reckless diplomacy of the Choson kings. 
(I feel very sorry for the women. They were sold like goods for the sake of stupid high-ranking men.JTBC historical "Cruel Palace, Wars of Flowers" stated there were more than ten thousands Joseons were captured as POWs & enslaved in labor works after the Joseon-Manchu war during king Injo's reign.)
Judge-Me-Not 
All told, the country was just that much worse off thanks largely to King Injo, who should have done more for the welfare of the nation. At least, that is what some historians believe in their re-assessment of the trouble-laden era. Whether such an argument is viable in the long run is arguable at best. What's certain, however, is that Gwanghaegun's life is worth taking a closer look at from birth to coronation to dethronement. Gwanghaegun was born the second son of King Seonjo and concubime Kongbim Kim, in April of 1575. At age 18, he was designated as the official Crown Prince and became king on Feb. 2, 1608, beginning his near 15-year-long reign. Dragged down from the throne by political opponents, Gwanghaegun was expelled to Jeju Island, the largest island off the Korean peninsula, where he led a solitary life until his death in 1641 at 67. Brief as it was, his reign was entangled in a web of significant historical upheavals that shook the social and political order of the times from top to bottom. When first appointed as the Crown Prince on April 28, 1592, the nation was on the verge of being attacked by Japan. King Seonjo, a shrewd ruler who had long delayed the formal announcement of his successor as a political play against anxious officials, had no other option but to make his decision known in the face of outpowering troops armed with the state-of-the-art rifles. On that particular day, King Seonjo was filled with anxiety. "Since the nation is in deep trouble, we have to appoint the Crown Prince. Who do you think is fit for the job?" - the king asked his officials. "It is entirely up to Your Majesty"  was their reply. 
Royal Intelligence 
King Seonjo was far from making a decision. The excruciating delay blocked court officials, including Prime Minister Lee San Hae, from returning to their homes. King Seonjo finally disclosed his preference, saying "Since Gwanghaegun is very intelligent and fond of studying, I will appoint him as the Crown Prince." All the officials immediately stood up and made a deep bow to the throne in a show of respect for the king's decision. The formal royal statement following the public announcement for prince's elevation offers a glimpse of the character of the newly-appointed Crown Prince "Gwanghaegun is intelligent and thorough in scholarly pursuit. He is also known for his unwavering filial piety. Therefore, appointing him as the Crown Prince is predestined."But the matter was more complicated than seemed. For one thing, Gwanghaegun was not a son of the official queen, a factor that raised the issue of qualifications. Second, he was the second son of one of the king's concubines. At the time, the eldest son was given the priority in major affairs including the appointment of the Crown Prince. In addition, Crown Prince-appointees had to get approval from the Ming Dynasty in order to secure legitimacy as ruler. Understandably, Gwanghaegun's qualifications were viewed as "outrageous" by Ming China's emperor and his officials. Finding fault with Gwanghaegun's background, Ming China balked at issuing a formal recognition of the Crown Prince, a sorry development that placed strong pressure on a Choson court dying to get on with defense of the nation against the Japanese army. 
Source: http://www.sungjinyang.com/history/click059.html

[WingLiner]

More stuff coming next week.
Excerpts from "The Imjin War" by Samuel Hawley describing the use of musket (or "arquebus") within Japan & their invasion campaigns.
It was at this time that the musket first appeared in Japan. Prior to this, warfare not just in Japan but in the Western world as well had remained substantially unchanged for nearly two thousand years, each generation going into battle with essentially the same bows and swords and arrows and spears. Indeed, as military historian Gwynne Dyer has observed, “competent professional armies chosen at random from anywhere between 500 B.C. and AD. 1500 would stand a roughly equal chance against each other—and that span of years could probably be pushed all the way back to around 1500 B.C. (the time of Megiddo) if the early armies were allowed to exchange their bronze weapons for iron ones.”  The introduction of the musket into sengoku Japan challenged and ultimately shattered this longstanding equilibrium.---------The Japanese army of invasion that had assembled at Nagoya by April of 1592 was a formidable force, the Darwinian end product of more than a century of civil war that saw traditional military thought give way to more practical methods of killing. The way of the samurai was still considered glorious, quality horseflesh was still appreciated, and the finely crafted katana sword was still a highly valued thing. But they were no longer the mainstay in Japanese warfare. The lightweight arquebus had changed all that. It was relatively cheap to manufacture. It shot further than a bow, and more important, packed a greater armor-piercing punch at the closer distances preferred in battle, usually one hundred meters or less. It was easy to use; an uneducated framer could be taught to handle one effectively in just a few weeks. It did not demand the same degree of intestinal fortitude to wield in battle as did short weapons such as the sword and spear; Japanese arquebusiers commonly dud their work from behind protective cover… 
The ashigaru were equipped with swords and spears and bows in addition to lightweight muskets. A portion of these traditional weapons came from the various sword hunts Hideyoshi had conducted over the previous few years to disarm the peasantry of Japan. His edict of 1589 had declared that all weapons turned in would be used in the construction of the great Buddha in Kyoto, but the stipulation that swords were to be collected together with their scabbards indicates that they were to be stored for future use, not melted down to make nails and bolts. One source states that a total of 5,000 battle axes, 100,000 long swords, 100,000 short swords, 100,000 spears and 500,000 daggers were collected through sword hunts and daimyo requisitions and transported to Nagoya. This figure is undoubtedly inflated, but it is safe to say that Hideyoshi’s army was generously supplied with traditional weapons. 
Such was not the case with muskets. Subsequent letters sent home from Korea by Japanese commanders would repeatedly state that they had more than enough swords and spears and arrows and did not want any more. What they needed were more muskets. To the Koreans, the invading Japanese seemed well equipped with these feared weapons; one source opined they had 300,000 of them. This is a very unlikely figure. The exact number is not known, but inferences can be made from correspondence of the period. In his 1591 letter of requisition to the Kyushu daimyo Shimazu Yoshihiro, for example, Hideyoshi ordered that he arm 1,500 of his men with muskets, 1,500 with bows, and 500 with spears. Considering that the Shimazu contributed about 10,000 men to the invasion, and that no more than half this number were full-time fighting men (the rest would have been engaged primarily in logistical and support work), this would suggest that fifteen percent of his total force, or thirty percent of his fighting strength, was equipped with personal firearms. Applying this percentage to the total number of 158,800 Japanese soldiers sent to Korea, a more realistic total of roughly 24,000 muskets is obtained—still a crushing advantage over the Koreans, who had seen their first “dog leg” only the year before. 
Joseon firstly called "musket" the "dog leg." 
Joseon had more cannons and their artillery techniques were better than the Japanese in naval battles & ground assaults. However, the Japanese exploited Joseon's mountainous terrains to conduct a quick blitz by musket armed forces; and with musket & fighting experience from the Warring periods, they would be able to advance faster & further into Joseon's inland, thus didn't let Joseon had enough free time to gather their senses & forces together.
Joseon & Ming had an aristocracy that doesn't value military men, so the appointments are more political than talents. As such, the leadership of the army seems to be almost as ill-suited as the troops. The soldiers neglected training and both Joseon & Ming forces suffered heavy casualties after each battles. Therefore, in the first stage of the Imjin War, they were in serious numerical disadvantage compared to the Japanese.
First episode tomorrow! ><
Source: http://forums.samurai-archives.com/viewtopic.php?t=2719

[valsava]

@mannschaft,  Thanks for the videos and the new article I'm so ready for this drama the more you post the excited I become Thanks My Chinggu..  You know I always had wonder why the japanses that they had killed at that time they never showed the Koreans confiscating the dead weapons..   

[WingLiner]

Hope everyone has a great time with your loved ones on Valentine's Day. :x
(It's Feb 14th, 3:25pm in my country, Vietnam. VN's time-zone is 2 hours before Korea; if it's 9:40pm in Korea, it's 7:40pm in mine.)
First episode tonight! It's said this drama will be featuring new stories that weren't told in "Immortal Lee Soon Shin," hope it's getting along well with the new stuff... =D>
Japanese TV station NHK is sponsoring "Jing Bi-rok" team of Japanese costumes and filming set. The Osaka Castle built by Hideyoshi is also included, this castle also appeared in MBC "The Imjin War" 1985-86.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osaka_Castle

NHK is the same as KBS in Korea, as NHK is also in charge of producing yearly historical dramas, called "jidaigeki" (or "taiga drama.")

NHK has just done "Gunshi Kanbei"  last year - it's about an excellent & famous strategist Kuroda Kanbei (birthname: Kuroda Yoshitaka)  who served and helped Hideyoshi to achieve the goal of unifying Japan.
valsava said: @mannschaft,  Thanks for the videos and the new article I'm so ready for this drama the more you post the excited I become Thanks My Chinggu..  You know I always had wonder why the japanses that they had killed at that time they never showed the Koreans confiscating the dead weapons..   

[Guest biikryunri]

Any info available on when it will air on KBS World? Date and time?

[WingLiner]

biikryunri

said: Any info available on when it will air on KBS World? Date and time?

[valsava]

Hello All My streaming site was lagging to bad this morning so will have to watch from a site I hope it comes from a lot of traffic and give the first episode good ratings

[WingLiner]

@valsava: Thanks for the roses. :x
Jing bi-rok's opening.

[eunsuhae]

I am almost ashamed I haven't known about the existence of this sageuk until today, why is it that no one ever talks about the real good stuff? why?  ~X( It's a historical drama in true old fashion with a stellar cast, yes please I am definitely in!What are the chances to find this with subs on streaming sites?

[WingLiner]

eunsuhae said: I am almost ashamed I haven't known about the existence of this sageuk until today, why is it that no one ever talks about the real good stuff? why?  ~X( It's a historical drama in true old fashion with a stellar cast, yes please I am definitely in!What are the chances to find this with subs on streaming sites?

[valsava]

@mannschaft,  Hi,  Thanks for letting me know about the ratings no wonder my streaming site was lagging real bad and I had login real early but happy the ratings went into double digits for the first episode..