❈ Korean Drama ❈ Ballad of Seodong/ Seodongyo

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Title: Ballad of Seodong/ Seodongyo / Ballad of Suh Dong
# Episode: 55 Genre: Historical Romance
Director: Lee Byung Hoon  
Writer: Kim Young Hyun (also wrote Dae Jang Geum, Queen Seondeok)
Release: September 2005
Broadcasting Company: SBS
Cast: Jo Hyun Jae as Jang/Seodong, Lee Bo Young as Princess Sunhwa of Shilla,Ryu Jin as Kim Do Han/SaTaek Giroo, Koo Hye Sun as Eun Jin

Introduction:
Set during the Korea's Three Kingdoms period, this drama is loosely based on one of Korea's oldest folk songs. Jang was the illegitimate son of a Baekje king and a court dancer. He spent his childhood days selling sweet potatoes in the streets to help his mother earn a living and consequently earned the nickname Seodong or "potato boy." With the help of Princess Sunhwa, the youngest daughter of the King of the Shilla Kingdom, he went on to become the King of Baekje against all odds. (Partial credit to dramawiki)

This story isn't your typical poor boy falls in love with beautiful princess. It's actually the assertive princess who pursues the poor boy. The rational boy, however, tries to reject their growing feelings because he is keenly aware of the tragic consequences of their union. Jang isn't a lovesick boy who will do anything for love. He's actually very calm, albeit too idealistic, and quite subtly stoney in his approach to love. But once he makes a decision to love a woman, he ignores all temptations, remains adamantly devoted, and never wavers his heart.
Comment:
I think I'm undergoing some nostalgic phase in my drama watching career because I've been revisiting old dramas/movies I watched years ago instead of watching new ones. Ballad of Seodong remains one of my favorite Korean dramas even though production was rather budgeted. There is nothing fancy and no new plot devices to stimulate your brains. I love this drama solely for the purity of the love it depicted between Jang and Princess Sunhwa.  The first six episodes are dedicated to the childhood setup, but I personally didn't find the writing of the childhood "love" very convincing. Unlike Queen Seondeok and The Moon Embracing the Sun, which have an excellent child cast, the child actors and sometimes even the adult actors for Ballad of Seodong aren't cringe-proof. Despite its flaws and various historical inaccuracies that still bug me today, this drama manages to hold enough "odd magic" to make me rewatch it again and again.

Official MV "Joy" (sorry about the poor video quality. Couldn't find a better version)

Official MV of subtheme song "Hae-mil"
Download:
Resolution  640x352
Episode 1 || English Subtitles 
Episode 2 || English Subtitles
Episode 3 || English Subtitles
Episode 4 || English Subtitles
Episode 5 || English Subtitles
Episode 6 || English Subtitles
Episode 13 || English Subtitles
Episode 14 || English Subtitles
Episode 19 || English Subtitles

Total of 55 episodes for me to upload. I don't remember who put together the English subtitles, but if you find any errors, please let me know and I'll try to fix the subtitles.

Pretty screencaps attack!

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