''Gunman in Joseon'' () is a 2014 South Korean television series starring

Lee Joon-gi Lee Joon-gi (; born 17 April 1982) is a South Korean actor, singer, and dancer. He rose to fame on his first leading role playing a clown in the critically acclaimed film '' The King and the Clown'' (2005) and gained further recognition in the ...

Nam Sang-mi Nam Sang-mi (; born May 3, 1984) is a South Korean actress. Career Nam was working in a Lotteria restaurant near Hanyang University in the fall of 2001 when someone posted her personal photos on the internet. Her popularity as an ulzzang led ...

Jeon Hye-bin Jeon Hye-bin (; born September 27, 1983), also known as BIN, is a South Korean actress, singer and model. In 2002, she began her career as singer of the short-lived, three-member girl group LUV. However, the group disbanded the following year d ...

, Han Joo-wan, and

Yu Oh-seong Yu Oh-seong (born September 11, 1966) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in '' Beat'' (1997), '' Attack the Gas Station'' (1999), ''Friend'' (2001) and ''Champion'' (2002). Career Yu Oh-seong made his stage debut in 1992, a ...

. It aired on

KBS2 KBS 2TV is a South Korean free-to-air Free-to-air (FTA) services are television (TV) and radio services broadcast in unencrypted form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen ...

from June 25 to September 4, 2014 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 22 episodes.

Synopsis

The story begins in 1876, the third year of

Emperor Gojong Gojong (; 8 September 1852 – 21 January 1919), personal name Yi Myeongbok (), later Yi Hui (), also known as the Gwangmu Emperor (), was the penultimate List of monarchs of Korea, Korean monarch. He ruled Korea for 43 years, from 1864 to 19 ...

's reign. It is a time of great upheaval and rapid modernization, with conflict brewing between the two leading political factions, the ''Sugu'' (conservative) and the '' Kaehwa'' (enlightenment). Those on the ''Kaehwa'' side support Gojong's enlightenment policies during this time of change;

Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

was known as a

hermit kingdom The term hermit kingdom is an epithet used to refer to any country, organization or society that willfully isolate itself off, either metaphorically or physically, from the rest of the world. North Korea is the most commonly cited example of a her ...

through the nineteenth century, keen to isolate itself from foreign influence. In previous years, Joseon had rejected Western overtures to open trade lines, which had led to military clashes with American and French forces. While newer ideology advocated a more open policy, it had yet to take root. Adding to the mounting tensions, recently Gojong's ''Kaehwa'' supporters have begun, one by one, to fall victim to a mysterious figure toting a brand-new style of gun. Park Yoon-kang (

) is the son of the last great swordsman of nineteenth century Joseon. After the tragic death of his father and the enslavement of his younger sister, Yoon-kang trades his sword for a Western-made

lever action The toggle-link action used in the iconic Winchester Model 1873 rifle, one of the most famous lever-action firearms Picture showing a Volcanic Pistol A lever action is a type of action for repeating firearms that uses a manually operated coc ...

rifle as he embarks on a revenge mission, but ends up becoming a hero for the people.

Cast

Main

as Park Yoon-kang/Hasegawa Hanjo **Seo Dong-hyun as young Park Yoon-kang :Estranged from his father Park Jin-han, Yoon-kang lives an indolent life, drinking and flirting at the

gisaeng ''Kisaeng'' (), also called ''ginyeo'' (), were enslaved women from outcast or enslaved families who were trained to be courtesans, providing artistic entertainment and conversation to men of upper class. First emerging in Goryeo dynasty. were ...

house while performing daredevil acts with his sword for extra tips. Like his father who is a legendary swordsman, Yoon-kang himself is a highly skilled swordsman but went through life with little ambition or direction, which his father often admonished him for. After Jin-han is killed by conspirators then falsely branded a traitor, his children are also punished. The girl Yoon-kang loves, Soo-in, helps him escape arrest, but while on a boat he is shot, falls into the water, and is presumed dead. Fortunately, Yoon-kang is rescued by a group of men heading to Japan, and three years later, he returns to Joseon under the assumed name Hasegawa Hanjo to embark on his revenge mission and has traded his sword for a rifle. *

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

as Choi Hye-won :A cold-hearted, unapproachable merchant's daughter. Hye-won desires to acquire enough wealth to hold the world in her hand, but things change when she inconveniently falls for the Japanese trader Hasegawa Hanjo, who unbeknownst to her is Yoon-kang, her father's enemy. As a child, she was a slave who was raped by her master and beaten by her mistress. * Han Joo-wan as Kim Ho-kyung :He leads a lonely existence due to his status as the illegitimate son of Minister Kim Byung-je. Thus, Ho-kyung dreams of revolution and a new world after being influenced by ''Kaehwa''-aligned politicians and scholars. Ho-kyung is close to the Jung family, who treat him as a beloved son, but the feelings he harbors for Soo-in are romantic rather than brotherly. *

as Choi Won-shin :A merchant and assassin with an expressionless face and a heart full of ambition which was driven by a past of being humiliated by those in higher ranks. He is involved in a conspiracy against the king, picking off the latter's allies one by one with his rifle. Won-shin is also Hye-won's father and his daughter's enslavement is a source of his hatred for the ruling elite class. Due to this, he wants power more than anything else since only then could he keep himself and his daughter safe and saw money as the future and thus became a businessman. :Somewhere in the past, he had to make a deal which allowed him and his daughter to be free of slavery, but in return, he became a hunting dog.

Supporting

* Choi Jae-sung as Park Jin-han :A stern but principled man, he is Yoon-kang and Yeon-ha's father. As head of the king's royal guard, his job includes tracking down those plotting to interfere with the king's reforms. However, his loyalty to the king and dedication to his job has put his family in the cross hairs of the very people he tracks down. * Kim Hyun-soo as Park Yeon-ha :Yoon-kang's younger sister. Upon the court's orders, she becomes a slave after her father is posthumously branded a traitor. Though she's saved before anything major happening by her brother. * Choi Cheol-ho as Moon Il-do :Park Jin-han's second-in-command. Three years after Jin-han's death, Emperor Gojong orders him to secretly reopen the gunman case. He remained loyal to the Park family all these years and steadfastly believed in his former superior's innocence. *

Lee Dong-hwi Lee Dong-hwi (born July 22, 1985) is a South Korean actor and singer. He gained recognition through his role in the critically acclaimed television series ''Reply 1988'' (2015–2016). Lee starred in the film ''Extreme Job'' (2019), List of h ...

as Han Jung-hoon :A clumsy timid and quite greedy police officer serving under Il-do and also Yoon-kang's best friend. He realizes Hanjo's real identity as Yoon-kang and agrees to secretly help his friend. *

Choi Ji-na Choi Ji-na (; born May 17, 1975) is a South Korean actress. She made her acting debut in 1995, and became best known as a supporting actress in television dramas, notably ''My Rosy Life'' (2005), '' A Happy Woman'' (2008), and '' My Too Perfe ...

as Park Jin-han's wife :When Yoon-kang was a young boy and Yeon-ha a baby, their mother was kidnapped and used as bait by a group of bandits her husband was after. She sacrificed herself to prevent them from searching their house for the children. For many years Yoon-kang blamed his father Park Jin-han for not complying with the ransom demand to stop advancing his troops in order to spare his wife's life, believing that was the reason she was killed. *

Um Hyo-sup Um Hyo-sup (born October 24, 1966) is a South Korean actor. Um mostly plays supporting role A supporting character is a character in a narrative that is not the focus of the primary storyline, but is important to the plot/protagonist, and ...

as Jung Hwe-ryung :The official state interpreter, and Soo-in's father. He and Park Jin-han became friends after the latter saved his life during one of his travels, so Hwe-ryung welcomes Jin-han's children into his household to hide them from their father's enemies. * Kim Ye-ryeong as Lady Kim :Jung Hwe-ryung's wife and Soo-in's mother. She worries that her daughter has disconnected herself from the world since Yoon-kang's death. *

Ahn Ji-hyun Ahn Ji-hyun (, born July 10, 1992) is a South Korean actress. Filmography Television series Film Music video References External links Ahn Ji-hyun at Koom Entertainment * * 1992 births Living people 21st-century South Korean ...

as Jan-yi :Soo-in's loyal maid. *Nam Myung-ryul as Hyun Am :Leader of the ''Kaehwa'' faction, who is assassinated while giving a speech to his followers. Among his pupils were Soo-in and Ho-kyung. Hyun Am wrote a book of his teachings and left it in Soo-in's keeping before his death. *Kim Jung-hak as Oh Kyung :The last living ''Kaehwa'' scholar who becomes the assassins' next target. * Choi Jong-won as Kim Jwa-young :Nobleman who is the head of the powerful Andong Kim clan. He is Gojong's most powerful political opposition and is the leader of the conservative ''Sugu'' faction. *

Ahn Suk-hwan Ahn Suk-hwan (; born November 1, 1959) is a South Korean actor. Ahn has been active in theater, film and television since 1986. His onscreen roles include both comedic and villainous supporting turns, among them a ruthless but humane prison war ...

as Kim Byung-je :One of the top state councilors in Gojong's court. He is a member of the ''Sugu'' faction. *

Lee Min-woo Lee Min-woo (; born July 28, 1979), also known by the stage name M, is a South Korean entertainer and singer. He is best known as a member of the South Korean boy band Shinhwa. Lee was the first Shinhwa member to debut as a solo artist in 20 ...

*Ha Ji-eun as

Queen Min Empress Myeongseong (; 17 November 1851 – 8 October 1895) was the official wife of Gojong, the 26th king of Joseon and the first emperor of the Korean Empire. During her lifetime, she was known by the name Queen Min (). After the founding o ...

*Choi Jae-hwan as Sang-chu / Sato :Hanjo's loyal Joseon-born interpreter and servant. He chooses to remain with Hanjo despite being allowed to leave. *

Ryohei Otani is a Japanese actor and model. He began his modeling career in Japan, then entered Korean entertainment by being featured in a commercial for Dunkin' Donuts in 2003, followed by Hyundai Motors, Olympus and SK Telecom. His popularity helped him ...

as Ganemaru :A Japanese man who is part of Hanjo's entourage, but doesn't know his real identity. * Yoon Hee-seok as

Kim Ok-gyun Kim Okkyun (; February 23, 1851 – March 28, 1894) was a Korean scholar-bureaucrat of the late Joseon period. He was a member of the reformist Gaehwa Party. He served under King Gojong, and actively participated to advance Western European ...

:The man who rescued Yoon-kang from near death and took him to Japan. He is a ''Kaehwa'' scholar. *Jin Sung as Sung-gil :One of Won-shin's assassins. *

Kang Sung-jin Kang Sung-jin (born January 13, 1971) is a South Korean actor. Kang acted in the lead role in ''The Humanist'' (2001), ''APT (film), APT'' (2006), ''Mission Possible: Kidnapping Granny K'' (2007) and ''Life Is Cool (film), Life Is Cool'' (2008). ...

as Kim Moo-deok :One of Won-shin's assassins. *Park Jae-min as Jong-tae :Traveling peddler turned assassin. *Jung Geun as Son Taek-soo :Won-shin's

mole Mole (or Molé) may refer to: Animals * Mole (animal) or "true mole" * Golden mole, southern African mammals * Marsupial mole Marsupial moles, the Notoryctidae family, are two species of highly specialized marsupial mammals that are found i ...

in the police force who was bribed to give false testimony that Jin-han was a traitor. *

Kim Ga-eun Kim Ga-eun (; born January 8, 1989) is a South Korean actress. Filmography Television series Web series Film Awards and nominations References External links * * 1989 births Living people South Korean television actress ...

as Im Je-mi :A slave girl who enters Hanjo's employ and teaches Ganemaru the Korean language. *

Kim Eung-soo Kim Eung-soo (; born February 12, 1961) is a South Korean actor. Kim lived in Japan for seven years, where he studied filmmaking at the Japan Institute of the Moving Image. Filmography Film Television series Variety show Web sh ...

as Yamamoto Shinji :An influential Japanese merchant who has ties with the Japanese government. * Song Ji-ho as Nakamura *Seo Dong-won as Gunpowder technician

Production

and Choi Jae-sung previously starred together in '' Time Between Dog and Wolf'' (2007). Filming locations included

Andong Andong () is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in South Korea, and the capital of North Gyeongsang Province. It is the largest city in the northern part of the province with a population of 167,821 as of October 2010. The Nakdong Ri ...

, Buan, Gochang,

Mungyeong Mungyeong (; ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. The local government, economy, and transportation networks are all centered in Jeomchon, the principal town. Mungyeong has a lengthy his ...

Yeongju Yeongju (; ) is a city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It has an area of 668.84 km2 and a population of 113,930 people according to the 2008 census. The city borders Bonghwa county to the east, Danyang County of North Chungcheong Pr ...

Masan Masan () is an administrative region of Changwon, a city of South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It was formerly an independent city from 1949 until 30 June 2010, when it was absorbed to Changwon along with Jinhae District, Jinhae. Masan was ...

, and

Sokcho Sokcho (; ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city and major tourist hub located in the northeast of Gangwon Province, South Korea. History From around the 3rd century to the early 5th century AD, Sokcho was part of Eastern Ye, Do ...

. All of the guns in the drama are props, and are just used to fire blanks. Ryu Young Jae, who is in charge of special effects said, "Use of real firearms in movies and broadcasts is prohibited in South Korea. The guns have been borrowed from Hong Kong".

Original soundtrack

Ratings

Awards and nominations

International broadcast

References

External links

* * * * {{hancinema drama, The_Joseon_Shooter 2014 South Korean television series debuts 2014 South Korean television series endings Korean Broadcasting System television dramas Television series set in Joseon South Korean action television series Television series by KBS Media South Korean historical television series Martial arts television series