Jang Yeong-sil (TV series)

2016 South Korean historical television series

Historical period drama
Science fiction

Written byLee Myung-hee
Ma Chang-junDirected byKim Young-joStarring

Song Il-kook
Kim Yeong-cheol
Kim Sang-kyung
Park Sun-young

ComposerLee Chang-heeCountry of originSouth KoreaOriginal languageKoreanNo. of episodes24ProductionExecutive producerKim Hyung-ilProducerKim Sang-hwi [ko]Production locations

Mungyeong Saejae
Buan County

Running time50 minutesProduction companyKBS MediaOriginal releaseNetworkKBS1ReleaseJanuary 2 (2016-01-02) –
March 26, 2016 (2016-03-26)

Jang Yeong-sil (Korean: 장영실) is a 2016 South Korean historical drama television series starring Song Il-kook, Kim Yeong-cheol, Kim Sang-kyung and Park Sun-young. It replaced The Jingbirok: A Memoir of Imjin War and aired on KBS1 from January 2, 2016 to March 26, 2016 on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:40 (KST) for 24 episodes.

Plot

A television series talk about Jang Yeong-sil, a popular scientist of Joseon in the 15th century. Born as a slave but with the remarkable talent and the profound passion for astronomy, he was known by King Sejong and was recommended to the court. Jang Yeong-sil had a lot of contributions for the science-technology of Joseon, he has left many great inventions such as the water clock, the sundial, the astronomical instruments, the rain gauge and also many research on weaponry.

Cast

Main characters

Song Il-kook as Jang Yeong-sil (or Jang Young-sil)
- Jung Yoon-seok as young Jang Yeong-sil
Kim Sang-kyung as Yi Do, later King Sejong the Great (1397~1450)
- Hong Hyun-taek [ko] as young Yi Do
Kim Yeong-cheol as Yi Bang-won, later King Taejong (1367~1422)
Park Sun-young as Princess Sohyun – King Taejong's daughter and Yi Do's older sister (fictional character)
- Yoon Si-yeong as young Sohyun

Supporting characters

Royal household

Kim Ki-hyeon as King Taejo
Lee Byung-wook [ko] as Prince Yangnyeong
Kim Bo-mi as Princess Gyeonghye
Han Jeong-woo as King Munjong
- Choi Seung-hoon as young Yi Hyang (later King Munjong)
Choi Dong-ah as King Danjong
Go Young-bin [ko] as King Sejo

Court officials

Kim Do-hyun [ko] as Lee Cheon [ko]
Son Byong-ho as Ha Yeon [ko]
Jung Han-yong as Hwang Hui
Kim Byung-ki as Maeng Sa-sung [ko]
Lee Young-seok [ko] as Jo Mal-saeng [ko]
Han Ki-joong [ko] as Heo Jo [ko]
Kim Hyo-won [ko] as Jeong Cho [ko]
Kang Shin-goo [ko] as Jeong Heum-ji
Jeong Eui-gap [ko] as Jeong In-ji
Park Seung-gyu as Park Eun [ko]
Hwang Yi-geon [ko] as Kim Goo-nam
Lee Geon-myung [ko] as Park Yeon [ko]
Ahn Shin-woo [ko] as Choe Manri

Seoungwan people

Lee Byung-hoon [ko] as Lee Sun-ji [ko]
Seo Hyun-chul as Choi Bok (fictional character)
Im Hyuk as Yoo Taek-sang
Min Joon-hyun [ko] as Jeon Bae-cheon (fictional character)
Lee Joo-hyun as Ji Gyeong-chan (fictional character)
Kang Ji-hoo [ko] as Sung Sa-gook (fictional character)

Dongraehyeon people

Lee Ji-hoon as Jang Hee-je (fictional character)
- Kim Dan-yool [ko] as young Jang Hee-je
Kim Myeong-soo [ko] as Jang Sung-hwi – a Goryeo's scientist, minister and Jang Yeong-sil's father
Kim Ae-ran as Eun-wol – a Kisaeng and Jang Yeong-sil's mother (assumed character)
Son Ho-gyun [ko] as Jang Gi-bae (fictional character)
Kang Sung-jin as Seok-goo – Jang Yeong-sil's best friend (fictional character)
- Lee Joon-seo as young Seok-goo
Kim Dae-jong [ko] as Kim Hak-joo – a noble and Jang Hee-je's friend (fictional character)
- Lee Kye-in as young Kim Hak-joo

Hanyang people

Yoon Ah-reum [ko] as Eul-seon (Chinese: 乙善; Pinyin: Yǐ Shàn) – princess Sohyun's maid, later Seok-goo's wife
N/A as Oh Goo-san
Lee Geon [ko] as Han Nae-gwan
Kim Mi-ra [ko] as Uhm Sang-goong

Ming dynasty

Im Dong-jin as Joo Tae-kang (Chinese: 朱太江; Pinyin: Zhū Tàijiāng) – a Ming dynasty old prince (fictional character)
Park Gyu-ri as Joo Bu-ryeong (Chinese: 朱副伶; Pinyin: Zhū Fùlíng) – Tae-kang's daughter (fictional character)
Im Chul-hyung [ko] as Yoon Bong [ko] – a Joseon person working as a eunuch in Ming dynasty
Kwon Bin as Zhengtong Emperor

Extended cast

Kwak Min-ho [ko] as Go Gil-soo – a trader between Joseon and Ming dynasty (fictional character)
Jo Sang-goo [ko] as Byun Dae-chi
Byun Joon-seok [ko] as Choi Yool
Jang Gwang as Jo Gwang
Hwang Chan-ho [ko] as Moo-san
Kim Min-hyuk [ko] as Oh Pil-gyo
N/A as Bae Kang-choon
Cha Ye-joon as Im Myung-deok
Kim Ae-ran as Eun-wol
Oh Ji-hyuk as Yoo Cheol
Cha Bo-sung as Sung Sam-moon
Jang Joon-nyung [ko]
Jin Hyun-kwang [ko]
Lee Je-kwan [ko]
Park Dae-kyu [ko]
Jeon Jin-ki [ko]
Seol Chang-hee [ko]
Choi Dong-yeob [ko]
Kim Moon-sik
Shin Chi-young
Jo Shin-geun
Jo Yeon-ho
Hwang Bi-ho
Lee Ho-yool
Lee Joo-yeon

Cameo appearances

Nam Il-woo [ko] as Jang Sung-bae – Jang Sung-hwi's oldest brother
Chae Dong-hyun [ko] as Kim Beob-rae
Yeo Hoe-hyun as Na Ki-soon
Song Triplets as three little beggars

Ratings

In the table below, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.

Episode #	Original broadcast date	Average audience share
		TNmS Ratings^[1]		AGB Nielsen Ratings^[2]
		Nationwide	Seoul National Capital Area	Nationwide	Seoul National Capital Area
1	January 2, 2016	8.5%	8.7%	11.6%	11.5%
2	January 3, 2016	8.6%	8.4%	11.5%	12.3%
3	January 9, 2016	9.6%	8.6%	10.2%	10.4%
4	January 10, 2016	9.0%	9.2%	11.3%	12.3%
5	January 16, 2016	9.8%	9.3%	10.1%	10.1%
6	January 17, 2016	10.0%	9.9%	12.2%	12.9%
7	January 23, 2016	12.2%	11.3%	14.1%	14.2%
8	January 24, 2016	12.4%	10.8%	14.1%	15.1%
9	January 30, 2016	10.7%	9.3%	12.2%	12.5%
10	January 31, 2016	10.4%	10.0%	13.4%	13.5%
11	February 6, 2016	9.9%	9.5%	11.9%	12.5%
12	February 13, 2016	9.2%	8.2%	10.9%	11.8%
13	February 14, 2016	9.1%	8.5%	10.3%	10.3%
14	February 20, 2016	9.0%	9.5%	11.0%	11.1%
15	February 21, 2016	9.2%	8.4%	11.7%	11.6%
16	February 27, 2016	8.8%	8.3%	10.8%	10.8%
17	February 28, 2016	9.6%	9.3%	11.7%	11.6%
18	March 5, 2016	10.5%	10.1%	11.5%	12.1%
19	March 6, 2016	9.7%	8.2%	11.8%	11.6%
20	March 12, 2016	9.4%	8.4%	10.4%	10.1%
21	March 13, 2016	10.1%	8.2%	12.0%	12.2%
22	March 19, 2016	9.5%	8.2%	10.4%	10.0%
23	March 20, 2016	10.5%	9.8%	11.9%	11.9%
24	March 26, 2016	9.4%	8.0%	10.2%	10.2%
Average ratings		9.7958%	9.0875%	11.55%	11.775%

Remark

Episode 12, scheduled to be broadcast on the evening of February 7, was canceled because South Korea was in emergency after the North Korea's missile launch (Kwangmyŏngsŏng-4) at 9:30 am in the same day.^[3]

Original soundtrack

KBS Drama Jang Yeong-sil OST
Soundtrack album by Various Artists
Released	April 1, 2016 (2016-04-01)
Genre	Pop, K-pop, Soundtrack
Length	1:37:32
Label	KBS Media
Producer	Lee Chang-hee

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Black And White (Drama Mix Ver.) (Main Title)"	Lee Chang-hee, Kim Joon-beom	1:27
2.	"Celestial"	Lee Chang-hee, Choi Jae-woo	2:24
3.	"Eclipse Festival"	Choi Jae-woo	1:38
4.	"Here We Are"	Lee Chang-hee, Kim Joon-beom	4:03
5.	"Great Invention"	Lee Chang-hee, Choi Myung-hee	2:58
6.	"Bear Resentment"	Lee Chang-hee, Choi Myung-hee	3:03
7.	"I Am A"	Lee Chang-hee, Kim Joon-beom	3:01
8.	"Inspiration"	Lee Chang-hee, Yeo Ha-kyung	2:37
9.	"My Kingdom My People"	Yeo Ha-kyung	3:39
10.	"Dia Black"	Lee Chang-hee, Kim Joon-beom	2:27
11.	"Eureka"	Choi Jae-woo, Yeo Ha-kyung	1:39
12.	"Form A Distance"	Kim Joon-beom, Choi Jae-woo	2:24
13.	"Peacepul"	Choi Myung-hee	2:55
14.	"Twinkle"	Yeo Ha-kyung	2:39
15.	"Hostility"	Yeo Ha-kyung	2:26
16.	"Dreamscape"	Kim Seo-hyun	1:11
17.	"Here We Are (Slow Ver.)"	Lee Chang-hee, Kim Joon-beom	2:20
18.	"Cloud Blac"	Kim Joon-beom, Choi Jae-woo	4:59
19.	"Look At The Sky"	Choi Myung-hee	1:50
20.	"Providence"	Choi Myung-hee, Choi Jae-woo	3:47
21.	"Second Way"	Kim Joon-beom, Kim Seo-hyun	4:16
22.	"Tic Toc"	Yeo Ha-kyung, Kim Seo-hyun	2:25
23.	"Whiter Happening"	Lee Chang-hee, Kim Joon-beom	1:16
24.	"Curiosity"	Choi Myung-hee	2:42
25.	"Run To Death"	Yeo Ha-kyung	2:23
26.	"Conflicting"	Kim Joon-beom, Choi Myung-hee	4:33
27.	"Rage"	Kim Seo-hyun	2:27
28.	"Inventor Jang"	Choi Myung-hee, Kim Seo-hyun	1:33
29.	"Silver"	Kim Joon-beom	2:07
30.	"Jangs Lab"	Kim Joon-beom, Choi Myung-hee	6:17
31.	"Chopin : Prelude No.4 In E Minor Op.28-4"	Various Artists	3:45
32.	"Ivory White"	Lee Chang-hee, Kim Joon-beom	6:51
33.	"Black And White (Classic Mix Ver.) (Main Title)"	Lee Chang-hee, Kim Joon-beom	1:29
34.	"Quf Ak Wnd"	Kim Eun-myung	2:01
Total length:			1:37:32

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Recipient	Result
2016	KBS Drama Awards	Top Excellence Award, Actor	Song Il-gook	Nominated
		Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama	Song Il-gook	Won
		Best Young Actor	Jung Yoon-seok	Won

References

^ "TNmS Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu". TNmS Ratings (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 28, 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
^ "AGB Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on March 17, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
^ Oh, Ji-won (February 7, 2016). '장영실' 7일 결방, 북한 미사일 관련 프로그램 긴급 편성. TVDaily (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 8, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2016.