Kdrama Review: Seoul's Sad Song (2007)



Seoul’s Sad Song/Conspiracy in the Court

한성별곡
5/10

I must say, I was really looking forward to this drama.  Hearing it win great acclaim amongst a cultish following (despite the low ratings when it was on air), and I was rearing to go.  Plus, it was short! Only 8 episodes long.  Seemed like a quick boost for my dwindling drama-watching habits.  For a quick recap, I’ve only managed to complete some extremely light K-drama entertainment of late (Flower Boy Ramyun Shop and Full House Take 2), and the endlessly long Flames of Desire is fantastic, but highly un-marathonable.  

This is where fusion-sageuk-thriller Seoul’s Sad Song was supposed to come in and save the day.  Only, it didn’t.  What on earth happened!?

First I was lost in the history of the era.  I’m a history graduate though, so that’s never really stopped me before.  Quick Wikipedia checklist of the drama’s main overarching political period? Check.  Okay, then they lost me with the economics of era.  Mercantile affairs, and the political ramifications of possibly re-locating the capital?  I guess I can sort of see how that could affect things.  The problem with the drama’s plot-line however, is that all these threads (politics, and history and economics  are interwoven with great, gaping thread lines around the show’s main “conspiracy” plot, and haphazardly intermingled with the love triangle/square.  I mean, I know Seoul in historical times was small, and everyone who’s anyone probably knows everyone worth knowing, but me, the viewer, had no idea who anybody was, or which side they were on.  For an 8 episode drama, there was so much going on that I basically couldn’t keep up with my list of who’s who. 

At least I figured out who these guys were... by the end of episode 1.

I think Seoul’s Sad Song was hinting at some loftier aspirations:  namely, that not every sageuk drama out there is just about the king and his ministers.  The welfare of the Joseon people, the advancement of well-deserving baseborn officials, and the dreams of these types of people also matter and can make a difference.  Unfortunately, all this was lost on me.  For a conspiracy driven thriller, this whodunit story was chock full of inspirational back stories (that should have warmed me to the characters), chilling twists (that moved me to boredom), and enough metaphorical court language that literally drove me to tears. The following example comes right as a BIG revelation surrounding the king’s secret will has just been unveiled: 

A : “When the wintry gales swelter us, he said that brushes would be swayed by the wind.”

B: “So… did you find any unyielding brushes?”

A: “In the palace, there was not a single one left.”

C: “You insolent slattern! How dare you mutter such insidious drivel!?”

You insolent writers, how dare you not write more clearly!?!

Maybe I’m lazy, or just plain incompetent, but everything in this drama seemed wasted on me. Though, if there’s anything I’ve learned from watching this sageuk (and others for that matter), it’s that women in the palace are more to be feared than the men.  Also, by the state of the practically non-existent but completely soundproof-less walls on traditional Korean homes (of rich and poor alike), it’s amazing that any secrets are ever kept. 

Did I say I hated everything about this drama? Well, it wasn’t all bad. The scenery was nice, I sincerely liked parts of the OST, and this dude below was fun to watch as well.  Oh, he’s no big character; just a henchman who followed around after his master, brandishing his sword at each enemy to cross his path.  Maybe I liked him, because unlike everyone else, he rarely spoke more than two words, so he never had anything to confuse me about.  

Glare at me all you want, just please, don't speak and ruin all of my fantasies.