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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, April 17, 2009

'Princess Jamyung' debuts Monday

By Jeff Chung

On Monday, the new drama "Princess Jamyung" will fill the slot previously held by "Terroir."

There have been several historical dramas about the founding kingdom of Korea Goguryeo, including hit series such as "Jumong" and "Kingdom of the Winds," but what about all the other kingdoms that fell at the hands of Goguryeo?

"Princess Jamyung" is technically a historical series, but one based more on folklore and less on historical facts as it questions the heroic figures of the fallen kingdom Nakrang. There are Korean stories about Jamyunggo, a drum that would start beating mystically when invaders entered the borders of the Nakrang Kingdom, but in this series Jamyunggo is a princess of Nakrang who tries to save her kingdom. The series will run for 50 episodes and promises to have colorful costumes and settings.

The plot involves the King of Nakrang and his two daughters from two different mothers who were born on the same day. It was prophesied that one daughter would save the kingdom and the other to bring the kingdom to its knees. Lady Hae (Lee Mi Sook) quickly schemes to make her daughter Princess Rahee (Park Min Young) the savior of the kingdom and Princess Jamyung (Jung Ryeo Won) by default becomes branded as the destructor of the kingdom.

There is an attempt to murder Princess Jamyung but her mother (Kim Sung Ryung) saves Jamyung and is raised among commoners in a village. Princess Jamyung learns of her true identity when she grows up and consequently returns to her kingdom, which sets off internal politics and power struggles in the court. Then Prince Hodong (Jung Kyung Ho) enters the picture, and both princesses fall in love with him.

However, Prince Hodong is the third son of King Daemusin, who rules rival kingdom Goguryeo, and Princess Jamyung realizes her love for the prince and is forced to choose either love or responsibility to save her kingdom. Meanwhile Princess Rahee attempts to gives up her kingdom in the name of love for Prince Hodong. Prince Hodong also has to choose love or responsibility and his choice between the two princesses will determine the future of Nakrang Kingdom.

THIS WEEK'S K-DRAMA SYNOPSES

'THE FAMILY OF HONOR'

EPISODES 39 AND 40

Tonight at 7:45 p.m. Young-ja gives her permission for marriage. Soo-young, Tae-young, Jin-ah and Mal-soon go on their honeymoon. Jin-ah and Mal-soon has a hard time adjusting to Ha family's customs. Young-ja makes an extravagant list of wedding gifts for Young-in. Tomorrow at 7:45 p.m.: Young-ja adds more to the wedding preparation list. Soo-young and Tae-young contribute money for Dan-ah's wedding. Gang-suk greets the family elders. Kim Sun-tae, Myeongseong's third son, barges into Gang-suk's office.

'GLASS CASTLE'

EPISODES 38 AND 39

Sunday at 6:45 p.m.: Kyu-song suspects Hyong-seok of sending him the picture. He knows that there is a woman. In-kyong invites Min-joo's family for dinner. Suk-jin's confused about Joon-hee. Sunday at 7:45 p.m.: Hyong-seok meets with Lee Song-jae and gets the contract. Kyu-song has someone following Hyong-seok. Yu-ran finds the pictures Hyong-seok has of them together. Suk-jin asks Joon-hee if the can start over.

'PRINCESS JAMYUNG'

SPECIAL OPENING EPISODE AND EPISODE 1

Monday at 7:45 p.m.: Preview of what's to come on Princess Jamyung. Go behind the scenes with commentaries by the writer, director and actors. Get an overview of the historical timeline that this story was based on. Tuesday at 7:45 p.m.: Prince Hodong goes off in search of Princess Nakrang's grave. Wang Hol tries to capture Hodong but fails. A circus troupe comes to Goguryeo's capital city and puts on a puppet show about Prince Hodong and Princess Nakrang. Song Maeseolsu, Hodong's stepmother, tells the king Hodong can't be crown prince when he's become the object of a mockery.

'CAIN AND ABEL'

EPISODES 3 AND 4

Wednesday at 7:45 p.m.: Gangsters paid to detain Cho-in in China convince Young-ji that Cho-in is really a con artist on the run from the law. But when Cho-in successfully performs an appendectomy on her, Young-ji learns that Cho-in really is a kind doctor and develops feelings for him. Thursday at 7:45 p.m.: The vote for the medical center ends in a tie, and Sun-woo decides to go ahead and perform a risky surgery on his father. Cho-in is dragged off to the desert to be killed, but is saved by a unit of North Korean soldiers who escaped to China.