Land (2004)

An epic memorable story that spans several generations.

I strongly recommend "Toji" "Land" if you are interested in Korean historical drama. The screen writer Lee Hye Seon and Lee Hong Goo did a good job in writing the script that was adapted from the well known famous novel "Land" (토지) by Park Kyung Ri (박경리).

Lady Yoon is the matriarch of the Choi noble clan that owns a very large area of land in the countryside. She has a son, Choi Chi Soo, and another illegitimate son, Kim Hwan, resulted from a rape that she experienced when she was mourning the sudden death of her husband. Choi Chi Soo has an only daughter, Choi Seo Hee, that is intimidated by her cold and stern father. Chi Soo wishes he had a son instead of a daughter, however, he is infertile after he suffered syphilis from his interminable drunken carousals when Chi Soo went to Seoul to visit his ambitious cousin, Cho Joon Goo. Kim Hwan comes back to his mother's estate and works as a servant. Kim Hwan is attracted to Choi Chi Soo's lonely wife, and they run away. In his rage, Chi Soo buys a shot gun and learns how to shoot from a well known hunter. He fails to shoot his "half-brother, Kim Hwan. The intrigue that is instigated by Chi Soo's maidservant, Gwi Nyeo, declined poor gambling aristocrat, Kim Pyong San and villager Pong Yim goes astray. Also, the story involves people and farmers that live in the estate and their story enriches the story line.

The drama series tells the horrendous death of Choi Chi Soo, an outbreak of a contagious disease and the death of Lady Yoon. It also tells the love, conflict and betrayal between the characters that shows the spread of new culture that further undermines the Confucian values, the loss of the farmland, and independent freedom fighters against Japanese occupation in Korea. The drama series also displays the growth of intellectuals in Seoul, Tokyo, and the Manchuria, the activists fighting against Japanese occupation in Hadong, Jinju, Jirisan Mountain and Manchuria. It portrays the second and third generation characters' conflict, love, and hate, when Japan surrenders. The drama series "Land" is so engaging with fascinating plot, the actress Kim Hyun Joo that portrays adult Choi Seo Hee is exceptional and delivers her character's struggles convincingly. I especially fond of the child, teenager and adult pansori singer Bong Soon and her story.

I really enjoy this epic historical drama series that spans several generations. Wish the big broadcasting companies such as MBC, KBS or SBS would create and make epic historical drama series again.

I hope screen writer Lee Hye Seon would come back with another epic historical drama or heartwarming drama series soon. I love her excellent screen writing such as "GOLDEN POUCH as well as TOJI".

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