Sungkyunkwan Scandal Explained

Genre:Historical
Coming-of-age
Romantic-comedy
Director:Kim Won-seok
Hwang In-hyuk
Starring:Park Yoo-chun
Park Min-young
Song Joong-ki
Yoo Ah-in
Theme Music Composer:Eom Gi-yeob
Producer:Yoo Gun-shik
Executive Producer:Kwak Ki-won
Kim Dong-rae
Baek Chang-joo
Cinematography:Kim Seung-ho
Min Myung-woo
Editor:Lee Hyun-mi
Lee Young-rim
Country:South Korea
Language:Korean
Num Episodes:20
Company:Raemongraein
C-JeS Entertainment
Channel:KBS2
Korean name
Hangul:성균관 스캔들
Hanja: 스캔들
Rr:Seonggyungwan Seukaendeul
Mr:Sŏnggyun'gwan Sŭk'aendŭl

Sungkyunkwan Scandal is a South Korean historical drama starring Park Yoo-chun, Park Min-young, Song Joong-ki, and Yoo Ah-in.[1] [2] [3] Directed by Kim Won-seok and written by Kim Tae-hee,[4] [5] it is based on Jung Eun-gwol's bestselling 2007 novel The Lives of Sungkyunkwan Confucian Scholars.[6] [7] [8] It aired on KBS2 from August 30 to November 2, 2010 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 20 episodes.

Synopsis

Set during an era when society does not permit females to be either educated or employed, Kim Yoon-hee (Park Min-young) disguises herself as her brother, Kim Yoon-shik, in order to make ends meet for her family. She goes through a series of odd jobs, mainly at a local bookstore, before she gets offered a chance to increase her earnings by becoming a substitute test-taker (an illegal act) for the upcoming entrance examination for Sungkyunkwan, the Joseon Dynasty's highest educational institute. She gets caught by the upright Lee Sun-joon (Park Yoo-chun), who later acknowledges Yoon-hee's talents, and even encourages her to enroll in the university. There, she must bear with the endless mischief of upperclassman Gu Yong-ha (Song Joong-ki), put up with the constant mood swings of her rebel roommate Moon Jae-shin (Yoo Ah-in), avoid getting in trouble with the strict student body president Ha In-soo (Jun Tae-soo), and keep her secret from being discovered, all the while trying to hold her growing feelings for Lee Sun-joon at bay.

Together, Kim, Lee, Gu, and Moon form the "Jalgeum Quartet".[9]

The background to the drama is the reign of King Jeongjo and his struggles in dealing with the factional politics of his time, struggles in which he enlists the quartet. The final episodes deal with the Geumdeung document.[10] And Sungkyunkwan, that place of Confucian learning, is the place where students and teachers learn from each other, causing radical changes in their thinking, and so sacred a place is it, that even royal guards may not enter.

Cast

Main

Supporting

Extended

Cameos

Reception

The series attracted a fervent fanbase that belied its modest mid-teen ratings.[21] [22] [23] [24] Its cult popularity was manifested in the very high online activity on the message boards of its official website and in popular portal DC Inside, the number of episode viewings on the KBS website, as well as units of DVDs and OST albums sold.[25] [26] The original soundtrack, which featured Park Yoo-chun's band JYJ, sold 110,000 copies in a couple of weeks.[27] The old campus of Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) was the setting for the fusion historical drama, which also starred alumnus Song Joong-ki, resulting in increased interest in SKKU from international audiences who watched the drama.

Ratings

Episode #Original broadcast dateAverage audience share
TNmS Ratings[28] AGB Nielsen[29]
width=100Nationwidewidth=100Seoul National Capital Areawidth=100Nationwidewidth=100Seoul National Capital Area
130 August 20107.7%8.6%6.3%8.7%
231 August 20107.2%8.2%6.3%9.0%
36 September 20108.0%8.1%7.3%9.3%
47 September 20107.6%8.0%7.5%8.8%
513 September 20107.8%8.1%8.0%9.5%
614 September 20108.0%7.8%8.4%8.4%
720 September 20109.7%9.0%8.7%9.0%
821 September 20108.2%8.2%7.9%9.5%
927 September 20109.8%9.2%9.2%9.6%
1028 September 201010.1%9.3%10.2%10.6%
114 October 20109.2%8.8%10.4%10.5%
125 October 20109.9%9.7%10.7%11.1%
1311 October 201011.2%11.1%12.8%13.1%
1412 October 201010.3%10.1%10.9%10.9%
1518 October 201013.0%13.0%13.1%14.0%
1619 October 201013.7%13.7%14.3%15.1%
1725 October 201012.9%13.1%13.0%13.9%
1826 October 201012.0%11.9%12.6%13.4%
191 November 201012.5%12.2%11.8%12.6%
202 November 201013.3%13.2%12.8%13.4%
Average 10.1% - 10.1% -

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Recipient Result Ref.
2010 Top Excellence Award, Actor
Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama
Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama
Best New Actor
Netizens' Award, Actor
Netizens' Award, Actress
Popularity Award, Actor
Best Couple Award
2011 Best Drama Sungkyunkwan Scandal
Best Actress (TV)
Best New Director (TV)
Best New Actor (TV)
Most Popular Actor (TV)
Outstanding Korean Drama Sungkyunkwan Scandal
Outstanding Korean Actor
Outstanding Korean Actress
Outstanding Korean Drama OST
People's Choice Award
Best Drama Sungkyunkwan Scandal
Best Director
Best Actress
Best New Actor
Best New Actress
Best Mid-length Drama Sungkyunkwan Scandal
2012 Bronze World Medal for Best Miniseries

Theatrical versions

The series was edited into a theatrical version which screened in Japanese cinemas from May 6–19, 2011 as part of the "Dokimeki☆Ikemen Festival."[30]

For the drama's first anniversary, Korean cable channel QTV (a joint venture between Turner Broadcasting System and JoongAng Ilbo's affiliate, IS Plus) re-edited the series into a two-hour TV movie which aired on September 10, 2011.[31]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lee. Ji-hye. Lynn. Kim. KBS TV series Sungkyunkwan Scandal press conf - Part 1. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 16 July 2010.
  2. Web site: Lee. Ji-hye. Lucia. Hong. KBS TV series Sungkyunkwan Scandal press conf - Part 2. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 16 July 2010.
  3. Web site: Lee. Ji-hye. Jessica. Kim. Song Joong-ki says will suggest Micky bed scene if ratings fall. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 18 August 2010.
  4. Web site: Kang. Myoung-seok. Choi. Ji-eun. INTERVIEW: KBS drama SungKyunKwan Scandal writer Kim Tae-hee - Part 1. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 5 November 2010.
  5. Web site: Kang. Myoung-seok. Choi. Ji-eun. INTERVIEW: KBS drama SungKyunKwan Scandal writer Kim Tae-hee - Part 2. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 5 November 2010.
  6. Web site: The Lives of Sungkyunkwan Confucian Scholars. Han Books. 2012-11-02.
  7. Web site: Lee. Ji-hye. Jessica. Kim. 3 keypoints of attraction for TV series Sungkyunkwan Scandal. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 18 August 2010.
  8. Web site: Park. Min-young. Shortcut to bestseller: Put it on popular drama. The Korea Herald. 2013-03-26. 27 December 2010.
  9. Web site: Lee. Ga-on. Lee. Seung-han. 2010 10Asia's Awards: "Thank You" List. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 31 December 2010.
  10. Web site: Hyekyung Noh . October 2015 . [DBR] 정조의 '금등문서' 공개, 유언비어와 갈등만 남긴 사도세자 죽음의 비밀 King Jeongjo's 'Geumdeung Document' revealed, the secret of Crown Prince Sado's death that left only rumors and conflicts ]. 2023-06-22 . 동아비즈니스리뷰.
  11. Web site: Han. Sang-hee. Micky's challenge: from idol to actor. The Korea Times. 2012-11-18. 22 August 2010.
  12. Web site: Wee. Geun-wu. INTERVIEW: Actress Park Min-young - Part 1. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 1 December 2010.
  13. Web site: Wee. Geun-woo. INTERVIEW: Actress Park Min-young - Part 2. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 1 December 2010.
  14. Web site: Wee. Geun-woo. INTERVIEW: Actress Park Min-young - Part 3. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 1 December 2010.
  15. Web site: Lee. Seung-han. Park Min-young's Song Picks. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 5 February 2011.
  16. Web site: Choi. Ji-eun. INTERVIEW: Actor Yoo A-in - Part 1. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 12 November 2010.
  17. Web site: Choi. Ji-eun. INTERVIEW: Actor Yoo A-in - Part 2. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 12 November 2010.
  18. Web site: Lee. Ji-hye. Actor Yoo A-in's Song Picks. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 8 December 2010.
  19. Web site: Lee. Ji-hye. Actor Yoo A-in's Movie Picks. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 28 January 2011.
  20. Web site: Wee. Geun-u. MY NAME IS: Jun Tae-su. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 14 September 2010.
  21. Web site: Choi. Ji-eun. 2010 10Asia's Awards: Drama & Director of the Year. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 31 December 2010.
  22. Web site: Kim. Heidi. SBS Giant on top of TV charts for five straight weeks. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 3 November 2010.
  23. Web site: Talented Young Hunks Draw Young Female Fans to TV Dramas. The Chosun Ilbo. 2012-11-18. 1 February 2012.
  24. Web site: Buzzwords of Year 2010 in Pop Culture. KBS Global. 2013-06-29. 17 December 2010.
  25. Web site: ko:'성스' 제작진 "우리도 연장하고 싶다". http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/culture/2010/10/22/0901000000AKR20101022177100005.HTML. Yonhap. ko. 2012-11-18. 24 October 2010.
  26. Web site: Hong. Lucia. Sungkyunkwan Scandal DVD enters Oricon chart in top 5. 10Asia. 2012-11-18. 25 April 2011.
  27. Web site: 동방신기 3人 '성균관스캔들' OST 2주만에 11만장 판매 기염. Newsen. 10 April 2013. ko. 2010-09-29.
  28. Web site: TNMS Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu . TNMS Ratings . 2010-08-30 . ko . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131128032303/http://www.tnms.tv/rating/default.asp . 2013-11-28 .
  29. Web site: AGB Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu . AGB Nielsen Media Research . 2010-08-30 . ko . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131226133248/http://www.agbnielsen.co.kr/index.asp?ref=0 . 2013-12-26 .
  30. Web site: You're Beautiful and Sungkyungwan Scandal to be shown in Japanese theaters. Hancinema. 2014-01-18. 11 April 2011.
  31. Web site: QTV to Air Sungkyunkwan Scandal: The Movie. Soompi. 2014-01-18. 9 September 2011.