Arang and the Magistrate (2012) ~ A Virgin Ghost Seeks Justice

“Arang and the Magistrate” (aka “Tale of Arang”) is a 2012 Korean drama, 20 episodes, categorized as Romance, Comedy, Rom-Com, Fantasy, Supernatural, Horror, Mystery, and historical period, and streaming on KOCOWA+ and Apple TV.

 

• Memorable Quote: “If you can see me… then help me find out who I was.”

SUMMARY: A murdered young woman returns as a ghost with no memory of her past. She tries to seek justice, but it’s hard when she doesn’t even know her name. Finally, she meets a living magistrate who can see spirits. He helps her uncover her own murder mystery.

♦ I Know You Can See Me

In “Arang and the Magistrate”, Kim Eun-Oh is a cynical nobleman wandering the country in search of his missing mother. He possesses a rare ability: he can see, hear, and even touch ghosts. Although he tries to pretend that he can’t, ghosts know that he can see them. So they pester him all the time, seeking favors. His father is a highly respected nobleman and arranges for his son to serve as a magistrate in a village. He was happy to go there because rumors suggest that is where his mother was last seen.

Arang is a ghost who haunts the outskirts of the village. She was once the daughter of a local magistrate and was brutally murdered under mysterious circumstances. Her death was so traumatic that she lost all memories of her life, including her name. Arang has spent years trying to find someone who can help her uncover the truth about her identity and why she was killed. The problem is that whenever she appears before a magistrate, she literally scares them to death. Only a magistrate can investigate the crime. But how will she ever find out “her mystery” if magistrates die when they see her?

Kim Eun-Oh was on his way to the village but had to seek shelter in an old building when it started to rain. Arang also haunted that same building. Kim Eun-oh sees her, but he tries to pretend that he doesn’t. When Arang realizes that he can see her, she clings to him as her last hope.

Where Did You Get That Hairpin?

Initially, Kim Eun-Oh refuses to get involved, but he notices Arang wearing a hairpin identical to the one he gave his mother years ago. Arang doesn’t know why she has the hairpin, just like she doesn’t know anything else. How was she killed? What is her name? Where did she get the hairpin? Kim Eun-Oh decides that solving Arang’s murder might also lead him to solving the mystery of his mother’s disappearance.

Together, Arang and Kim Eun-Oh begin unraveling the threads of her forgotten past. Their investigation leads them to Joo-Wal, a nobleman with a dark secret. He is tied to an evil spirit, who must continuously possess the body of a human woman to live forever. That evil spirit now demands human sacrifices to maintain her power. Arang, it turns out, was one of her victims.

Kim Eun-Oh eventually discovers that his mother is deeply entangled in the same web of dark magic that claimed Arang’s life. Kim Eun-Oh might be able to solve a murder mystery and even save his mother. But how can he confront supernatural forces, especially a powerful evil spirit?

Kim Eun-Oh doesn’t know it, but the Jade Emperor chose him for this mission. It was the Jade Emperor who intervened and allowed Arang to remain on earth instead of crossing the river to reach the underworld. The Jade Emperor and the King of the Underworld have been trying to capture this evil spirit because she is upsetting the cosmic balance. Kim Eun-Oh is lucky, lucky, lucky. The Jade Emperor is on his side.

Main Characters:

• Kim Eun-Oh (played by Lee Joon-Gi, “Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun“, “Two Weeks“, “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo“, “Scholar Who Walks the Night“, “Gunman in Joseon“, “Il Ji-Mae: The Phantom Thief“))
• Ah-Rang (Arang) (played by Shin Min-A, “Chief of Staff 1 and 2“, “Karma“, “Go Go 70s“, “No Gain No Love“, “Tomorrow With You“, “Diva“)
• Joo-Wal (played by Yeon Woo-Jin, “The Old Woman with the Knife“, “A Virtuous Business“, “Nothing Uncovered“, “Judge vs. Judge“, “Queen For Seven Days“, “Daily Dose of Sunshine“, “The Princess and the Matchmaker“)

Where to Watch: KOCOWA+ and Apple TV

Viewership and Rating:

• IMDb: 7.3 out of 10 stars
• My Drama List: 7.9 out of 10 stars
• Letterboxd: 3.3 out of 5 stars

My personal rating is the same as Letterboxd.

Inspired by the Korean folklore of Arang, a murdered young woman whose ghost seeks justice. Arang means a “virgin ghost”. This K-drama is perfect for fans of Lee Joon-Gi. After watching him in “The Scholar Who Walks the Night“, I went searching for more and found “Arang and the Magistrate”. This was his first K-drama after completing his mandatory two-year military service from May 3, 2010, to February 16, 2012. Lee Joon-Gi and his leading lady, Shin Min-A, won the Best Couple Award at the 2012 MBC Drama Awards.

LINKS OF INTEREST:

Review: Arang and the Magistrate. | The Fangirl Verdict

Arang and the Magistrate Korean Drama Review. | Kdrama Fighting

Spooky Drama Review: Arang and the Magistrate. | Dramas with a Side of Kimchi

Drama Review – Arang and the Magistrate (MBC, 2012). | The Cat That Watches TV

TRAILER/TEASER:

Leejoongitalianfamily 2. “Trailer Arang and the Magistrate (2012).” YouTube, 24 Apr. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V6HUWaL2xE.

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