“Lee San, Wind of the Palace” (also known as Yi San) is a Korean drama series released in 2007 -2008, with 77 episodes, categorized as historical period, historical fiction, costume and period, Sageuk, Political, and Romance; streaming free on Viki and KOCOWA+.
SUMMARY: King Jeongjo of Joseon and a female artist Song Yeon fall in love. Their romance transcends their difference in status. (He can do that. After all … he is a king.)
♦ We are Friends Forever. Pinky Promise.
In “Lee San, Wind of the Palace”, begins during the reign of the 21st monarch of the Joseon dynasty. In the palace, three (3) children meet and become friends.
- Sung Song-Yeon is a court lady trainee, who was trying to sneak into the royal kitchen to get some food.
- Park Dae-su is a eunuch trainee, who is trying to run away from the palace so they don’t cut off his penis.
- Lee San is the grandson of the king, but he said a different name. He deceived the other two children because he could not reveal his identity as he was disobeying the king’s command.
Even though they were going in different directions, Sung Song-Yeon and Park Dae-su agreed to help him. Lee San’s father was being punished by the king. Everyone was forbidden to go see him. The three children were able to get into the area because, for some reason there were no guards. Lee San brought his father some food and they talked for a short while. But then the children had to run away because they heard other people coming. In their haste to get away, some of the food Lee San brought was left behind, so the king knew someone had disobeyed his order. He demanded the guards search the palace.
Park Dae-su was caught and taken to the Office of Securities for questioning. Lee San saw them dragging him away and he ran to see if Sung Song-Yeon was also in trouble. Fortunately, Park Dae-su did not reveal her. She was safe, but Park Dae-su was not. He could be killed. Lee San wanted to save him but he was powerless.
His mother told him he could not confess that he had disobeyed the king or he could be killed. Ultimately, Sung Song-Yeon and Park Dae-su got kicked out of the palace. Lee San was going to be deposed, however, he convinced his grandfather that he could prove to him that he was worthy of the throne. So despite the objections of the court officials and others, his grandfather made him the crown prince.
Lee San’s father passed away and after his grandfather’s death, Lee San became the 22nd king of Joseon. He was known as a sage king who cared for the common people and embraced democratic values, ushering in many government reforms. Sung Song-Yeon and Park Dae-su were able to reestablish their connection with him. He fell in love with Sung Song-Yeon and she was his favorite consort for 30 years. Park Dae-su never did become a eunuch. Instead, he was the king’s favorite military guard.
Main Characters:
- Lee San / King Jeong Jo (played by Lee Seo-Jin, “High School Return of a Gangster”, “Behind Every Star”, “Damo: The Legendary Police Woman” )
- Sung Song-Yeon (played by Han Ji-Min, “Love Scout”, “Miss Baek”, “Behind Your Touch”, “Yonder”, “Rooftop Prince”, “Detective K: Secret Of Virtuous Widow”, “The Fatal Encounter”)
- Park Dae-su (played by Lee Jong-Soo)
Viewership and Rating:
- IMDb: 8 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 8 out of 10 stars
- Viki viewers rated this series: 9.4 out of 10 stars
- Google users shared a public rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars
My personal rating is the same as the Viki viewing audience.
This historical K-drama is based on the life of King Jeongjo, the 22nd ruler of the Joseon Dynasty. Many real historical events and figures from the King’s life are depicted but writers took some “creative liberties”. The character, Song Yeon, is not a real historical figure
Several Korean actors have portrayed King Jeongjo. Here are two memorable ones: Hyun Bin in the film “The Fatal Encounter” (2014); and Lee Jun-ho in the drama “The Red Sleeve” (2021).
I am on a mailing list for KOCOWA+ and this Korean drama was recommended as a historical hidden gem. The binge-worthy series was directed by Lee Byung-hoon, who also created the award-winning television series “Jewel in the Palace”. Apparently, a general rule is that if the movie or series was released 20+ years ago, you can’t call it a classic. “Lee San, Wind of the Palace” is not quite 20 years old. Calling it a “hidden gem” is good enough.
LINKS OF INTEREST:
Lee San, Wind of the Palace | Alchetron, the free social encyclopedia
Yi San – An enthralling Korean historical drama (with Catholics!) | Gloria Romanorum
Historical K-Dramas That Slipped Under the Radar
Historical Korean Dramas With Strong Female Leads
TRAILER/TEASER:
@Sri Lanka Rupavahini. Lee San – 이산 | Wind of the Palace | Opening Titles.” YouTube, Video, 11 Mar. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y9ORrdUqcE.
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