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Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth (화랑; 花郞; lit. Hwarang) is a South Korean television series starring Park Seo Joon, Go Ah Ra, and Park Hyung Shik. It revolves around an elite group of young men called "Hwarang" who discover their passions, love and friendship in the turmoil of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC–AD 935). The series aired every Monday and Tuesday at 22:00 KST on KBS2, from December 19, 2016 to February 21, 2017.

Despite being fully produced before its premiere with an ensemble cast, the series was a commercial failure and averaged single-digit audience rating of 8.4% in its run. It was criticized for its distracted storytelling, inappropriate use of background music, and unnatural acting of lead actors. The pairing between Ah-ro and Seon-u was also criticized by several audience members due to Ah-ro falling in love with Seon-u under the pretense that he was her brother, and of Ah-ro's character being of weak grounds.

Synopsis[]

History is often made on the backs of truly passionate, talented young people.

During the Kingdom of Silla, a group of elite youth known as Hwarang would wield great influence. These dashing, talented knights – Moo Myung (Park Seo Joon), Sam Maek Jong (Park Hyung Shik), Soo Ho (Choi Min Ho), Ban Ryu (Do Ji Han), Yeo Wool (Jo Yoon Woo), Han Sung (Kim Tae Hyung / BTS's V), and maiden Ah Ro (Go Ah Ra) – could outsmart and outfight anyone as they pushed for justice in Seorabeol, the capital city.

One of them would become King Jin Heung of Silla and change the course of history.[1]

Cast[]

A young man of low birth who rises above his situation in life to become a legendary hwarang warrior. He assumes the identity of his best friend Kim Seon-u, Ah-ro's biological brother, after he is killed by one of the Queen Dowager's men.
A "half-breed" (derogative term for aristocrat—lower class offspring, also known as jin-gol) with a cheerful and straightforward personality, whose father is of jin-gol birth while her mother a servant. She works multiple part-time jobs to support her family; in particular as physician to the Hwarang. She easily make friends. Later she fell in love with Seon-u.
  • Park Hyung Shik as Sam Maek Jong / Ji Dwi Rang
A young and distrustful king who goes into hiding due to assassination attempts and secretly becomes a hwarang warrior, gaining strength and leadership ability in the process. He joins the hwarang under the assumed identity Kim "Ji-dwi" as the Hwarang Chief Kim Wi-hwa's fake "nephew."

  • Kim Tae Hyung (V) as Han Sung Rang
  • Choi Min Ho as Soo Ho Rang
  • Do Ji Han as Ban Ryu Rang
  • Jo Yoon Woo as Yeo Wool Rang
  • Lee Da In as Soo Yeon
  • Choi Won Young as Ahn Ji Gong
  • Kim Jee Soo as Queen Mother Ji So
  • Shin Dong Woo as Mu Cheol
  • Seo Ye Ji as Princess Sook Myung
  • Yoo Jae Myung as Pa Oh
  • Kim Kwang Gyu as Pi Joo Ki
  • Kim Chang Wan as Park Yeong Shil
  • Sung Dong Il as Wi Hwa Kong / Wi Hwa Rang
  • Kim Hyun Joon as Dan Se
  • Song Young Kyu as Hwi Kyung Kong
  • Kim Won Hae as Woo Reuk
  • Lee Byung Joon as Ho Kong
  • Go In Bum as Kim Seub
  • Kim Jong Goo as Seok Hyeon Je
  • Song Min Hyung as Kim Hyeong Won
  • Baek Jae Jin as Yang Jo Jang
  • Ban Min Jung as Mi Roo Hyang
  • Lee Kwan Hoon as Hyun Chu
  • Jang Se Hyun as Kang Sung
  • Oh Eun Ho as Court Lady Mo Yeong
  • Jin Joo Hyung as Kim Jang Hyun
  • Lee Kyu Hyung as Do Go
  • Ooon as Kim Ki Bo
  • Kim Tae Hoon

  • Lee Kwang Soo as Mak Moon (Ep.1-2)
  • Yoon Jin Ho as Mi Jin's father
  • Kim Ji An as a girl (Ep.1)
  • Kum Chae Ahn
  • Shin Yoo Ram
  • Son Sung Yoon

  • Soundtrack[]

    Main Article: Hwarang OST

    Episodes[]

    Ratings[]

    In this table, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings. NR denotes that the drama did not rank in the top 20 daily programs on that date.

    Episode Title Aired Average audience share
    TNmS AGB Nielsen
    Nationwide Seoul Nationwide Seoul
    Episode 01 "To the Capital" December 19, 2016 7.9% (18th) 8.5% (11th) 6.9% (NR) 6.8% (NR)
    Episode 02 "Mak Moon's Death" December 20, 2016 6.9% (19th) 6.5% (18th) 7.2% (16th) 6.7% (17th)
    Episode 03 "Your Brother" December 26, 2016 11.1% (6th) 11.0% (4th) 13.1% (5th) 13.8% (4th)
    Episode 04 "Become a Hwarang" December 27, 2016 7.4% (19th) 7.8% (15th) 7.5% (17th) 7.2% (17th)
    Episode 05 "Beginning of Hwarang" January 2, 2017 7.4% (18th) 7.6% (14th) 7.6% (19th) 7.4% (20th)
    Episode 06 "Annoying Half-Breed" January 3, 2017 7.6% (18th) 8.0% (16th) 8.0% (16th) 7.2% (18th)
    Episode 07 "King as Water" January 9, 2017 7.2% (19th) 7.5% (17th) 6.9% (NR) 7.2% (18th)
    Episode 08 "Dance and Music" January 10, 2017 7.2% (20th) 8.0% (15th) 7.6% (19th) 7.7% (15th)
    Episode 09 "Ruin the Performance" January 16, 2017 6.2% (NR) 6.8% (20th) 6.7% (NR) 7.2% (NR)
    Episode 10 "New Disciples" January 17, 2017 7.1% (18th) 7.5% (18th) 8.3% (12th) 8.2% (12th)
    Episode 11 "Eliminate Her" January 23, 2017 9.3% (14th) 9.8% (7th) 11.0% (5th) 11.1% (5th)
    Episode 12 "Sparring Competition" January 24, 2017 8.7% (15th) 8.9% (11th) 10.5% (5th) 10.2% (5th)
    Episode 13 "Amity Delegates" January 30, 2017 6.9% (NR) 7.9% (NR) 9.7% (16th) 9.1% (16th)
    Episode 14 "Reveal Yourself" January 31, 2017 7.0% (NR) 7.6% (17th) 9.1% (12th) 8.8% (12th)
    Episode 15 "A Sword Fight" February 6, 2017 6.8% (20th) 6.9% (18th) 8.6% (14th) 8.2% (15th)
    Episode 16 "Come to Me" February 7, 2017 6.4% (18th) 5.8% (NR) 7.9% (13th) 7.4% (14th)
    Episode 17 "Get the Medicine" February 13, 2017 6.2% (20th) 6.7% (20th) 8.2% (17th) 8.6% (13th)
    Episode 18 "Wonhwa" February 14, 2017 6.4% (20th) 6.5% (20th) 7.7% (17th) 7.6% (15th)
    Episode 19 "Become King" February 20, 2017 6.0% (NR) 6.8% (NR) 7.6% (19th) 7.4% (17th)
    Episode 20 "Hail King Jinheung!" February 21, 2017 6.2% (20th) 5.9% (20th) 7.9% (16th) 8.0% (16th)
    Average 7.4% 7.7% 8.4% 8.3%
    Special December 16, 2016 2.6% (NR) (NR) 2.0% (NR) (NR)
    December 26, 2016 4.2% (NR) (NR) 4.6% (NR) (NR)
    January 30, 2017 2.2% (NR) (NR) 2.5% (NR) (NR)
    3.0% (NR) (NR) 3.2% (NR) (NR)

    [2]

    On January 30, 2017 at 12:35 KST, KBS2 aired a 'Lunar New Year' two special episodes condensing the first 12 episodes of the drama into 150 minutes episode.

    International broadcast[]

    • Malaysia – 8TV, April 18, 2017 – June 13, 2017 at 21:30 to 22:30 MST; Korean with subtitles
    • Philippines – ABS-CBN, October 30, 2017 – January 5, 2018, 22:00 to 23:00 PHT; re-run on Asianovela Channel from October 22, 2018
    • Romania – National TV
    • Thailand – Channel 3 as "ฮวารัง อัศวินพิทักษ์ชิลลา", June 11, 2018, 19:15 to 20:15 ICT
    • Serbia – RTS 3 as "Hvarang: Cvet viteštva", September 22, 2019
    • Cambodia – as "អ្នកចម្បាំងវ័យក្មេង" on Hang Meas HDTV

    Production[]

    The series reunited Sung Dong Il and Go Ah Ra who previously worked together as father and daughter in tvN's Reply 1994 (2013) as well as Sung and Yoo Jae myung who both starred in the hit series Reply 1988. It also serves as a reunion to Park Hyung Shik and Choi Won Young who worked together in the 2013 SBS hit drama The Heirs. It also reunited Park and Kim Won Hae who worked together on Nine: Nine Time Travels.

    The first script reading took place in March 2016. Filming began on March 31 and finished on September 1, 2016.

    Awards and nominations[]

    Year Award Category Recipient Result
    2017 31st KBS Drama Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor Park Seo Joon Nominated
    Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama
    Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama Go Ah Ra
    Best Supporting Actor Choi Won Young Won
    Kim Won Hae Nominated
    Netizen Award Park Seo Joon Won
    Park Hyung Shik Nominated
    Melon Music Awards Best OST V, Jin

    Trivia[]

    • This drama took over the timeslot previously occupied by "Sweet Stranger and Me" and was followed by "Ms. Perfect" on February 27, 2017.
    • The working title was "Hwarang: The Beginning" but was later changed to simply "Hwarang".

    Gallery[]

    Video Gallery[]

    References[]

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