Reel life of bygone Kingdoms
Attention to detail: A Palace
On a verdant, peaceful hilltop in Yongin is a sprawling settlement. Its summit offers a breathtaking view of colourful palaces and temples, noblemen’s houses, villages and marketplaces, as far as the eye can see. But nobody lives there.
This is the Dae Jang Geum Park, one of the largest open film sets in Korea–and the location where many dramas popular in Sri Lanka were, and still are, shot. It is named after the drama ‘Dae Jang Geum’ or ‘Jewel in the Palace’. Made up of 76 episodes, it was the most popular Korean drama to be shown in Sri Lanka and was called ‘Sujatha Diyani’. It was also exported to 90 other countries.
This 2003-04 series is based on the true story of Jang-geum, an orphaned kitchen cook who became the first female King’s physician of the Joseon Dynasty. It contributed towards the ‘Korean wave’ or explosion in popularity of Korean pop culture abroad. The main character Jang Geum–or, as she is known here, ‘Changumi’–was played by famous Korean actress Lee Young-ae. Earlier this year, she donated US$50,000 (Rs 7.6mn) for flood relief in Sri Lanka.
Dramas on this set are produced by Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation or MBC, a leading television and radio network. The majority of them are historical stories with kings, queens and noble families aplenty. And among them are ‘Jewel in the Crown’ or ‘Abeetha Diyani’; ‘The Horse Doctor’ or ‘Isiwara Wedaduru’; ‘The Great Merchant’ or ‘Diriya Diyani’; ‘Goddess of Fire’ or ‘Sirimati Sittharavi’; and ‘Queen Seon Deok’ or ‘Janahithakami Rajiniya’.
Dae Jang Geum Park: A view from the summit
The park has accommodation for support staff but the stars are only present during filming. The public are offered guided tours and strictly told that they must not speak with the actors or photograph them. And on no account can they cause distraction if there is filming going on during a visit. There is a separate room at the base of the hill for the stars to have their elaborate hair and make-up done. The supporting actors slap on their cosmetics outside.
The attention to detail across the park is remarkable. The buildings are solid and much effort has been made to make them as historically authentic and accurate as possible. They span several centuries and reflect the change in times. Some areas of the park are so beautiful they are rented out for wedding photographs.
The streets seem almost familiar. The marketplaces are instantly recognisable from the dramas. There are kitchens and maids’ quarters. The Injeongjeon Hall is recreated along the lines of the real one in Gyeongbukgung palace in Seoul. There are police stations, prisons, dungeons and various implements of torture. There are medical schools and brothels.
The drama set may not be for everybody. It takes about two hours to walk around it on foot. But for those who are fans of K-drama, and there are many of them in Sri Lanka, it offers fascinating insights. It also offers a learning experience to policymakers who, in Sri Lanka, attempted to construct a successful drama and film village.
(The writer’s visit was sponsored by the Korean Culture and Information Service to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Sri Lanka)
A village setting
One of the most beautiful spots in the film set