Swallow the Sun (TV series)

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Swallow the Sun
Promotional poster
GenreAction
Romance
Drama
Based onSwallow the Sun
by Kang Chul-hwa
Written byChoi Wan-kyu
Directed byYoo Chul-yong
StarringJi Sung
Sung Yu-ri
Lee Wan
Jun Kwang-ryul
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes25
Production
Production locationsJeju Island
Las Vegas
Johannesburg
Running time60 minutes
Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 (KST)
Original release
NetworkSeoul Broadcasting System
ReleaseJuly 9 (2009-07-09) –
October 1, 2009 (2009-10-01)

Swallow the Sun (Korean태양을 삼켜라; RRTaeyangeul Samkyeora) is a 2009 South Korean television series starring Ji Sung, Sung Yu-ri, Lee Wan and Jun Kwang-ryul. It aired on SBS from July 9 to October 1, 2009 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 25 episodes.

Synopsis[edit]

The drama opens in the 1960–1970's, with a group of criminals that were brought to Jeju Island for manual labor as punishment under the harsh supervision of troop leaders. Among this group is Kim Il-hwan (Jin Goo), an unrefined, rebellious man with no family and no direction in life. With nothing to lose, Il-hwan escapes from the rest of the infantry after combat with one of the troop leaders, Lee Soo-chang (Ahn Nae-sang). The rest of the troop eventually track him down and corner him on a cliff over Jeju's ocean. He jumps off and drifts in the sea, and is later found by Ahn Mi-yeon (Im Jung-eun), a "haenyo" (traditional free diver). Although she is afraid of this rough stranger, she does not judge him for being a criminal and does not turn him in to the authorities. Instead, Mi-yeon hides him in caves near the shore of the island where she takes care of him. They fall in love; however, the troops eventually find them believing that he had taken Mi-yeon hostage. After Il-hwan is taken away, Mi-yeon discovers that she is pregnant. Their child, Kim Jung-woo (Yeo Jin-goo) is raised in an orphanage after Mi-yeon passes away.

The illegitimate, orphaned Jung-woo grows up into a small-time hoodlum with a rebellious temperament. As an adult in the present day (Ji Sung), he saves the life of a rich and powerful businessman Jang Min-ho (Jun Kwang-ryul), which becomes his ticket to a better life. Swearing to serve Jang Min-ho, Jung-woo gets sent to Seoul to look after Jang's son, Tae-hyuk (Lee Wan).

Tae-hyuk had grown up not knowing his parentage, until he was approached as an adult by Jang Min-ho who claimed to be his father and trained him in business management. Tae-hyuk asks Jung-woo to help him win the heart of Lee Soo-hyun (Sung Yu-ri). Soo-hyun is a strong-willed young woman who overcame poverty and misfortune to studied overseas, and currently works as the manager of a world-famous circus troupe. Jung-woo will do anything to win favor with the Jang family, but Soo-hyun turns out to be his first love, whom he'd met as a child back in Jeju. Soo-hyun, who doesn't remember Jung-woo, finds herself gradually drawn to him as he pursues her under his master's name. Things get complicated when Jung-woo is suddenly sent to prison instead of Tae-hyuk.

Jung-woo later learns the devastating truth that the man claiming to be Jang Min-ho is actually his father, Kim Il-hwan. It sets him on a whirlwind quest filled with crime, love and revenge, taking him from the glittering lights of Las Vegas to the diamond mines of South Africa.

Jung-woo, Soo-hyun and Tae-hyuk encounter each other again where it all started, Jeju Island, as they work to develop Seogwipo into a world-class city.

Cast[edit]

Production[edit]

The series, produced on a budget of US$10,000,000, was adapted from the novel by Kang Chul-hwa. Screenwriter Choi Wan-kyu and director Yoo Chul-yong previously worked with actor Ji Sung on All In (2003), which had similar themes of casino gambling and gangsters.[2][3]

With the exception for overseas shoots in Las Vegas, United States and Johannesburg, South Africa, all the scenes in Korea were shot entirely in Seogwipo City in Jeju Province.[4]

Renowned Canadian circus troupe Cirque du Soleil was also featured in the drama. They appeared without being paid royalties, in order to break into the Korean market.[4] Sung Yu-ri's character was also based on troupe member and synchronized swimmer Hong Yun-jin.[5]

Production was temporarily halted in early July 2009 when eight crew members tested positive for swine flu. They were quarantined, the press conference was cancelled, and the premiere date was pushed back by one day.[2][6]

Ratings[edit]

Date Episode Nationwide Seoul
2009-07-08 Special 7.8% (20th) 8.6% (18th)
2009-07-09 1 14.8% (7th) 15.5% (6th)
2009-07-15 2 16.5% (2nd) 17.3% (2nd)
2009-07-16 3 18.5% (2nd) 19.9% (1st)
2009-07-22 4 16.2% (3rd) 16.5% (3rd)
2008-07-23 5 16.8% (3rd) 17.0% (3rd)
2009-07-29 6 17.3% (2nd) 17.8% (2nd)
2009-07-30 7 18.7% (1st) 18.9% (1st)
2009-08-05 8 16.7% (3rd) 16.9% (3rd)
2009-08-06 9 16.9% (3rd) 17.4% (2nd)
2009-08-12 10 17.3% (1st) 17.4% (2nd)
2009-08-13 11 17.3% (1st) 17.3% (1st)
2009-08-19 12 15.3% (6th) 15.6% (6th)
2009-08-20 13 17.6% (3rd) 17.7% (3rd)
2009-08-26 14 14.8% (6th) 15.3% (7th)
2009-08-27 15 15.0% (7th) 14.7% (7th)
2009-09-02 16 15.0% (4th) 14.8% (5th)
2009-09-03 17 18.0% (2nd) 18.4% (1st)
2009-09-09 18 15.5% (5th) 15.6% (5th)
2009-09-10 19 17.8% (2nd) 17.9% (1st)
2009-09-16 20 16.3% (2nd) 15.9% (4th)
2009-09-17 21 17.1% (3rd) 17.0% (1st)
2009-09-23 22 17.5% (2nd) 17.4% (2nd)
2009-09-24 23 17.4% (2nd) 17.1% (1st)
2009-09-30 24 16.4% (3rd) 16.4% (4th)
2009-10-01 25 18.8% (2nd) 18.4% (3rd)
Average 16.8% 17.0%

Source: TNS Media Korea

International broadcast[edit]

It aired in Japan on Hallyu cable channel KNTV from February 13 to November 21, 2009 under the title To Swallow the Sun (太陽を飲み込め).[7] It also aired on cable channel BS NTV.[8]

It aired in Thailand on Modernine TV on June 23, 2011 under the title ฝากรัก ณ ตะวันนิรันดร (f̄āk rạk ṇ tawạn nirạndr).[9]

It aired in Vietnam on VTC1 on October 15, 2013 under the title Chinh Phục Mặt Trời.

It aired in Indonesia on B-Channel on October 16, 2013 under the title Kemenangan Cinta.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Kim, Jessica (8 October 2009). "Ji-sung "in daze" after last drama". 10Asia. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  2. ^ a b Han, Sang-hee (7 July 2009). "Swallow the Sun to Capture Love, Revenge". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  3. ^ "Swallow the Sun (2009) - Box office / business". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
  4. ^ a b Han, Sang-hee (17 February 2009). "Local Dramas Enduring With Support In and Out". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  5. ^ Lee, Hyo-won (4 August 2009). "Synchronized Swimmer Inspires TV Character". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2015-01-13.
  6. ^ '둘리 아빠' 김수정, 뮤지컬을 들고 다시 나타나다. The Korea Herald (in Korean). 9 July 2009. Archived from the original on 8 August 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
  7. ^ "Kn番組 ドラマ 太陽をのみ込め". Archived from the original on 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  8. ^ "Bs日テレ - 韓国ドラマ「太陽をのみ込め」番組サイト". Archived from the original on 2014-04-29. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  9. ^ "ก้าวสู่ปีที่ 4 เอสทีจี มัลติมีเดีย ส่งซีรี่ส์สุดอลังการ ลงช่องโมเดิร์นไนน์ ใน โมเดิร์นไนน์ซีรี่ส์ 2 ช่วงเวลา". pingbook.com. 29 August 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2015. Thai: Thai

External links[edit]