Six Flying Dragons ~ Captivating, Epic, Binge-Worthy Classic
“Six Flying Dragons” (aka “Roots of the Throne”) is a 2015 Korean drama series, with 50 episodes, categorized as Historical, Political Drama, Action, Sageuk (Korean historical drama), and Romance.
- The series is inspired by real historical events and people, such as Yi Bang-won (later King Taejong), Jeong Do-jeon, and Yi Seong-gye (King Taejo). It takes place during the end of the Goryeo Dynasty and the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty.
- To describe the Korean historical drama series as a captivating, epic, binge-worthy classic is not an exaggeration. OK! It’s also gripping and intense! (Honestly? They don’t make them like this anymore.)
SUMMARY: A country in transition: the birth of a new political order.
♦ If We Unite We Can Transform This Nation ~ Man to Man? Promise Me!
In “Six Flying Dragons”, the “dragons” symbolize six pivotal figures (real and fictional) who played key roles in changing the course of Korea’s history and founding the Joseon Dynasty. These are the “six” [each representing their contribution to nation-building efforts]:
Yi Bang-won [Political ambition] – Later King Taejong, a brilliant strategist with a thirst for power and reform. Cunning and ruthless. Eliminated his “competition” and “opponents” mercilessly.
Jeong Do-jeon (Sambong) [Ideological reform] – A visionary scholar and political architect of Joseon’s Confucian foundation. He tried to keep his true identity a secret because he knew it would be used against him and all of his valiant efforts would be for nothing.
Yi Seong-gye [Military might] – The general who overthrew Goryeo and became King Taejo, founder of Joseon.
*Boon-yi [Grassroots resilience] – Not a noble lady but a woman of noble character – navigating her way through a world of powerful men – representing the voice of the common people and grassroots activism. For someone who was uneducated, she was extremely intelligent, and also compassionate and empathetic.
*Ddang-sae / Lee Bang-ji [Martial loyalty] – A master swordsman and protector, embodying loyalty and martial prowess. The best swordsman in Goryeo/Joseon? It’s not vain bragging or boasting if it’s true.
*Moo-hyul [Heroic idealism] – Another fictional warrior, later bodyguard to King Sejong, symbolizing honor and strength. He is what heroes are made of: brave, honest, loyal, humble, kind, and caring. Only uses his sword to defend.
REFERENCES:
♦ A Story About the Founding of Joseon. But of course, There’s Romance!
Even though the story is based on actual events there is also a touching love story between a man who would become a powerful crown prince/king and a woman who is a lowly commoner.
(A) An extraordinary man and an ordinary woman? OR
(B) An ordinary man who tied his heartstrings to an exceptionally extraordinary and humble woman?
It’s (B).
Lee Bang-Won, the 5th son of a military general who is a hero to the people. He is intelligent, gifted, and trained by scholars; described as “brilliant” and “exceptional”. But he must always wrestle the “worm” inside that can blacken his heart .
Boon Yi, poor and uneducated, but because her wisdom is reflected through her boundless compassion and concern for others, members of her village honor her by calling her their “Leader”. She is clearly the one with a noble heart that never darkens and always shines bright.
Main Characters:
- Yi Bang-won (played by Yoo Ah-in, “Hellbound”, “Seoul Vibe”, “Burning”, “GoodBye Earth”, “Sungkyunkwan Scandal”)
- Jeong Do-jeon (played by Kim Myung-min, “Battle of Jangsari”, “Monstrum”, “Detective K Series”, “Your Honor”, “Law School” )
- *Boon-yi (played by Shin Se-kyung, “Capitivating the King”, “Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung”, “Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramoon (S2)”, “A Girl Who Sees Smells”, “The Bride of Habaek”)
- *Ddang-sae / Yi Bang-ji (played by Byun Yo-han, “Following”, “Believer 2”, “Hansan: Rising Dragon”, “The Book of Fish”, “Mr. Sunshine”, “Uncle Samsik”, “Black Out “, “Misaeng: Incomplete Life”)
- *Moo-hyul (played by Yoon Kyun-sang, “Mount Chiak”, “You Call It Passion”, “Oh, The Mysterious”, “Pinocchio”, “The Rebel”)
- Yi Seong-gye (played by Chun Ho-jin, “The Chase”, “The Story Of Park’s Marriage Contract”, “Joseon Attorney: A Morality”, “Go! Mrs. Go!“, “Heavenly Ever After”, “Twinkling Watermelon”, “Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho”)
*These are fictional characters, but you wish they were real.
Where to Watch (Unavailable on streaming platforms in USA.)
Viewership and Rating:
My personal rating is 10 out of 10 stars.
The soundtrack gets 1 star and 9 stars is for the rest. The scriptwriters, the casting, the performances by adult and child actors, etc. ALL worthy of high praise.
“Six Flying Dragons” may have been mentioned in some of my other reviews but it deserves to have its own spotlight, so I published a full review. Best sword fighting scenes IN THE WORLD! This epic historical series should be required viewing for all K-drama newbies.
LINKS OF INTEREST:
Captivating K-Dramas That Were Actually Inspired By True Stories | Soompi
Korean drama review: Six Flying Dragons – A Superb Watch | Chasing Carefree
Six Flying Dragons Korean Drama Review | Kdrama Kisses
Six Flying Dragons (Korea, 2015) and Tree With Deep Roots (Korea, 2011) – spoiler-free | Elly McDonald (“All the virtues of adventure costume drama with the added value of surprise.”)
Best Historical K-Dramas, Ranked | Entertainment | MSN
TRAILER/TEASER:
gc68. “SBS – Six Flying Dragons (Opening Title).” YouTube, Video, 15 Nov. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7ALQRUuNWM.
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