Tree with Deep Roots is just the second period Korean drama I’ve seen, the first being Sungkyunkwan Scandal. The two offers different viewing experiences. Sungkyunkwan Scandal is a romantic comedy that tackled the lives of the scholars. On the other hand, Tree with Deep Roots is a serious historical drama on how the Hangul alphabet was developed by King Sejong (Han Suk Kyu). Both dramas feature Song Joong Ki.
Tree with Deep Roots is about the series of murders before the announcement of the Korean script. Kang Chae Yoon (Chae Sang Woo) and So Yi (Kim Hyun Soo) were kids of slaves. They were orphaned during the reign of King Sejong’s father but Chae Yoon thought that Lee Do (Song Joong Ki) was responsible for their deaths.
Then Lee Do becomes King Sejong (Han Suk Kyu) and he is obsessed in developing Korea’s modern script. He is also busy mapping out the human anatomy. Grown up So Yi (Shin Se Kyung) is now one of King Sejong’s court maidens. Grown up Chae Yoon (Jang Hyuk) is one of the king’s guards. He still wants to kill the king and King Sejong knows it.
King Sejong wants to introduce his letters but he is opposed by the Milbon, nobles who fear that they would lose their place in society once the king replaces the Chinese alphabet with his own letters. They say that that the new alphabet would erode society.
Watching Tree with Deep Roots feels like you’re taking a lesson in Korean history. You learn a lot about their culture and past. I don’t know whether it is accurate or not but the drama series gives me an idea of how it was during King Sejong’s reign.
The cast members of Tree with Deep Roots are so great. It’s not a surprise that they won all the major awards at the SBS Drama Awards. Special mention goes to Han Suk Kyu, the king. He made the character believable that I wanted to kill the king at one point.
Jang Hyuk and Shin Se Kyung also did a good job as the series’ couple. They showed that love teams in dramas don’t need to be cheesy to make it work. You wouldn’t hear them say saranghae to each other but through their action the viewers could see that their love is not just skin deep. And death is the only thing that can separate them.
Tree with Deep Roots is an excellent Korean drama series. Acting, storyline, directing and the settings are on a class of their own. If you’re looking for a drama to marathon, this is the one you should choose. And if you’re a Super Junior fan, then you’ll be glad to see Kim Ki Bum here as one of the scholars.
