The Slave Hunters is a 2010 South Korean action historical drama set in the Joseon Dynasty about a slave hunter who is tracking down a general-turned-runaway slave as well as searching for the woman he loves. It aired on KBS2 from January 6 to March 25, 2010 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 24 episodes. An adequate display of muscular brawn, intricate yet gritty fight scenes, bawdy humor and eloquent moments of pathos and humanity made the series both visually and intellectually appealing to audiences. Critics gave special mention to director Kwak Jung-hwan's lush cinematography, the use of a Red One camera giving each shot its theater-worthy luster. The hit series topped the ratings chart for 7 consecutive weeks, averaging 31.7% and reaching a peak of 35.9%. In 2010, the series was honored at the Seoul International Drama Awards, and the KBS Drama Awards. Jang also received a best actor nomination from the 2011 International Emmy Awards for his performance.
Synopsis
Set during the Joseon Dynasty, The Slave Hunters follows the story of Lee Dae-gil, Song Tae-ha, and Kim Hye-won. Lee Dae-gil is a man from a noble family, whose life is ruined by Keun-nom, a slave owned by Dae-gil's family. Because Keun-nom's sister Un-nyun and the young master Dae-gil are in love, Dae-gil's parents lock Un-nyun in a shed and leave her to die of dehydration. So Keun-nom burns down Dae-gil's house while rescuing her, then uses a sickle to slash Dae-gil's face. The house collapses shortly after, and Keun-nom and Un-nyun believe Dae-gil to be dead. Keun-nom runs away with Un-nyun and eventually accumulates enough wealth to buy Jokbo of a noble family. Assuming the identity of the yangbanKim family, he then changes his name to Kim Seong-hwan and his sister Un-nyun's name to Kim Hye-won. Driven by his desire for revenge as well as his obsession/love for Un-nyun, Dae-gil endures ten harsh years on the street and makes his name as a slave hunter. Dae-gil carries a sketch of Un-nyun at all times and searches for her wherever he goes. Song Tae-ha is a military general who has spent years serving Crown Prince Sohyeon in China; Sohyeon has been held as a hostage after Joseon lost the war with the Qing Dynasty. Upon their release to Joseon, they find themselves embroiled in an even bigger political turmoil. The crown prince dies under suspicious circumstances shortly after returning to Joseon, the crown princess and two of his three young sons are also killed, and the youngest son is exiled on Cheju island. Tae-ha is framed for stealing military rations and is demoted to a slave along with his loyal subordinates. When Tae-ha learns that the exiled youngest son of the late prince, who he believes to be the only rightful heir to the crown, is in danger, he is determined to protect him and have him declared the new crown prince. He escapes forced labor and sets off his journey to Jeju island. Along the way, Tae-ha comes across Hye-won/Un-nyun, who is on the run from an arranged marriage to a powerful noble, and saves her from danger. Dae-gil is hired to capture Tae-ha and chases after him, who, unbeknownst to Dae-gil, is now traveling and starting a romantic relationship with the woman for whom he has been obsessively searching for ten years.
The broadcasting rights to the series were sold to Japan even before its television premiere in South Korea. It began airing on April 20, 2010 on Japanese cable channelSo-net, with reruns on Mnet Japan beginning November 1, 2010. It also aired in Poland on Tele 5 beginning October 4, 2010 under the name Łowcy niewolników. It aired in Thailand on Channel 3 beginning November 26, 2011. It aired in the Philippines on GMA Network's midnight timeblock from May 7 to July 7, 2012.
