The Legend of The Four Gods
Five years after blockbuster drama Winter Sonata, Bae Yong Joon returns in the lavish historical fantasy The Legend (a.k.a. Four Gods). The Hallyu star portrays Korea’s legendary Gwanggaeto the Great, the 19th king of the Goguryeo Dynasty whose legacy of territorial expansion extended well beyond Manchuria. Created by the famous writer/director team behind 1995 blockbuster series Sandglass, this mythological historical fusion epic caused a major uproar in the media from the very start with its high-caliber cast that includes Moon So Ri (Oasis), Choi Min Soo (Sandglass), and Park Sang Won (Sandglass). The drama’s staggering $40 billion won production costs are rumored to have even exceeded the budget benchmark of sci-fi blockbuster D-War. After numerous postponements, The Legend finally exploded onto small screens nationwide on September 2007. With some critics and viewers placing the drama’s CG work in the same league as that of Hollywood film Lord of the Rings, The Legend boldly raised the bar of standards for Korean dramas. Bathed in mysterical splendor, the 24-episode series chronicles King Gwanggaeto’s entire life from his youth to his turmultous ascent to the throne and territorial conquests.
