Dae Jang Geum

Korean said Dae Jang Geum (aka Jewel in the Palace) is National Treasure, with True History and Great Achievement

Jewel in the Palace, aka Dae Jang Geum is currenlty showing in China on Zhejing network. Why is this Korean drama, that did miracle in places such as Korea, Chinese Taiwan, Chinese Hong Kong with viewership of average 50%, is so welcomed by the audiences, and how was the Korean audience appraises this drama with historical theme? During Kwangju International Film Festival, reporter interviews Korea’s film and television expert as well as Jewel in the Palace producer, Korean MBC Corporation’s person in charge.

True History and Great Achievement

The South Korean Kwangju University Film and Television Faculty Professor Ms. Cao introduces: “The soap opera “Dae Jang Geum” first broadcasted in South Korea two years ago, and managed a 53% historical highest reception of TV result, let a lot of Korean film and television experts surprised. Everybody thinks this drama excavates the lesser-known historical theme as well as exquisite performance of super-famed Lee Young Ae and other actors and actresses are its success main reason. Jang Geum is the only female in Korean history that became the chief chef through her own hard work, and diligently studies into the first court physician through own effort, and finally is named by emperor as Dae Jang Geum. Although background of Jewel in the Palace is the palace, but the drama also portrays deeply average person’s psychology, emotion and other factors, also inherits the characteristic of Korean drama, that’s incites the sentiment of viewer. At the same time, Jewel in the Palace also fills with Korean flavour of cuiside and pharmacology and so on, constitutes the entire new feeling for the drama.” The price difference causes China late to broadcast Jewel in the Palace that was broadcasted two years ago in South Korea. Beside, Jewel in the Palace has not until now re-broadcast in South Korea. Regarding this, Ms. Cao explains: “The producer of Jewel in the Palace Korea MBC Corporation regarded this drama as the national treasure, to them, if the drama immediately repeatedly re-broadcast in the television station, inevitably will be causing the viewing ratio of the drama to gradually drop, finally caused the treasure no longer worth the money. In addition, because of the popularity of Jewel in the Palace, the Korean audio and video company buys this drama copyright with record price, manufactures the video tape, DVD and other related merchandises to sell in Korea. To guarantee the best selling of audio and video product, MBC Corporate agreed to not to re-broadcast the drama in Korean television station for 2 years in the contract.

In addition, because Jewel in the Palace is the art piece of historical theme, the scene is vast, the character is multitudinous, therefore its filming cost is huge, it is reported, Lee Young Ae’s salary for acting in this drama was each episode 9,000,000 Korean won (approximatelyabout 80,000 Yuan Renminbi). The Korean producer therefore hopes that the drama can sells for good price in the Asian countries, stemming from the commercial secret, the Korean producer did not disclosure the selling price to China, but the company person in charge indicated, the Chinese various television stations already have interest in Jewel in the Palace long ago, but as a result of the difference stance on price, the purchase contract could not be signed. Until this year spring, the Chinese Hunan Satellite TV, after half year negotiation, finally purchased the rights to broadcast this drama in China. “Actually the final price of the deal of this drama certainly is not very high, the main reason is we sees that Korean drama was more and more influence in China, and we hoped that our outstanding works could meet with the Chinese audience, in order to obtained the good relations with China’s television manufacture side, and thus can introduced more Korean drama to China.”

The storyline of Dae Jang Geum is written

In addition, Ms. Cao also explained about the origin of leading character of Jewel in the Palace, Dae Jang Geum. She introduces: ” Screenwriter Kim Young Hyun discovered in one Korean history about Jang Geum this person, she was a palace maid in the ancient times palace, her description in the history book is extremely limited, thus Kim Young Hyun wrote the script of Dae Jang Geum according to her personal understanding of the history of the period and her imagination. Afterwards the one publishing house in South Korean invited the screenwriter to change this drama script to write into a novel to publish. Once release, the novel similarly received reader’s affection. Therefore Jewel in the Palace aka Dae Jang Geum first has the drama script before the the novel were written, moreover in this drama, it should be considered there was such a real person in the history, but the story is completely fiction.”

Original Text:

韩国人认为< 大长今>是国宝 真实历史成就火红

　　中新浙江网9月7日电 　　韩国历史巨制《大长今》正在热播，这部曾经在韩国、中国台湾、中国香港等地创下平均50%的收视奇迹、激起无数民众争相追逐的韩剧为何深受观众欢迎，韩国观众又是怎么评价这部历史题材的作品呢？在光州国际电影节期间，记者采访到了韩国的影视专家以及《大长今》的出品方、韩国MBC公司的负责人。

　　真实历史故事成就火红

　　韩国光州大学影视系教授曹女士介绍说：“电视剧《大长今》两年前在韩国首播，创下了53%的历史最高收视成绩，令很多韩国影视界专家感到惊奇。大家认为该剧所挖掘的鲜为人知的历史题材以及李英爱等超人气演员的精湛表演是其成功的主要原因。‘长今’是在朝鲜历史上惟一一位通过自己不懈努力成为第一厨师，并通过自己的努力学习成为第一御医，最后被皇帝命名为“大长今”的女性。《大长今》虽以宫廷为载体，但更加着力刻画普通人的心理、情感等因素，更秉承韩剧善于煽情的特点。同时，《大长今》充满韩国风情的膳食、药理等也构成了全剧的另一面风景。”价格分歧导致中国迟播两年前在韩国热播过的《大长今》至今没有在韩国重播。曹女士对此介绍说：“《大长今》的出品方韩国MBC公司把该剧视为了‘国宝’，在他们看来如果立即在电视台反复重播，势必会导致该剧的收视率逐步下降，最终使宝贝不再值钱。此外，由于《大长今》的热播，韩国音像公司以天价购得该剧版权，制作成录像带、DVD等音像制品在韩国全面发行，为保证音像制品的畅销，在购买合同中规定MBC公司两年内不得在韩国电视台重播该剧。

　　此外，《大长今》由于是历史题材的作品，场面浩大，人物众多，因此其拍摄制作成本巨大，据了解，李英爱在该剧的片酬就达到了每集九百万韩币(约合8万元人民币)。韩国出品方因此希望该剧能够在亚洲地区卖得一个好价钱，出于商业秘密，韩国方面并没有透露当初对中国的售价，但公司一位负责人表示，中国各电视台早已对《大长今》一剧产生了浓厚的兴趣，但由于价格的分歧，购买合同迟迟未能签订。直到今年春天，中国湖南卫视经过长达半年的沟通，终于购下了该剧在中国的播放权。“其实该剧最终成交价格并不是很高，主要的原因是我们看到了韩剧在中国的影响力越来越大，我们希望自己拍摄的优秀作品能够与中国观众见面，以便与中国的电视制作方取得良好的关系，把更多韩剧介绍到中国。”

　　《大长今》的故事是编出来的

　　此外，曹女士对于剧中主人公长今的来历做出了说明。她介绍说：“编剧金荣眩在一个朝鲜历史故事中发现了长今这个人物，她是古代宫廷里的一个宫女，史书中对她的描写非常有限，于是金荣眩根据自己对那段历史的认识加上自己的想像创作出了《大长今》的电视剧剧本。后来韩国一家出版社邀请编剧把该剧的剧本改编成小说出版发行，同样受到了读者的喜爱。因此《大长今》是先有剧本后有小说的，而且该剧应该算是史有其人，但故事完全是编写出来的。”

Source: 《每日新报》

Young Jang Geum - Jewel in the Palace changes her life

In South Korea, Jo Jung Eun is the beloved young Jang Geum.

During summer, she was being interview in Dae Jang Geum village of South Korean MBC television station. The refreshingly cute and small face, was pinched, rubbed, and kissed by the tourists from various Asian countries. By the way she ran away into the room, the face had already swelled into a “small tomato”.

She took down the heavy Korean traditional dress, put it on the floor, and took out a “the strawberry ice” from the pocket, then stared at strange faces inside the room with her big size eye- - - the innocent of 11 years-old young girl all written on her face.

Signature a quite a similarity to celebrity

Jo Jung Eun, 11 years old, before acting in Jewel in the Palace, is same with other ordinary elementary school four grades students, every day has to worry about reading, analysis and writing essays.

When Jewel in the Palace first broadcasted in South Korea, it’s broadcasted on late 10 pm slot. As it’s too late, her schoolmates all did not know that the class actually sits the young Jang Geum. Only school principal and the teacher in charge, every day holds the pillow to watch the drama - - - During the drama filming, the principal once gave her a box of hearts shapes chocolate to encourage her. After finished broadcasted, the teacher in charge rewarded her with 11 notebooks.

Her mother has hoped since childhood that she “works as a great person”, but she actually always fantasizes wanted to be a fashion designer, the bank staff, or a beautiful stewardess. Jewel in the Palace changed her life. What most makes she feeling “inflated” is, students and teachers also asked for her signature. Therefore, she has secretly practiced signature in the home innumerably.

At break of interview, tourists passed through, and holds on her to sign. She simply drew some “abstract picture”, sort of don’t care about it. As she signed until bored, she simply put the pen into the Korean traditional dress pocket.

Homesick in the adult world

The filming of Jewel in the Palace spanned across from the beginning of August to February the second year, experiencing intense summer heat to cold winter.

The filming place is adults world. Except mother, Jo Jung Eun did not have anyone else to talk to. So while there was break between shooting, she quickly took out her home work to do.

In the Jewel in the Palace drama, there is a frequent scene of young Jang Geum washing the plates. Asked if she is now very confident about washing the plates? Her mouth honked, eye slanted: “I am not specialized in washing the tray, when making a movie, brushed several has been good.” The big eye looks like was saying that, asks such question, too non-specialized!

The pay is kept by mother

“Jewel in the Palace” to Jo Jung Eun, was “several ancient times chefs’ story”.

The lines of script are too classical, had to memorised every day once woke up; Expression, trained by acting to the mirror; The strongest impression is in the 2nd episode, when the mother and daughter separated, the scene that they climb the mountain to picks strawberry, eat one herself, feeds mother one too, sadly enough to has tears streaming down the face. Asks her: “Is that really cries? Or using eye drops?”

She opened her eye big big: “You regarded me as what! Certainly have developed the sentiment, the tear unconsciously fell down.”

“How about rewards for the acting? Was not all buys the attractive skirt?” Asks her.

“All keeps in mother there!”

“Do you has the confidence to surpass Lee Young Ae sister?”

“Certainly!” Still is that kind of childish fearlessness.

Original Text:
　　在韓國，趙廷恩是萬千寵愛集一身的“小長今”。
　　夏天，在韓國MBC電視台“長今村”採訪她。粉粉嫩的小臉，被亞洲各地的游客捏一把，蹭一下，親一口，逃進房間的時候，已經腫成一只“小蕃茄”。
　　她摔開重重的韓服，往地上一癱，從口袋里挖出一支“草莓冰”，眨巴著大眼睛打量屋里的陌生面孔───11歲小姑娘的天真全都寫在臉上。

　　簽名頗有大牌模樣

　　趙廷恩，11歲，演“小長今”前，和每個普通小學四年級學生一樣，每天因為閱讀分析和作文而苦惱。
　　《大長今》在韓國首播時，排在每晚10點的黃金檔。熬夜太晚，她的同學都不知道，班里原來坐著個“小長今”。只有校長和班主任，每天抱著枕頭守在電視機前淌口水───拍攝時，校長曾送給她一盒心形巧克力，以資鼓勵；播完後，班主任又獎勵了她11本筆記本。
　　媽媽從小希望她“當個大人物”，她卻總是幻想成為一個服裝設計師、銀行職員，或者一個美麗空姐。一部《大長今》，卻改變了她的生活，最令她“感覺膨脹”的是，連同學、老師也問她討簽名。為此，她在家偷偷練了無數遍。
　　採訪間隙，恰有游客經過，又拉住她簽名。刷刷刷，她隨手畫出一幅“抽象畫”。“隨便劃幾筆，大概差不多就行了。”一派大牌式的不以為然。簽到煩了，幹脆把筆藏進韓服的大裙擺里。

　　在成人世界常會想家

　　戲從8月初拍到第二年的2月，經歷了酷暑到寒冬。
　　片場是成人的世界，除了媽媽，連個說話的小伙伴都沒有。趁拍片間隙一二個小時，趕緊掏出作業本，塗兩筆。
　　劇中，常常帶到“小長今”洗盤子的特寫。問她是不是現在對洗盤子很有心得？她嘴巴一嘟，眼睛一斜：“我又不是專業洗盤子的，拍戲嘛，刷幾下就行了。”大眼睛好像在說：問這樣的問題，太不專業了！

　　片酬藏在媽媽那里

　　《大長今》在趙廷恩眼中，就是“幾個古代廚師的故事”。
　　台詞太“古典”，每天從睜開眼睛起背；表情，自己對著鏡子“拗造型”；印象最深的是第2集中，母女離別，上山採草莓那場戲，自己吃一個，喂媽媽吃一個，悲傷到淚流滿面。問她：“那是真哭麼？還是滴眼藥水？”
　　她瞪大眼睛：“你把我當成什麼了！當然是投入了感情的，眼淚不自覺就落了下來。”
　　“拍戲的片酬呢？是不是都買漂亮裙子了？”問她。
　　“都藏在媽媽那里呢！”
　　“有沒有信心超過李英愛姐姐？”
　　“當然！”依然是那種孩子氣的無所畏懼。

　　威尼斯電影節，她為電影《親切的金子》而來，穿著《大長今》式的傳統韓服踏上紅地毯，接受中國記者有關《大長今》的恭喜和問候。
　　大約因為做長期化妝品代言人出身，眼前的李英愛皮膚幹淨而透明，僅憑一抹紅唇點破嫵媚。她說話的聲音很小，細微如蚊蠅：“首先謝謝你看了我的作品。不能說我做得最好，只能說我盡力了！”

　　放松在異國他鄉

　　《大長今》在亞洲紅透半邊天。該劇自去年在韓國播出後引起巨大轟動，觀眾反響空前熱烈，被評為“一部真正意義上的韓國國民電視劇”。磨礪多年的“氧氣美女”李英愛也憑此劇躍升為“韓劇一姐”，在韓國如日中天。
　　可在遙遠的意大利，沒有多少歐洲人知道李英愛。這也就令她可以隨意在威斯汀酒店內用餐，吃完後在酒店門前的大街上游蕩。
　　“Chinesepeopleloveyou!”我們的攝影記者尾隨很久，終于有了機會上前向李英愛致意。李英愛笑了，主動停下腳步，站在鮮花旁擺夠POSE，我們于是有了一個獨家拍照的機會。
　　在一個人人都認識她尾隨她的地方，她難免小心和克制。但在異國他鄉，她得到了片刻的放松。

　　再也不嬌嗲說話

　　親身接觸之後，不難發現李英愛那份發自內心的羞澀和平易近人的親切。她舉止優雅談吐得體，氣質似乎渾然天成。
　　事實上，在15年前初入行時，她常常翻查和回看自己的演出，查找自己的不足，總覺得聲音太過嬌嗲，太多高音，于是下定決心漸漸改掉了這個“壞毛病”。
　　李英愛早期的星路歷程並不平坦。早在1993年起拍劇的她，一直未能成功。直到1995年，才獲觀眾歡迎，也得到一些電視演出獎項。好景不長，她首次參演的電影票房欠佳，未能成功。經過一段浮沉，20歲後李英愛一邊工作，一邊去修讀研究，最後成為一個電影戲劇系碩士。2000年，她終憑《安全地帶》─片一炮而紅，晉身韓國一線女星之列。

　　名氣是一種警惕

　　在人生任何階段，這位讀韓語版《菜根譚》與《明心寶鑒》的女星都不忘審視。哪怕《大長今》如此大紅大紫，她也為自己奏響警鐘：“當我遇到大熱的情況的時候，我需要些時間來感恩。換句話說，我克制自己。我試著想得更多，關于我的優點和弱點。”
　　對于明星來說，深思和自制是十分必要的。藝人需要充滿情感和自發的熱情，但是也會因此失去平衡，李英愛深諳此道：“在娛樂圈，當風刮起的時候，如果你的根基不夠扎實，那你很容易倒下。
　　“我更喜歡現在的狀態了。過去我渴望得到比自己已獲得的更多的東西。和大多數20多歲的年輕人一樣，我的心里充滿了成功的野心，結果我想要的超過了我的能力所及。”從前，當她翻看老相片時，可以看見自己臉上無休止的關于“成功”的決心。時光如梭，現在的李英愛可以掌握更多的事情，包括眼角的細紋和排山倒海的名氣。

　　李英愛：《大長今》為你“狂”

　　制片人李丙勛:李英愛是位非常聰明的演員。對于一個要在朝鮮時代成功，要把專業賦予實質的女子來說,聰明是必須的，幸好李英愛是一位喜歡學習和閱讀的人。在拍攝的初期，我買了本《東醫寶鑒》給她，她很快便讀完而且與我在一起認真地探討。她一直都是那樣准備得很充分。

　　男演員池珍熙:李英愛在演戲時是非常認真與平靜的，要和她談話有點難，但偶爾當她說話，她是一個很有趣的人。平常她都是冷靜與平和的，她就像“韓國人理想中的母親和妻子”，但一到工作，她真的是很專業。你們也會認為，她很自然地就像長今，即使現實中她是完全不同的一個人。無論她做什麼，只要她繼續像現在的做法，我確信她是會成功的。

Source: 申江服務導報 19th September 2005