Drama Special Season 5: The Tale of the Bookworm (2014) poster
7.5
Your Rating: 0/10
Ratings: 7.5/10 from 78 users
# of Watchers: 268
Reviews: 2 users
Ranked #52805
Popularity #15971
Watchers 78

First web/mobile drama of KBS2, inspired from the story of legendary Hong Gil Dong. An action thriller surrounding a book. During the Joseon Dynasty, a revolutionary book written by Heo Gyun goes missing. A scholar that's mad about books goes on the hunt for it commissioned by a high ranking government official. But as he goes on his search he discovers secrets that leave him having to choose between following his passion for reading or saving life. What will he choose in the end? Edit Translation

  • English
  • Español
  • magyar / magyar nyelv
  • dansk
  • Country: South Korea
  • Type: Special
  • Episodes: 1
  • Aired: Oct 19, 2014
  • Aired On: Sunday
  • Original Network: KBS2
  • Duration: 1 hr. 10 min.
  • Score: 7.5 (scored by 78 users)
  • Ranked: #52805
  • Popularity: #15971
  • Content Rating: Not Yet Rated

Where to Watch Drama Special Season 5: The Tale of the Bookworm

KBS World
Free (sub)

Cast & Credits

Photos

Drama Special Season 5: The Tale of the Bookworm (2014) photo
Drama Special Season 5: The Tale of the Bookworm (2014) photo

Reviews

Completed
The Butterfly
3 people found this review helpful
Aug 4, 2023
1 of 1 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 7.5
Music 6.5
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers

"Don't avoid the truth!"

The Tale of the Bookworm is a drama special book lovers can appreciate. In a little over one hour, it covered as much story ground as most dramas cover in 16 bloated episodes. The only copy of Heo Gyun's book "The Tale of Hong Gildong" aka "The Biography of Hong Gildong" has been stolen and an awkward bookworm must use what he's learned from reading to solve the case. The drama incorporates the usual political intrigue, a loyal bookpig, a hint of romance, a bromance, self-sacrifice, a bookwolf, and the determined bookworm who is willing to risk his life to find the missing treasure.

Low born bookworm Jang Suh Wan is accused of a murder that occurred at the same time as the theft of Heo's book where Jang regularly "borrows" books to copy. He and Capt. Lee are charged by the sinister Minister Lee with finding the radical book or face the consequences. Along the way, Jang meets a book loving concubine and a book obsessed prince. He's also kidnapped a couple of times and threatened with torture, the worst torture was having a book's ending spoiled for him! The horror! It would make any self-professed book lover crack! While there were comedic and fun bromance moments there were also blood spewing and blood pooling deaths.

Han Joo Wan made for a sweet bookworm with Sherlock Holmes abilities. Choi Dae Chul as Capt. Lee had great chemistry with the bookworm and was easy on the eyes. You can always count on Lee Dae Yeon to make for a proper Joseon schemer, he could do this role in his sleep. And Ahn Nae Sang brought the right amount of moral ambiguity to the famous writer. The special looked low budget, but the cast's charisma covered over most of the cinematographic cracks.

Heo Gyun is historically credited with writing The Tale of Hong Gildong, though authorship has come into dispute. In the drama, Jang's hero may not have been what the bookworm had hoped for but the power of the written word was more important and life altering. It was fun learning a bit about this progressive and subversive for the time writer and Hong Gildong, one of the most influential early writings in Korea. The Tale of the Bookworm was simply done but effective and entertaining as it reminded us of the power of books to change minds and the world.

8/3/23

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Completed
chalbarczyk
0 people found this review helpful
Jan 1, 2019
1 of 1 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
It is intriguing and entertaining. And a little bit odd. Because this is about love for books in Joseon, but it looks simply as a madness about them.

There are bookworms, a bookwolf and a bookpig. There are authors of their books, but also there is a book without the author, because he denied his book. There is also a living book. And bookthieves, and reading under the blanket in the night. All of this is a background for the strange story including murders, sword fights, bromance and of course books.

Scholar Jang investigates the murder case and tries to find the book. In the end will he love and protect the girl or the book?

I love this short drama, it is funny, intelligent and original. The places of filming are really beautiful. Han Joo Wan as a scholar Jang is lovable.
If you love books you must watch it :)

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Details

  • Special: Drama Special Season 5: The Tale of the Bookworm
  • Country: South Korea
  • Episodes: 1
  • Aired: Oct 19, 2014
  • Aired On: Sunday
  • Original Network: KBS2
  • Duration: 1 hr. 10 min.
  • Content Rating: Not Yet Rated

Statistics

  • Score: 7.5 (scored by 78 users)
  • Ranked: #52805
  • Popularity: #15971
  • Watchers: 268

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