Ballad of Seodong
Ballad of Seodong (Korean: 서동요; Hanja: 薯童謠; RR: Seodong-yo) is a South Korean television series starring Jo Hyun-jae, Lee Bo-young, and Ryu Jin. It aired on SBS from September 5, 2005 to March 21, 2006 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 55 episodes.
| Ballad of Seodong | |
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| Written by | Kim Young-hyun |
| Directed by | Lee Byung-hoon MBC |
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| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Original language | Korean |
| No. of episodes | 55 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Kim Kyung-min |
| Production company | Kim Jong-hak Production |
| Original release | |
| Network | Seoul Broadcasting System |
| Release | 5 September 2005 – 21 March 2006 |
The period drama is based on Seodong-yo, said to be one of Korea's oldest folk songs and its first hyangga. According to the Samguk Yusa ("Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms") from the Silla Kingdom, the song was written by Seodong, a commoner from the Baekje Kingdom. Hearing that Princess Seonhwa, daughter of King Jinpyeong of Silla, was beautiful, he writes a song saying that the princess visits Seodong's room every night, and it quickly spreads throughout the kingdom and beyond, until it reaches the palace in Silla. When her father hears the song, he condemns the innocent princess to exile. Seodong finds Seonhwa, marries her and takes her to Baekje, and they become the royal rulers of the country.