Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung (Review)
Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung seems like a regular period K-Drama romcom, but it’s really not. The show starts as a comedy, but slowly the tone is progressively more serious, the last episodes almost totally lack the comedic character. The show is devoted to so-called Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty, records of events happening during Joseon period (kept between 1392 and 1865).
The concept behind Veritable Records is totally alien, almost bizarre, for Western viewers. The recorders or (titular) historians were always present when important officials of Joseon period were performing their official duties, including the king, and were recording what was happening. They were supposed to record the events in a neutral manner. Nobody, besides historians themselves, could read those records (not even the king): their purpose was to preserve the historical record for posterity. After each reign these records were compiled into annals we have now (apparently all 1,893 volumes of those annals are preserved, making it the longest continuous record of a single dynasty in Earth’s history!). For divulging the contents of the records historians could have been severely punished, including beheading (although this doesn’t happen in the series), and yet many officials, including kings, often tried to find out what was written about them. The series shows many situations like that, and the main plot revolves around conspiracy (obviously) which resulted in falsifying the records.
The whole concept would be totally alien to anybody living in Europe during the same period, and even now Western historians are not impartial (but also, they don’t aim at recording totally everything, like Joseon historians did). So, the series provides a unique insight into the inner workings of the Joseon court and Korean culture, all quite unusual for Western viewers, although, as often with K-Dramas, the show features no actual historical characters or events.
The events of the show are supposed to happen in the early 19th century, which matters somewhat: the question of breaking isolation and opening for Western culture is featured prominently in the show. While I can understand why it is important for modern Koreans: their current economic and cultural success is a result of the opening of the Far East for the contacts with the West, the whole thing is portrayed in the show in a very simplified, almost cringy, way. The Joseon traditionalists, the ones following Confucian thought and values, are generally presented in a bad light in the show, together with the main villain, Left State Councilor Min Ik-pyeong (Choi Deok-moon; why always Left State Councilor is the villain?). Main leads and their supporters are obviously progressives.
And yet, the West wasn’t all peachy, butterflies and flowers, both during that period and nowadays. The colonial powers (presented in the series as a source of “enlightenment”) were ruthlessly exploiting China in the 19th century. So, while in the early 19th century the Far East was hopelessly behind the West in terms of technology and science (and the show prominently features that problem), the reservations against the Westerners were fully justified.
That’s said, while the series devotes lots of time to these issues, the main plot revolves around the romance between two main leads. First, we have Shin Se-kyung as Goo Hae-ryung, the titular “rookie historian.” She is simply perfect in that role. She embodies warmth and passion in the show, her character has a talent for finding common ground and acceptable solution in any conflict. At the same time, she is a historian with integrity, who is not afraid to defend her values and the rules of how historians operate, also in front of the king. She serves as a moral compass for the series and its characters, leading her friends and coworkers in the right direction, in the end influencing the entire royal court.
Yi Rim, Prince Dowon (Cha Eun-woo), is her love interest. Their romance proceeds incredibly slowly throughout the series, so the resolution in the very last episode might feel a bit unearned. Yi Rim mostly serves as a support character for Hae-ryung, the person she explains her ideas to and also influences. As a person who spent his entire life in isolation, Yi Rim is also a way for the viewer to be introduced to some knowledge about historians and Joseon court. His arc gets more interesting towards the end of the show, when he learns some secrets about himself which were kept from him by the other member of the royal family.
The secondary plot revolves around a conspiracy that started 20 years before the events of the show, a palace coup in a result of which the current king gained the throne. Presently, for some reason, the king (Kim Min-sang as King Hamyeong Yi Tae) shares his power with the crown prince (Park Ki-woong as Crown Prince Yi Jin), but the real power behind the throne is Left State Councilor Min Ik-pyeong (also, the person behind the conspiracy). If it all sounds very similar to The King’s Affection, because it is: the plot is mostly identical, with a bit different premise and different romance arc, although both romance arcs end very similarly. The resolution in the final episode of the Rookie Historian is a bit rushed, also quite bizarre, but I guess well within the confines of Joseon culture and tradition. Not sure if all period K-Dramas focused on the royal court are so similar, but I guess the originality is not their strong suit.
That’s said, the original premise, especially as an introduction to the Veritable Records makes this show unique and interesting. Also, the main story involving the main leads Shin Se-kyung and Cha Eun-woo is heartwarming and moving, definitely worth the watch.
