Hymn Of Death
찬송가
SBS (2018) 6 Episodes
Historical, Romance, Melodrama
Grade: A
Korean Drama Review by Jill, USA
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Loosely based on a real
life story of two artistically inclined, young Korean
people living in Japan and Korea during the tumultuous
1920's colonial period, when the Japanese were dictators
over the Koreans, Hymn Of Death (2018) stars
popular leading man Lee Jong Suk (I Hear
Your Voice, Pinocchio,
While
You Were Sleeping) and lovely, delicate
actress Shin Hye Sun (Legend
Of The Blue Sea, She
Was Pretty, Stranger),
and both actors give excellent performances, especially
Shin Hye Sun, playing singer Yun Sim Deok, who
apparently was the first Korean singer to record a
popular song on a phonograph record in the 1920's.
(Historical Spoiler)
Both these young people fell in love and committed
suicide together by drowning in 1926. The very first
scenes we see involve a ferry crew member who realizes
what happened when he sees a man's and lady's shoes
lying together by the ship's guard rail, the haunting
old song Anniversary Waltz, which apparently was
her favorite song, softly playing on a phonograph in the
background, the music drifting from their cabin. The shocking news caused a sensation in
Korea, and Yun's 1926 recording of "In Praise of Death"
(Hangul: 찬송가; also called "Death Song") sold a record
100,000 copies following her death. Two Korean films
have previously been made based on her life,swiss replica watches one in
1969, and another in 1991.
The Real Singer Yun Sim Deok
The Story:
Kim Woo Jin (Lee Jong Suk) is a college
aged stage drama writer and director while Korea is
under Japanese occupation in the 1920's. His usually
domineering father Kim Sung Gyu (Kim Myung Soo, The
Last Empress) for once is lenient
with him, and although he desires to see his son take
over the family's real estate business after college
graduation, he allows him to temporarily follow his
dream of majoring in English literature instead of
business and to follow his dream of writing and
directing plays. The tacit understanding between them is
that when he is finished with college he will give up
these "foolhardy pastimes" and put his nose to the
grindstone in the family business.
As a group of his fellow students prepare a play, a
suggestion is made that they add some music interludes
to the show, and the vocal student Yun Sim Deok (Shin
Hye Sun) is invited to audition by singing for a special
role. Everyone is bowled over by her beautiful singing
except, it seems, Kim Woo Jin the director. He does not
praise her afterward and she becomes annoyed with him,
eventually confronting him on his silent treatment of
her. Their relationship quickly softens, however, when
she goes to see him after she hears he's fallen ill, and
expresses her concern for his welfare. He tells her that
he isn't really sick, that every year on the anniversary
of his mother's death he likes to take a few days of
isolation from the world simply to remember her. He also
finally admits that he thinks her singing voice is very
beautiful. Now she becomes smitten with him.
Their feelings for each other deepen even more, but
suddenly Kim Woo Jin appears to become cold again, for
no reason. He invites the drama troupe to his father's
home and this is when Sim Deok is told that Woo Jin's
father is one of the richest landowners in Korea, and
it's further revealed to her, in an abrupt and hurtful
way, that he is married. Sim Deok disappears,longines replica watches leaving
behind a fancy hat that she had bought and worn just
because Woo Jin had told her he thought it was pretty.
For years he keeps this hat in a drawer in his office.
They graduate and go their separate
ways. Sim Deok starts to become well known as a singer
and signs a record contract with a Japanese firm. Woo
Jin becomes very successful running his father's
business. However both Woo Jin and Sim Deok have never
forgotten one another, not for one minute. When she
appears in a grand concert hall to sing at a highly
promoted concert, Woo Jin quietly shows up and watches
her perform. She sees him, runs after him, they talk
together for the first time in years, and eventually
start to meet secretly, disregarding family and career
and only caring for one another.
Their families realize something is up,
of course, and try to pressure them to get back on the
straight and narrow, but it seems it's too late for all
that. Woo Jin has a huge confrontation with his father
and leaves the house, and Sim Deok agrees to travel to
Busan to sing, leaving her greedy family behind. However
Woo Jin secretly leaves with her, and they both decide
to commit suicide rather than live oppressed lives under
family and Japanese tyranny.
I really enjoyed the story, it wasn't
too sugar-coated but showed this famous couple's flaws
and failures realistically. Also loved the music OST and
the operatic singing of the leading lady character.
Production values were excellent, including set design
and costumes. Lots of supporting cast members will be
recognized by the long term K-drama fan. While watching
this drama I was constantly saying, "Oh, look who is in
this!" and "I know him (her) from .... " :) If
you enjoy meaningful glances into history then don't
miss Hymn Of Death.

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