Korean history in relation to Kdrama :)

Was wondering does know more about the actual history of the two main characters? The Wiki pages on Princess Pyeonggang and On Dal are quite poor imo. I usually like to nerd out while watching looking at the broad strokes. However, in this drama I find I would like to know more. This is though from the pre-Silla conquest/unification of Korea and the drama is set in 6th century Goguryeo, not too far from it’s collapse in a two front war.

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You know about this fan channel, one of the few that survived?

You might to need a computer, as the information you might look for is only visible on the channel fan page, or how should I name the former channel main page …

For me the first link didn’t work, I already sent a pm to the CM to get to know if there is a problem.

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평강공주와 바보온달 Princess Pyunggang and Ondal the Fool is a well known story to Korean children. This is what I remember.

Princess Pyunggang was very pretty and smart and she was the king’s apple of the eye. But she used to cry a lot when she was little, so the king used to tell her that if she doesn’t stop crying, he will marry her off to Ondal the Fool in order to make her stop crying. Now Ondal was known as the village idiot who didn’t even know how to read and write.

When she grows up, the king tries to find a noble man as her groom, but Princess Pyunggang says the king should keep his word, and that she should marry Ondal instead. The king tries to dissuade her by saying that if she marries Ondal, she will no longer be a princess. But the princess still insists, which infuriates the king. Then she leaves the palace (or maybe she gets kicked out of palace) to marry Ondal. The king is upset and believes she is a lost cause and cuts ties with her.

Now Princess Pyunggang decides to teach Ondal, and also sells her jewelry to get the money for Ondal’s education. Back then, education can be civil or military or both.

Ondal later enters some type of military competition held by the King, and wins the championship. The king is curious about this valiant unknown soldier, and lo and behold, it turns out to be Ondal, his son-in-law! The king rejoices and Ondal becomes a General who leads many battles to victory for Goguryeo and Princess Pyunggang’s status gets reinstated and they live happily ever after. :smile:

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@mattlock,
I hope you get more input on your query. History’s true story can be very different, as we know, to what is portrayed in dramas.

@ajumma2,
I love this childhood memory version, I enjoyed your sharing of it too :blush:

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