The Return of Iljimae
(144 Comments)
Title: 돌아온 일지매 / The Return of Iljimae
Chinese Title : 一枝梅归来
Also known as: Iljimae Returns / Moon River
Previously known as 일지매 / Iljimae
Genre: Historical, romance
Episodes: 24
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: 2009-Jan-21 to 2009-April-09
Air time: Wednesday & Thursday 21:55
Synopsis
The story is about a man fighting against the selfish and corrupt government to save the ordinary peasants. Iljimae was abandoned by his birth father and adopted by a Chinese couple. He returns to Korea to find his birth family and realizes how unjust the world really is. He watched as his first love, Dal Yi, was wrongfully put to death. Iljimae then vows to help the commoners from the corrupt government officials.
Cast
Jung Il Woo as Il Ji Mae
Yoon Jin Seo as Dal Yi / Wal Hee
Kim Min Jong as Goo Ja Myeong
Jung Hye Young as Baek Mae
Extended Cast
Lee Kye In as Jeol Chi
Park Geun Hyung as Kim Ja Jeom
Park Chul Min as Wang Hyeong Bo
Oh Young Soo as Monk Yeol Gong
Kang Nam Gil as Bae Seon Dal
Kim Yoo Hyun as Princess Mo Ran
Lee Hyun Woo as Cha Dol Yi
Sandara Park as Rie
Jun Soo Yeon as Soo Ryun
Lee Ho Jae as Kim Joong Hwan (Iljimae’s biological father)
Jung Joon as Kim Joon Seo (Iljimae’s half brother)
Seo Hye Won as Choon Wol
Hwang Jung Ri as Miyamoto Masai
Harisu as Ki Seon Nyeo
Kwak Min Suk as Cham Mo
Yoon Yoo Sun
Park Chan Hwan
Jung Yoo Chan
Lee Ga Hyun
Jung Min Sung
Kim Yoo Hyun as Princess Moran
Production Credits
Original work: Comic by Ko Young Woo
Production Company: Group Eight
Director: Hwang In Roe & Kim Soo Young
Screenwriter: Kim Kwang Sik & Do Young Myung
Episode Ratings
| Date | Episode | Nationwide | Seoul |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-01-21 | 1 | 18.5 (4th) | 20.1 (3rd) |
| 2009-01-22 | 2 | 17.1 (4th) | 18.4 (3rd) |
| 2009-01-28 | 3 | 16.6 (5th) | 17.1 (4th) |
| 2009-01-29 | 4 | 15.1 (5th) | 15.6 (6th) |
| 2009-02-04 | 5 | 13.7 (9th) | 13.7 (11th) |
| 2009-02-05 | 6 | 15.3 (10th) | 15.2 (9th) |
| 2009-02-11 | 7 | 10.7 (11th) | 11.5 (9th) |
| 2009-02-12 | 8 | 13.1 (10th) | 14.1 (10th) |
| 2009-02-18 | 9 | 10.0 (13th) | 10.6 (12th) |
| 2009-02-19 | 10 | 11.0 (11th) | 12.1 (11th) |
| 2009-02-25 | 11 | 10.8 (11th) | 11.6 (11th) |
| 2009-02-26 | 12 | 10.5 (12th) | 10.5 (13th) |
| 2009-03-04 | 13 | 8.9 | 9.4 (16th) |
| 2009-03-05 | 14 | 9.1 (16th) | 9.7 (14th) |
| 2009-03-11 | 15 | 8.1 (20th) | 8.2 (18th) |
| 2009-03-12 | 16 | 7.6 | (<8.4) |
| 2009-03-18 | 17 | 8.7 (19th) | 8.8 (17th) |
| 2009-03-19 | 18 | 8.5 | 8.7 (19th) |
| 2009-03-25 | 19 | 6.9 | (<8.0) |
| 2009-03-26 | 20 | 8.5 | 8.7 (19th) |
| 2009-04-01 | 21 | 7.8 | 8.5 (16th) |
| 2009-04-02 | 22 | 8.2 | 8.8 (17th) |
| 2009-04-08 | 23 | 7.5 | (<7.8) |
| 2009-04-09 | 24 | 8.2 (18th) | 8.9 (16th) |
Source: TNS Media Korea
Notes
- Both MBC & SBS will air their own version of Iljimae in 2008 & 2009.
- MBC has the copyrights to the original comic book.
- The director of this drama is Hwang In Roe, who directed both Goong and Goong S.
- The title was changed from “Iljimae” to “The Return of Iljimae” to avoid confusion with the SBS version.
- Drama will be filmed in Japan.
Poster
Related Photo
May 17th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
this IS NOT the continuation of SBS’s Iljimae!! this story is actually the original which was adapted from the original book!
anyway, beautiful cinematography, amazing OST and solid acting. So enjoyable and also Jung Il Woo was really good here.
I can’t say which one was better (JunKi’s or Il Woo’s), but each one of them has its ups and downs.
definitely worth watching ^^
May 22nd, 2009 at 11:43 am
honestly.. it was so dissapointed me . Why this story not be the continueus of iljimae.. I really love the actor of the last iljimae.. jun ki, shi hoo, boon soon.. why??
June 21st, 2009 at 8:24 am
Lee Jun Ki and Jung Il Woo are good as Iljimae. I like both of them. They have their own character as Iljimae.
July 11th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
actually i thought this is the continuous of Iljimae but .. huh .. really really dissapointed me . I hope sbs can make iljimae continue but i know its impossible .. if there will be any iljimae drama , i want jun ki is the lead !
July 17th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
i really really disappointed… i don’t seem this is the continue story of the 1st iljimae. i am sorry to say this is bad. the first episode make me feel better but when i continue to watch it, i feel that i don’t like this drama at all…
September 5th, 2009 at 7:46 am
u ppl keep saying that “this story is actually the original which was adapted from the original book” . Yeah so what??? that doesn’t make this drama a good one ! It’s so bad ! But SBS iljimae was one of the best kdramas ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 6th, 2009 at 5:09 am
I LOVE THIS DREAMA.GREAT ACTING AND WONDEFUL ENDING.
FOR ALL THE VIEWER WHO DISAPPOINTED FROM THIS DRAMA PLEASE
LET US ENJOY QUIETLY THIS EXCELLENT DRAMA. THANK YOU.
December 1st, 2009 at 6:39 pm
WOW!! I love this show!!
I´ve seen the other Iljimae with LJK. I only watched that version because of LJK but was often frustrated with the “jokes”.
I really favour this one..it is more serious and it goes more into the story and into the development of each character. Everything fits together more and seems to be more realistic!
Jung Il Woon did an awesome and believable job portraying Iljimae!!!
This show ought to get more appreciated!!
A must-watch!!
December 7th, 2009 at 12:52 am
even if its worth to watch but still… no lee jun ki on it
December 9th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
this is this best drama i even seen…..love it…..
December 21st, 2009 at 6:32 am
luv this drama… As good as iljimae. Jung il woo did good job. Even I didn’t like him when he act as a woman. He’s really a beautifull guy, more pretty than walk hee. This drama shown us iljimae in a complete fighter style. China, korea and japan, Awazing il woo, luv when he’s fighting. In this drama, iljimae is just look like a human being. Has sadness, anger, n desire. He’s more hot to his beloving girl. And it has a happy ending…
December 21st, 2009 at 6:43 am
in both version, why iljimae always more pretty than his girlfriend? Maybe coz his name is a kind of flower… Hmmm…
December 26th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
No offence to anyone or anything,but I seriously have no interest or whatsoever in this drama.U may not agree,but if u already watched iljimae u shoudn’t watch this, even though this is from the original story,but somehow it’s erasing the true image of Iljimae(in my opinion).Please do not take what I said too serious.Sorry if U think my opinion is wrong,thanks if U agree to what I said.Because all the actors and actresses in the first drama made a huge impact on me,so I can’t accept this second drama(sad):
February 21st, 2010 at 8:34 pm
i love this drama so much
March 11th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
To: ana.dian response #63
I also love the first Il Jimae and don’t have any plans of watching “The Return of …” I don’t want to destroy the beautiful image created in my mind, Lee Jun Ki is the Best. If only The Return. . . was a continuation, but it’s not ., what a disappointment!!!!!!
April 15th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
Can can I view episode from “RUTUBE” eg Ep 10,15, 16, 22, 23, 24
- whenever click the screen turns Russian & nothing can be seen.
Hope someone can help especially the ending of the drama.
May 28th, 2010 at 4:25 pm
i love this koreandrama ever!!!! this is the best drama that i want to watch again and again. and love iljimae very much.
June 9th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
i regret my decision on buying The Return of Iljimae *no offense*
I mean, I’ve watched Iljimae SBS and it is pretty darn good dramas, so I buy The Return of Iljimae as I think it is the continuation of Iljimae…
At first, I was so confused that the stories is different, and in The Return of Iljimae, Iljimae were looking for his father, aren’t his dad’s dead already at Iljimae…. but i continue it until chapter 4, and not intended to finish it, until now…
Not as charming as Iljimae SBS…. Perhaps,in my opinion..
Its just a personal opinion, so please, no hard feeling…
p.s. sorry for the bad english, not a native speaker.
June 18th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
this is this best drama i even seen…..love it…..
June 19th, 2010 at 8:13 pm
why is there no han hyo jo anymore?? i love her..
June 19th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
i love this drama… i want to watch again and again..
June 23rd, 2010 at 5:45 am
it’s so cool,, love korean drama much..
July 16th, 2010 at 7:49 pm
I haven’t watch ILJIMAE (lee Jung Ki Version) but i think Return of Iljimae is a very nice drama.People must not condemn this drama because of the actor who will portrait Iljimae..Il woo acting is really amazing and the cinematography is perfect..two thumb up!!!
You must watch first before saying insults…I cant say anything about Iljimae (lee joon ki version)because i havent see it so far…
August 7th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
i like all the drama but the ending is bad you need to show what happen to the bad guy at the end how they catch the bad guy who try to kill il jemae and his girl friend, next time when you write the ending be sure to think more because start and ending tells the story. dont fell bad because high kick on the roof is the worst ending
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:17 am
Hard for me to watch this, Since the first was so great!! might try again.