Title: 사임당, 빛의 일기 / Saimdang, Light’s Diary
Previously known as: Saimdang, the Herstory
Also known as: Saimdang, Memoir of Colors
Chinese Title: 師任堂，光的日記
Genre: Historical, Romance, Fantasy
Episodes: 28 (30-2)
Broadcast network: SBS
Broadcast period: 2017-Jan-26 to 2017-May-04
Air time: Wednesday & Thursday 22:00
Synopsis
This is a 100% pre-produced drama. Filming began on 2015-August-10 and finished on 2016-June-4.
A reinterpretation of Saimdang from the Joseon times. She was a genius artist and passionate lover. Lee Young Ae takes on two roles; Seo Ji Yoon, a college professor who specializes in Korea Art History and Shin Saimdang.
Meanwhile, Lee Gyum (Song Seung Hun) is a man who had a fateful first encounter with Saimdang in his youth and has carried her in his heart for whole life.
Cast
Main Cast (Past)
Lee Young Ae as Shin Saimdang
– Park Hye Soo as Shin Saimdang (young)
Song Seung Hun as Lee Gyum
– Yang Se Jong as Lee Gyum (young)
Main Cast (Present)
Lee Young Ae as Seo Ji Yoon
Supporting Cast (Past)
Oh Yoon Ah as Whieumdang Choi
– Yoon Ye Joo as Whieumdang Choi (young)
Choi Chul Ho as Min Chi Hyung (Whieumdang Choi’s husband)
Choi Jong Hwan as King Joongjong
Yoon Suk Hwa as Queen Dangyeong
Yoon Da Hoon as Lee Won Soo (Saimdang’s husband)
– Noh Hyung Wook as Won Soo (young)
Jung Joon Won as Lee Hyun Rong (Saimdang’s son)
Choi Il Hwa as Shin Myung Hwa
Jang Seo Kyung as Hyang Yi
Lee Joo Yeon as Princess
Lee Kyung Jin as Saimdang’s mother
Jung Ah In as Whieumdang Choi’s helper
Park Jung Hak as Escort warrior
Lee Sung Wook as leader of wandering people
Heo Sung Tae as Wang Jung Chul
Supporting Cast (Present)
Yang Se Jong as Han Sang Hyun
Choi Jong Hwan as Min Jung Hak (Professor)
Kim Hae Sook as Kim Jung Hee (Seo Ji Yoon’s mother-in-law)
Lee Hae Young as Jung Min Seok (Seo Ji Yoon’s husband)
Lee Tae Woo as Jung Eun Soo (Seo Ji Yoon’s son)
Park Joon Myun as as Ko Hye Jung (Seo Ji Yoon’s friend)
Kim Young Joon as Teacher assistant Nam
Kim Mi Kyung as Director Seon
Song Min Hyung as CEO Heo
Anda as Anna
Others
Hong Suk Chun
Sul Jung Hwan
Song Joon Hee
Kwak Ji Hye
Kim Min Hee
Goo Hye Ryung
Jo Seung Yun
Kim Jung Hak
Ban Hyo Jung
Shin Soo Yun
Park Sang Hoon
Production Credits
Production Company: Creative Leaders Group8 Inc., Emperor Entertainment Korea Ltd.
Director: Yoon Sang Ho
Screenwriter: Park Eun Ryung
Note
– Lee Young Ae makes a TV comeback through this drama after 14 years since 2003 MBC drama “Dae Jang Geum“.
– Kam Woo Sung was offered the lead male role, but declined.
– Shin Saimdang who born on 1504-October-29 is an artist, calligraphist, poet and she appears on the current South Korean 50,000 won bill (highest value).
– She was the mother of the Korean Confucian scholar Yi I who appears on the current South Korean 5,000 won bill.
– The series was originally scheduled to air at 10:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning in 2016-Oct-08, but on 2016-Sep-27, SBS announced that the broadcast of series would be delayed and has finally confirmed a time slot for this drama. It will be broadcasted after “The Legend of the Blue Sea“. (Source)
Episode Ratings
| Date | Ep | TNmS | TNmS | AGB | AGB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | Seoul | Nationwide | Seoul | ||
| 2017-01-26 | 1 | 13.9 (4th) | 16.0 (3rd) | 16.3 (4th) | 16.6 (3rd) |
| 2017-01-26 | 2 | 11.8 (7th) | 13.4 (5th) | 15.6 (5th) | 16.6 (3rd) |
| 2017-02-01 | 3 | 10.6 (10th) | 12.2 (5th) | 13.0 (4th) | 13.5 (4th) |
| 2017-02-02 | 4 | 10.2 (11th) | 11.5 (6th) | 12.3 (5th) | 12.6 (5th) |
| 2017-02-08 | 5 | 8.6 (15th) | 9.9 (6th) | 10.7 (6th) | 11.0 (5th) |
| 2017-02-09 | 6 | 8.7 (13th) | 10.3 (7th) | 12.0 (7th) | 12.5 (5th) |
| 2017-02-15 | 7 | 7.0 (17th) | 8.7 (12th) | 9.7 (9th) | 10.2 (5th) |
| 2017-02-16 | 8 | 7.8 (16th) | 9.0 (14th) | 10.3 (9th) | 10.9 (6th) |
| 2017-02-22 | 9 | 7.6 (16th) | 8.6 (9th) | 9.8 (8th) | 10.4 (5th) |
| 2017-02-23 | 10 | 8.3 (13th) | 9.9 (7th) | 10.1 (10th) | 10.7 (6th) |
| 2017-03-01 | 11 | 7.7 (16th) | 9.1 (8th) | 9.6 (9th) | 9.7 (8th) |
| 2017-03-02 | 12 | 8.4 (17th) | 9.4 (8th) | 10.3 (8th) | 10.3 (6th) |
| 2017-03-08 | 13 | 7.8 | 8.7 | 10.3 (8th) | 10.3 (6th) |
| 2017-03-09 | 14 | 8.4 (12th) | 9.1 (8th) | 10.5 (8th) | 10.7 (7th) |
| 2017-03-15 | 15 | 8.4 (13th) | 9.0 (8th) | 10.4 (7th) | 10.8 (5th) |
| 2017-03-16 | 16 | 9.3 (11th) | 10.5 (6th) | 10.2 (9th) | 10.2 (7th) |
| 2017-03-22 | 17 | 8.3 (16th) | 9.0 (10th) | 9.4 (8th) | 9.1 (6th) |
| 2017-03-23 | 18 | 9.0 (10th) | 10.4 (5th) | 10.0 (7th) | 9.9 (7th) |
| 2017-03-29 | 19 | 8.1 (17th) | 9.7 (8th) | 9.0 (9th) | 9.3 (7th) |
| 2017-03-30 | 20 | 8.2 (17th) | 9.4 (9th) | 9.3 (9th) | 9.3 (8th) |
| 2017-04-05 | 21 | 8.6 (16th) | 10.0 (7th) | 9.4 (9th) | 8.8 (10th) |
| 2017-04-06 | 22 | 8.7 (15th) | 9.3 (11th) | 9.6 (9th) | 9.3 (8th) |
| 2017-04-12 | 23 | 7.4 (19th) | 8.4 (12th) | 8.5 (11th) | 8.4 (10th) |
| 2017-04-13 | x | Postponed | |||
| 2017-04-19 | 24 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 6.1 (20th) | 5.9 |
| 2017-04-20 | 25 | 7.2 (18th) | 7.9 (18th) | 8.3 (12th) | 8.8 (11th) |
| 2017-04-26 | 26 | 6.4 | 6.9 (18th) | 7.8 (11th) | 7.7 (11th) |
| 2017-04-27 | 27 | 7.4 (16th) | 7.8 (15th) | 8.4 (10th) | 8.5 (9th) |
| 2017-05-04 | 28 | 6.8 (18th) | 7.5 (12th) | 8.2 (9th) | 8.8 (7th) |
Sources: TNmS Media Korea & AGB Nielsen Korea
*** Different between TNmS Media Korea & AGB Nielson – Here
Poster
Related Photo
Trailer:-
– Official Trailer
– Early Trailer
– Trailer I
– Trailer II
– Trailer III
– Trailer IV
294 Responses to “Saimdang, Light’s Diary”
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Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 [6] Show All
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May 9th, 2017 at 12:44 pm
A lovely story that taught me about Siamdang. Better than its ratings. Love the ancient pics more than the present day. Really like the male lead in his ancient clothes a d character and his lovely well groomed beard and big expressive eyes. Never noticed him before this show. Song Seung Heon
May 10th, 2017 at 1:40 am
This drama is rather boring. It deserves its low rating.
May 12th, 2017 at 10:23 pm
This drama is excellent best korean drama in 2017.
There so many kdramas that boring to watch but the ratings so high one of them is Legend of the blue sea it is high ratings but story is boring.
May 12th, 2017 at 10:39 pm
And some dramas are low ratings but the story is good .
Dont judge this drama Saimdang lights diary by looking at the ratings. Look at the story not in ratings. But i think the ratings of this drama Saimdang is not bad.
I saw some ratings of some dramas so very poor like Mary stayed out all night, Radiant office etc.
May 12th, 2017 at 10:50 pm
Mga tanga hindi kayo marunong tumingin kung anong magandang drama. Saimdang Light’s Diary ang pinakamaganda sa lahat ngayong taon.Vote for Saimdang Light’s Diary for best kdrama 2017.
May 13th, 2017 at 2:04 am
I loved the drama, great casting and acting by leads. the reason it had low ratings I think because the drama had too many flash backs.
May 13th, 2017 at 9:50 am
i agree @bestdrama
also include Suspicious Partner poor ratings and the story is common.
Saimdang Light’s Diary is excellent drama and good quality and the ratings is good. Saimdang Light’s Diary is the best korean drama that i’ve ever watched so far this year 2017.
May 13th, 2017 at 10:48 am
why everyone says that Saimdang Light’s Diary is low ratings? are you idiots?
the kdramas that i posts above are much poor ratings and the stories are poor than this drama Saimdang Light’s Diary.
Shut your mouth if you Don’t Know What is LOW RATINGS.
May 13th, 2017 at 10:56 am
Masked Prosecutor Episode Ratings
Date Ep TNmS TNmS AGB AGB
Nationwide Seoul Nationwide Seoul
2015-05-20 1 5.9 6.7 6.8 (18th) 7.6 (15th)
2015-05-21 2 4.7 4.6 5.4 5.9
2015-05-27 3 5.6 6.3 5.3 5.7
2015-05-28 4 5.4 6.4 6.1 6.6
2015-06-03 5 5.0 5.2 5.9 6.2
2015-06-04 6 4.6 5.2 5.3 5.5
2015-06-10 7 5.7 5.8 5.6 5.7
2015-06-11 8 4.6 (<9.0) 5.4 5.3
2015-06-17 9 4.9 4.8 5.7 6.7
2015-06-18 10 4.9 4.7 4.8 5.5
2015-06-24 11 5.3 5.6 6.0 6.6
2015-06-25 12 5.1 5.6 5.9 6.1
2015-07-01 13 4.7 (<7.1) 5.6 5.9
2015-07-02 14 4.5 4.7 5.3 5.7
2015-07-08 15 5.0 5.3 5.9 6.4
2015-07-09 16 5.9 (<7.5) 6.9 7.2 (19th)
this drama Masked Prosecutor is poor ratings and poor story compare to Saimdang Light's Diary
May 13th, 2017 at 11:05 am
Hyde Jekyll and I RATINGS
2015-01-21 1 10.2 (13th) 13.2 (6th) 8.6 (20th) 9.6 (15th)
2015-01-22 2 8.8 (20th) 11.7 (10th) 8.0 8.3
2015-01-28 3 7.2 8.5 (19th) 7.4 8.6 (18th)
2015-01-29 4 7.7 (20th) 8.6 (19th) 6.6 7.1
2015-02-04 5 6.2 (<8.5) 5.9 6.3
2015-02-05 6 6.7 (<8.7) 5.3 5.4
2015-02-11 7 5.5 (<8.5) 5.1 5.2
2015-02-12 8 6.9 (<8.8) 6.2 7.0
2015-02-18 9 5.4 (<8.5) 4.7 5.0
2015-02-19 10 5.5 (<8.7) 5.4 5.3
2015-02-25 11 4.9 (<8.7) 5.6 6.4
2015-02-26 12 5.7 (<8.5) 5.2 5.6
2015-03-04 13 4.0 (<8.5) 3.8 4.1
2015-03-05 14 5.3 (<8.8) 4.7 4.6
2015-03-11 15 3.9 (<7.9) 3.8 3.2
2015-03-12 16 5.1 (<8.4) 3.9 3.5
2015-03-18 17 3.6 4.5 3.5 3.9
2015-03-19 18 4.5 5.3 4.4 4.1
2015-03-25 19 3.4 (<8.6) 3.4 3.6
2015-03-26 20 4.7 (<9.2) 4.3 (<7.9)
this drama HYDE JEKYLL AND I is poor ratings and poor story compare to Saimdang Light's Diary
May 14th, 2017 at 4:23 pm
Great drama . Lee young ae please come back with a another drama soon, we are with you.
May 15th, 2017 at 8:33 am
excellent drama and best kdrama
May 18th, 2017 at 10:49 pm
I love it !!! Lee young ae is awesome in saeguk drama.. I cried so many times bcz saimdang’s husband… I wanted to kill him 😤😤..
Lee gyom sooo handsome :*
Yah, i love this drama, but little dissappointed with the ending.. i thought in future lee gyom and ji yoon will be together, atleast meet face to face.. but no..
🙂 But love it
May 20th, 2017 at 9:52 am
Saimdang is the best drama i’ve watched… 10 stars for their excellent actors & actress…
May 21st, 2017 at 7:50 am
number 1 kdrama this 2017.
May 21st, 2017 at 11:01 am
Such a very inspirational drama….Highly recommend to watch…The best drama of 2017…i would hardly to find another drama as good as SLS..
May 22nd, 2017 at 9:53 am
I AGREE AT POSSITIVE COMMENTS.
SUPER BEST DRAMA 2017.
LOVE THE CAST.
LOVE THE STORY.
BRAVO! APPLAUSE!
May 24th, 2017 at 3:48 pm
is it happy ending?
May 25th, 2017 at 11:36 am
love it so much !
June 2nd, 2017 at 7:20 am
I loved this show and cried at the end. It was magnificently produced ahead of time and the fine details show. The performances were sublime, especially by the two leads but even right down to the children. I think the reason the ratings were poor was because the Korean people heard through their media that the story would be more fantasy based with the time travel, reincarnation angle instead of basing it strictly on the real woman’s life. But honestly sticking strictly to history can be boring, what are they going to do, have a whole show depicting how she taught her children how to read, draw, etc? Instead of dropping to 8% ratings they would have dropped to 1% ratings. They also had the problem of writing a romance in which the couple never got together physically — that bores the tears out of shallow people today but entrances those of us who are sick of the shows where the couples are all over each other, slobbing all over each other endlessly. I’m of the latter group: I thought a sincere depiction of a more spiritual relationship to be greatly gratifying. I think the Korean people lost out on a masterpiece, and I feel sorry for them and their poor judgment. Do they REALLY want their television shows to sink to the level of America’s junk? If so that will be a great pity because their shows will start suffering in quality.
June 3rd, 2017 at 11:16 am
the best this year !
June 12th, 2017 at 5:32 am
After I came to know that the rating for this drama is low I need to show my support for this drama.
Saimdang is best and valuable drama of 2017. Its so beautiful in term of art, story, photography and so on and I appriciate all the single casts they did very heart fully well. Every one in this drama never cheat the viewers their performance are first class.
This drama made me moved and wander what will happened next after every single episode, and I adore all the ancient paintings and story behind it.
June 17th, 2017 at 9:51 am
this drama is very unique. i love the story and cast.
Perfect !
June 18th, 2017 at 11:56 am
One of the best drama 2017.
June 19th, 2017 at 9:41 am
Good drama for all the time.
Love art. Love the story. Unique and interesting to watch.
Excellent and the best drama for this year 2017.
Highly recommended !!!
July 1st, 2017 at 1:35 pm
best historical 2017.
July 7th, 2017 at 10:20 pm
for the win !
July 7th, 2017 at 11:54 pm
I’m in EP 20 , but Saimdang attract me from the first Ep .. best drama , amazing & I can’t describe it ~ so sad & disappointed of Korean people , Why? tell me , why? Saimdang is No.1 & nothing can replace with it . I recommend it for all the people who likes arts . I laugh , cry & enjoy of every episode .. Best Historical Drama ~ ^_^
July 10th, 2017 at 2:39 pm
my favorite kdramas 2017 are
Saimdang Light’s Diary
Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
Defendant
Goblin
July 15th, 2017 at 11:39 am
best story and best korean drama this year.
July 17th, 2017 at 1:50 pm
saimdang light’s diary and weightlifting fairy kim bok joo are my favorite korean dramas this 2017.
July 23rd, 2017 at 10:31 am
the best drama for all the time
July 25th, 2017 at 11:34 am
I love the drama. I just dont like the ending. It’s okay if in the past they can be together, but how can in the present too.
July 29th, 2017 at 10:41 am
highest comment of all dramas this year.
August 3rd, 2017 at 10:44 am
number1 drama 2017
August 5th, 2017 at 10:58 am
this drama need more and more to understand so that you know how to understand the story. very unique story. the ratings are not very low/poor compare to others that the ratings are very poor. don’t look at the ratings because this drama Saimdang is much better ratings to Scarlet Heart : Moon Lovers, Healer, Inspiring Generations, Mary Stayed Out All Night that became number 1. and i think you don’t know who is/are Song Seong Heon and Lee Young Ae especially. congratulations Saimdang drama is the best of the best.
August 9th, 2017 at 1:31 am
Just managed to watch this movie.
Totally agree with some viewers, best korean drama for the year 2017
Highly recommended to watch.
September 9th, 2017 at 10:51 am
I really love this kdrama. I dreamt about being an artist and poet, both Lee Gyeom and Saimdang inspired me to pursue this dream. I just fell in love with them. I felt so much sadness in their selfless love story, it broke my heart that they really love each other but they can’t be together. All cast gave justice to every character. It’s not just an ordinary story. I learned so much things from the characters. I love Hyun Ryong as he gave so much importance in education not just for himself but for his family. I love them all! The OST are so heart breaking…
November 3rd, 2017 at 10:55 am
You wont find any other sad love story that feed you till youre full. This drama is beautiful, my heart ache for the two lovers. I keep on imagining if only theres an airport that saimdang can go and fly to lee geom haihhh no tech no love ???
November 3rd, 2017 at 10:57 am
The best Korean Drama!!!! Plsss do more projects of lee young ae and Song seung heon… They have a strong chemistry
November 3rd, 2017 at 11:02 am
LYA is the best actress in korea.
Her new drama next year 2018 is Different Dreams
November 11th, 2017 at 8:03 pm
lets vote for the win
November 11th, 2017 at 8:04 pm
vote this drama for the best korean drama 2017.
November 24th, 2017 at 10:08 pm
Vote Saimdang Light’s Diary for the best top 8 list korean drama 2017.