Chunhyang

During the reign of King Sukjong of the Joseon Dynasty, on the day of the Duanwu Festival, which was filled with peasant music, Yi Mong-lung (played by Jo Seung-woo), the son of the Namwon official, and his servant Bang-ja, went to see the festival at Gwanghallu Square. Among the crowd of young women playing the merry-go-round, Mong-lung saw Chun-hsiang (played by Lee Hyo-jeong) and was immediately enchanted. He quickly asked Bang-ja to call her back. Mong-lung went to see Chun-hsiang’s mother, a courtesan named Wolmae, and expressed his desire to marry Chun-hsiang for a hundred years, swearing that his feelings would never change. However, Mong-lung’s father, the official Lee Sa-do, was promoted to the position of Dongbo Chengzhi and had to go to work at the royal court, so Mong-lung was forced to go to Hanyang (Seoul). During that time, Byun Hok-do, who had just been appointed as the governor of Namwon, heard of Chun-hsiang’s reputation as a stunning beauty. After only three days of taking office, Byun Hok-do forced Chun-hsiang to serve him. Chun-hsiang firmly refused, saying that she was engaged to the son of the former governor and could not serve anyone else. This angered Byun Hok-do, who accused Chun-hsiang of disobeying orders and ordered her to be tied to a pillar and brutally tortured, but she remained steadfast in her chastity.

Meanwhile, Myeong-lung continued to study hard and passed the imperial examination. He was then appointed as the Imperial Censor and ordered to investigate in Jeolla Province. When he approached Namwon, he heard of Byeon Hok-do’s brutal actions and Chun-hsiang’s loyalty, which made the people praise her. The next day, while Byeon Hok-do’s birthday party was taking place at Gwanghallu Square, Imperial Censor Myeong-lung appeared and punished Byeon Hok-do. Mong-lung and Chunhyang reunited, and the entire palace was filled with a festive atmosphere.