Watch Jumong

Jumong is a South Korean historical drama television show that originally aired 81 episodes from May 2006 to March 2007. It focuses on the historical figure Jumong Taewang. In 37 BCE, he became the founding monarch King Dongmyeong of Goguryeo, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The story of Jumong is found largely in myths, with few actual historical records to tell the story, so the television show had a great deal of creative license to supplement the known myths with original storylines and details. The first few episodes tell the story of Jumong's birth, but the majority of the story takes place twenty years later, where we see that Jumong (played by Song Il Gook) is a weak, womanizing prince. His mother tries to get him to take his responsibilities seriously, and she sends him away for martial arts training. Jumong very quickly gets himself in deep trouble with his carelessness and his seducing of women. He is expelled from the palace, no longer a prince. He wanders the land and eventually begins to train with Hae Mo-su (played by Heo Joon-ho), an old man who is revealed to the audience as Jumong's father, although Jumong himself is unaware of this. The two bond quickly and it seems as if all is well, but Jumong's brothers have sent assassins after the former prince, and Hae Mo-su is killed. Jumong discovers Hae Mo-su's true identity, and he vows to do all that his father could not do. The show continues to follow Jumong as he rises up in power and ultimately establishes his own kingdom.