THE SCHOLAR
WHO WALKS THE NIGHT
THE SEXY VAMPIRE
AND
HIS LOVE STORIES
(First and Second Episodes)
Handsome vampire: Phoenix Eyes, Patrician Nose and Cupid Bow Lips
Lee Joon Gi: Friendly vampire
Lee Joon Gi: Smiling vampire
Lee Joon Gi: Vampire without fangs
Lee Joon Gi: Puzzled vampire
Lee Joon Gi: Vampire looking at his screaming fans
Lee Joon Gi: Playful Vampire blowing kisses to his adoring fans
Naughty vampire: Pretending to jump
Naughty vampire: Pretending to jump off the glass balustrade
Vampire in pinstripe double-breasted shirt:an air of sophistication
Happy vampire
Scholar vampire: Kim Sung Yeol
THE OPENING
Nothing could have prepared the viewer for the splendour and exquisite beauty of the opening scene of the saguek drama, ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’. It is poetry in motion as the camera moves and caresses the panoramic night view of the alternate Joseon kingdom in the unearthly hours of the night.
The Blue Hour
The sun sets over the alternate Joseon kingdom. It is the blue hour of the evening twilight. The term, L'Heure Bleue in French means ‘blue hour’. The blue hour, considered to be a time of confusion and mystery, is appropriate imagery for a vampire drama.
Owl Symbolism
An owl is seen flying across the roofs of buildings of the Joseon Kingdom. In East Asia, especially China and Japan, the owl is the bird of death. Therefore, there is the foreshadowing of death in the Joseon world.
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A Scholar Who Walks The Night Drama: The Opening
The Music
The exciting and catchy opening music sound track moves eerily and creepily in sync with the sinking sun, and builds up until it reaches an awesome crescendo. The hauntingly foreboding atmospheric music sends shivers down one’s spine. The hollow voices seem to be the call of vampires and induce goose-pimples and horripilation. One begins to feel something prickly and one notices one’s hair standing up. Shudder!
The Introduction of the Characters
The prelude leads seamlessly into the introduction of the leading and supporting characters of the drama. An exciting anticipation and sensation is created especially when one watches all the good-looking actors and beautiful actresses showing their stuff.
Viewers get to see Lee Joon Gi’s gorgeous right profile. Playing the role of Kim Sung Yeol, he turns slowly to look at the viewers; his cold look sends delicious shivers down the viewers’ spine. Viewers see a dagger in his right hand. Above him, the creative design shows the bony fingers of both hands of the undead splaying out slowly and ominously like wings of daggers. This is a spectacular image that clings to one's memory.
The Dagger
The dagger is associated with deception, stealth and treachery. However, for some cultures, it represents courage, power, justice and honour. It is also a great weapon for assassinations, thus it represents death.The dagger that Kim Sung Yeol holds in his right hand is made of 'sansa' or hawthorn wood which supposedly could kill vampires. It is believed that hawthorn could ward off not only vampires but also evil spirits and wild beasts.
Kim Sung Yeol: Cold and unemotional vampire
Kim Sung Yeol with a special dagger made of sansa wood to kill Gwi
Kim Sung Yeol wreathed by wings of daggers
The vampire Kim Sung Yeol then draws the curtains to reveal Lee Yoo Bi who plays Jo Yang Sun. He offers her a necklace with a locket made of 'sansa' or hawthorn wood which will give her protection against evil vampires.
Then, the vampire Kim Sung Yeol determinedly picks up his gat and wears it. It spells out his determination to fight the evil vampire till the very end.
Kim Sung Yeol: Tying his gat
The vampire's wrath
Kim Sung Yeol: A vampire with a mission
Max Shim Chang Min in his role as the Crown Prince, Lee Yoon, has been given wings and gets ready to shoot with his bow and arrows. Has he been bestowed with some angelic power or qualities to fight against Gwi?
Then the evil vampire Gwi, with his back towards the viewers, turns menacingly and malevolently to face them.
Next, we are shown red roses with their thorns, and blood flowing down the thorns. Red roses are a symbolism of love, passion and beauty. If a rose represents human love, the thorns would represent the unattainability of the love of a person. Blood can symbolize the mortality of a person and their pain and death.
Kim Sung Yeol pricks his finger on a thorn. Does it mean that he cannot truly find enduring love and he would be in pain and suffering forever? Since in the next sequence, Lee Myung Hee played by Kim So Eun appears, this would mean that love with Lee Myung Hee is not possible as he is also seen to lick the blood from his pricked finger. Kim So Eun plays two roles, Lee Myung Hee and Choi Hye Ryung. As Lee Myung Hee, she sacrifices her life to enable him to live and he is forced to suck her blood although wrought with mental and physical anguish, guilt, pain and grief. This wreaks great havoc in his life and brings a tremendous change to his very being and character. 
roses - symbol of love
Roses with thorns: Unattainable love
The cameraman brings a soft, sensual touch to the movement of the actors, actresses and images. The way the camera presents the drama stars allows them to weave and work their magic on the viewers and thus, evoke an emotional response.
The Opening Dialogue
It is night. This Joseon vampire tale starts with the startling question, ‘Have you heard of this story?’ asked the Crown Prince Jung Hyun. He is talking about the horrifying story about vampires that is passed down from generation to generation among the court ladies.
This intriguing question makes the viewers excited and curious and thus, sets the mood for the telling of the vampire story.
The opening of the fantasy saguek drama, 'The Scholar Who Walks The Night' is quite spectacular. It is obvious that a lot of thought and creative effort had been put into it. All the creative production team headed by the director, Lee Sung Joon and the script writer, Jang Hyun Joo as well as the cast have nailed it with their creative design, the rich imagery, and that startling question in the very first scene. When it comes to excitement and creativity, it does not lag behind the openings of the big screen.
Director Lee Sung Joon (centre) and the cast
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SUMMARY
The Korean historical fantasy drama, ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’ is set in an alternate Joseon Kingdom where the Joseon World and the Vampire World merge.
The Scholar Who Walks The Night: The Greatest Knight
This story is the tale of Kim Sung Yeol, a scholar who works in the Joseon library, using his skills to document events and write reports. It tells of his own private struggle and his public battle with the evil vampire Gwi who has made the court beholden to him.
The weak Joseon King, Hyeonjo
The plot is replete with many heart-wrenching incidents, hilarious moments and lovey-dovey relationships involving youthful lovers.
Kim Sung Yeol, the hero of the Joseon tale, has gone through unimaginable sorrow because of the machinations of the evil vampire, Gwi, who is the power behind the throne. Kim is compelled to drink the blood of his beloved, Lee Myung Hee, who has sacrificed herself to save him.
The meeting between Kim Sung Yeol and Gwi
After 120 years of love and loyalty, the vampire is ready to love again. The love of Jo Yang Sun and the support of other characters in the drama help him to defeat Gwi, and find closure to his pain and suffering.
Kim Sung Yeol, the scholar, 'flies'
Kim Sung Yeol conspires with Crown Prince Jung Hyun to get rid of Gwi.
Conspiracy
When Kim Sung Yeol and the Crown Prince meet to have further discussions, Kim becomes involved in a fight with the prince’s vampire mentor. In the ensuing struggle with the vampire, he is shocked to discover that the vampire can shapeshift and the sword does not hurt him.
Kim Sung Yeol fights Hae Seo, the vampire mentor of
Crown Prince Jung Hyun in a bamboo forest
The most shocking thing to have happened to Kim Sung Yeol is that he has been compelled, and not by choice, to become a vampire. He is bitten by Hae Seo, the vampire mentor of Prince Jung Hyun and he transforms into a vampire. However, the transformation is only complete after he has drunk the blood of his beloved, Lee Myung Hee.
Kim Sung Yeol is bitten into submission
Shocked by the beheading of innocent people
Cries at cruelty and injustice
Lee Myung Hee pushes the dagger into her body
Kim Sung Yeol sucks his beloved's blood
Lee Myung Hee: At death's door
The Becoming: Kim Sung Yeo is bitten by the vampire mentor
played by Yang Ik-joon
The conclusion of Kim Sung Yeol’s story will most likely be the culmination of more than a century of searching for the former Crown Prince, Jung Hyun’s notes which contain a secret plan that would bring him closer to effectively destroying Gwi.
Crown Prince Jung Hyun dream of destroying Gwi
'Humans Are The Only Hope'
The final battle is expected to be a titanic showdown between Kim Sung Yeol, a vampire with a human heart and Gwi, a hopelessly evil vampire who is beyond redemption.
Gwi, the power behind the throne
The rule of a cruel vampire over the Joseon Kingdom and the struggle between the good and evil vampires in a historical saguek setting constitute a seminal idea that has not been tried before nor put to test in Korean drama history but will strongly influence later Korean vampire stories.
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THE SEXY VAMPIRE
AND
HIS LOVE STORIES
In the Korean vampire drama, ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’ which is helmed by Lee Joon Gi, Korea’s number one actor and Lee Yu Bi, two important aspects of the human condition, 'Love and loyalty', is an important theme and will remain an important theme in the drama.
In the first two episodes of ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’, the viewers are given to understand that there are two love stories and both involve Kim Sung Yeol. Both romances are sensual; the first one between Kim Sung Yeol and Lee Myung Hee seems light-hearted and yet subdued enough but the second one that involves Jo Yang Sun looks passionate, tempestuous but at the same time, hilarious.
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EPISODE 1
Kim Sung Yeol and Lee Myung Hee
The days of inhibited starry-eyed love and romance are over.
The days of unrepressed passion have arrived even in a Confucian society during that time and era as depicted in the fantasy drama. And with sexy heartthrob, Lee Joon Gi playing the role of the sexy 120-year old vampire, Kim Sung Yeol, surely many female viewers will fall into a swoon.
The Kiss: Kim Sung Yeol and Lee Myung Hee - the ill-starred lovers
In the first episode, it seems in Kim Sung Yeol’s conversation with his beloved, it is implied that he has often crept into her room at night and it is not clear whether their activities are harmless youthful fun or not. It is difficult to analyse the situation since Lee Myung Hee is part of the family, being an adopted child. Kim Sung Yeol, a product of Hong-Moon-Gwan (the education institution during the Joseon Dynasty) has to keep his reputation intact. But, at age 24, he is ready to be married.
Night visit
In Lee Myung Hee's bedroom at night
Happy and carefree Kim Sung Yeol
His night visit to her room involve kissing so the viewers might be curious about the nature of their relationship though the camera handles the issue subtly. There are flashbacks of Kim Sung Yeol and Lee Myung Hee’s kissing scenes now and then to remind the viewers about their loving relationship.
The Kiss
There can be little doubt that Kim Sung Yeol and Lee Myung Hee are clearly in love and their passion runs deep.
Kim Sung Yeol, looks masculine in this episode and especially so when he holds his beloved, Myung Hee in his arms.
Lee Myung Hee sacrifices her life to save Kim Sung Yeol
Her final words to him in the throes of death, ‘Drink my blood and fulfill your ambition’ (of saving the Joseon world) make one shudder. One can imagine the sting in his heart. His heart-wrenching tears make viewers want to cry with him.
Kim Sung Yeol's sorrow at watching the death of his beloved
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EPISODE 1
A TOUCHING STORY The Runaway Chipmunk
In comparison, the relationship between Kim Sung Yeol and Jo Yang Sun is not as subtle as that shared between Kim Sung Yeol and Lee Mung Hee.
The bookseller, being the offspring of an out-of-wedlock relationship of her father and another woman, is unwelcome in the eyes of her adoptive mother.
Jo Yang Sun, being fun, vivacious and a bit on the wild side, harbours a grand passion for the vampire scholar. She even fantasizes about kissing him.
Jo Yang Sun fantasizing about Kim Sung Yeol, the scholar
In the first episode, at their first meeting to talk about books, Jo Yang Sun’s chipmunk, which she has put into her sleeve, suddenly springs out and runs under Kim Sun Yeol’s hanbok.
a chipmunk
The strange thing is Kim Sun Yeol does not move an inch but sits there like a stone statue behind a screen supposedly to hide himself from others. The way he sits with his Korean folding fan shielding his face makes him appear feminine altogether.
Kim Sung Yeol: Hiding behind a hand-held fan
The uninhibited and tomboyish girl, without any thought of her modesty and decency, crawls out to him and searches all over his hanbok. The vampire seems cool, calm, collected and unperturbed by her crawling and searching hands. It is hilarious to some but it is also alarming for others. You can call this a touching scene - she has been touching all over him!
Jo Yang Sung's fascination with Kim Sung Yeol
Jo Yang Sung indeed provides comic relief to an otherwise horrible mood brought on by the vicious vampire killings.
By the way, the symbolic meaning of chipmunk is ‘something good is on its way to you’, something wonderful that delights your heart, something that makes you smile and laugh’
Jo Yang Sun seems naïve, guileless, uncouth and unrefined and quite insensitive to the social mores of society and lacks social etiquette despite coming from an aristocratic family but one that has fallen from disgrace. Viewers can excuse her since she’s adopted.
Viewers will find themselves amused especially at Kim Sung Yeol’s mortifying discomfiture and confusion. There is fresh humour and it gets viewers hooked.
Kim Sung Yeol looks at her, and she, Jo Yang Sun, stares at him and it strikes her that he has to be ‘the most beautiful man’ that she has ever seen. Kim Sung Yeol does indeed look breathtakingly beautiful at certain angles. The gawk that she is with her disturbing fascination with him and her disconcerting stare, seem to faze him. It suddenly dawns on him that his face is uncovered and that she has seen his face, so, he lifts his hand to shield his face from her offensive stare. Soo Hyang, his confidante and companion, looks on in apprehension 
The 'beautiful' scholar, Kim Sung Yeol
Kim Sung Yeol raises his arm to hide his face
Lacking the delicacy that is befitting a woman from an aristocratic background, Jo Yang Sun says that the animal likes him more than it likes her. It is an interesting conversation, albeit one-way.
Jo Yang Sun is fascinated by the 'beautiful' scholar
Well, viewers may laugh at the scene but when the laughter dies down, the viewers, especially young people would have to think seriously about their behaviour in the presence of members of the opposite sex. Perhaps, it boils down to making it a habit to always practise proper behaviour.
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EPISODE 1
Love For An Androgynous Scholar
Kim Sung Yeol: The 'beautiful' scholar
It is obvious to viewers that at this stage that there is something unusual about Kim Sung Yeol. He seems to have transformed into a man with an androgynous look and traits. Why would he want to cover his face like a lady?
Jo Yang Sung wrongly thinks her body has exuded an offensive smell and so, she lifts her arm to smell herself. The chipmunk scratches her and it draws blood. On seeing and sensing blood, Kim Sung Yeol feels faint and wants to throw up. Being unable to stop himself, he suddenly sprouts fangs but as suddenly as they appear, the fangs retract. At this stage, she has not realised that he is a vampire.
Kim Sung Yeol’s human traits and character seem to have changed since turning into a vampire, He is a vampire with a human heart, meaning he is half-human. Moreover, he has apparently morphed into someone who has androgynous traits, perhaps after drinking the blood of a female, his beloved Lee Myung Hee's blood. Doesn’t he look just ‘beautiful’ with his powdered face and red lipstick?
Has Kim Sung Yeol really changed into a half-human androgynous person? He seems to hold a balance of masculine and feminine traits. Although he looks submissive and quiet which are feminine traits, he is undoubtedly a dominant presence in that scene. He acts frostily, rigidly and unemotionally. He also looks unapproachable and apparently, he is one who is unlikely to cause any commotion. His is a portrayal of one who lacks the human warmth. passion and liveliness that he once possessed.
Mind you, people, Kim Sung Yeol’s androgynous look is sexy, seductive and very attractive to the opposite sex, as evidenced by Jo Yang Sun’s wide-eyed gasp of admiration for him. She thinks he is, it must be repeated, 'the most beautiful man' that she has ever seen. Here androgyny is equated with beauty.
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EPISODE 2
Voyeurism
In the second episode, Kim Sung Yeol tells his confidante and companion, Soo Yang, at one stage that he has no feelings towards any woman, perhaps because of his traumatic experience of 120 years ago. He drank the blood of the woman he loved, someone who had sacrificed her life for him, Lee Myung Hee. He remains loyal to her memory.
Soo Yang: Kim Sung Yeol's confidante and companion
At first, the vampire Kim Sung Yeol seems like a man lacking romantic feelings for women or one who is unable to respond to romantic overtures from Jo Yang Sun. He seems corpse-like in his desire for her.
But because of fate, their further meetings fan his curiosity and the flames of his desire. The romantic senses of the vampire seem to be heightened. Apparently, the smell of her blood or the fragrance of her body intrigues him.
There is a preceding scene when Kim Sung Yeol saves Jo Yang Sun from the military guards at the gisaeng hall.
Jo Yang Sung has gone in search of him there because of his desire to purchase some books. Not finding him there, she panics. The military guards are searching for the Crown Prince, Lee Yoon and because of that, all males have to be searched.
Being a cross-dresser, she is frantic with worry as it is a crime to pretend to be someone one is not. In her panic, she grabs some female clothing and changes out of her male clothing. Kim Sung Yeol is in the room and watches her as she undresses. Although he does not seem lecherous, he is, nevertheless, curious about her, as he may not have seen a female form for 120 years. He watches her undress. He is, in one word, a ‘voyeur’. 
Watching: The vampire scholar is watching
For viewers who are viewing that scene, they do not begrudge Kim Sung Yeol the opportunity of savouring her luscious body. The viewers, who have also become voyeurs, are fascinated by Kim Sung Yeol’s voyeurism. How does he feel when his prying eyes watch the cross-dressing bookseller change into her feminine attire? It is not really a visual feast as viewers only get to see a bit of her porcelain skin. Notice that only once does he glance away with a smirk on his face.
The charming vampire
What has he seen? Obviously, he does not seem like a pervert and there is no pleasure involved. It is not a particularly sexually stimulating scene for him but her female form has captivated his attention. Do the viewers recoil in horror at what he is doing? No, the way Kim Sung Yeol looks at her makes viewers curious about them.
The viewers, female and male included, are also curious and wish also to see what Kim Sung Yeol actually sees, and wish to see more. Decadent. |
EPISODE 2
A Vampire In Love
(Tries To Bed The Bookseller)
The 'beautiful' vampire lover
There is another interesting segment of the drama when the viewers get to see the vampire, Kim Sung Yeol making an attempt to get the pretty bookseller onto his bed, oops……his mattress. He seems to have selected her for pursuit. They have an intriguing conversation and he casually and sensually undoes his shirt. He is the seducer and she does not seem to reject his sexual advances towards her.
The romantic vampire
She probably feels a sudden shiver down her spine as she seems panicky. On her face is affixed a forced smile. She does not seem to query whether it is appropriate to allow herself to be bedded by an attractive male who is almost a stranger to her. Well, he is a vampire and it has to be understood that it is difficult to refuse a vampire who is on heat! He watches her with delight as he works his vampire magic on her, tenderly wrapping his arms around her. Perhaps she feels a warm tingle flow throughout her body?
The besotted vampire
His eyes glitter like a wolf’s and he smiles like a cat cornering a mouse. She obviously likes him and he is smitten by her charms. It is implied that they would spend the night together.
Does he give her sweet vows and promises of love? Or is the vampire a deadly predator waiting to devour her? That intriguing scene is too short and it is quickly brought to an end.
That scene with an undercurrent of sexual energy set the viewers thinking and comparing the moral values then and now. But it is a problematic comparison since the tale is based on fantasy and is set in an alternate kingdom.
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The events in the first two episodes of the saguek vampire drama, ‘The Scholar Who Walks The Night’ set the viewers seriously thinking on many issues that seem to be a normal part of modern society such as loose morals, sexual relationships, voyeurism, androgyny and male predatory behaviour. The drama is not judgemental and does not preach to the viewers but makes them think about life’s issues. The two episodes have definitely left lingering questions on the viewers' minds.
Well, so far, the drama has been very exciting and mentally stimulating. Viewers would have to watch the other episodes for those questions to be answered. It would be interesting to know what the drama has to say about other issues as well.
Jo Yang Sun's recollection of Kim Sung Yeol's advances
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