K-Drama Review: Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010 TV Series)
“Sungkyunkwan Scandal” is a K-drama TV series about students who dream of making Joseon a better country for all. So what’s the scandal?
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3 min readMay 17, 2022
“Sungkyunkwan was the foremost educational institution in Korea during the late Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties.” The word can be broken down and this is its meaning.
- Sung (RR: Seong) (성, 成) — accomplish, achieve. To become capable, successful or to win. “To perfect or develop human nature”.
- Kyun (RR: Gyun) (균, 均) — balance, to be. Strengthen culture according to social standards or norms. “To build a good society”.
- Kwan (RR: Gwan) (관, 館) — institute, academy, university.
The school’s purpose was (and still is) to foster the leaders of the country who will serve in prominent positions of authority. (Source)
This TV series is about a group of young scholars pursuing their studies at Sungkyunkwan, who are eventually called upon by the king to participate in a secret mission. Their mission was to find the Geum Deung Ji Sa (the will of the late King Yeongjo). I watched, re-watched, and enjoyed every episode but I still can’t pronounce the name. ☺ Korean is not my native language.
