CHUNO -Slave HUnters

It's hunt or be hunted in the hit 2010 KBS historical fusion drama Chuno, also known as The Slave Hunters. Jang Hyuk stars as a relentless slave hunter with a tough past, while Oh Ji Ho (My Wife is a Superwoman), making his costume drama debut, plays a slave on the run. Popular actress Lee Da Hae (East of Eden) completes the triangle as a runaway slave who becomes a nobleman's daughter. With the leads' physicality on prime display during the drama's gritty action scenes, Chuno generated a lot of buzz for its well-toned cast which also includes Lee Jong Hyuk (Temptation of an Angel), Gong Hyung Jin (Alone in Love), Han Jung Soo (Prosecutor Princess), and Kim Ji Suk (Personal Taste).

Slave hunter Dae Gil (Jang Hyuk) originally hailed from the upper class, but his family was destroyed after a slave burned down their house. Hardened by years on the street, Dae Gil survives as a slave hunter, forever in search of his enemy and his childhood love. He is hired to capture Tae Ha (Oh Ji Ho), a former general who was forced into slavery after being falsely accused of a crime. Dae Gil's dogged pursuit of Tae Ha throws the two men's lives on a collision course of no return.

 

Lee Dae Gil was a man from a noble family, whose life was ruined by Kim Seong Hwan ,Kim Seong Hwan is the half-brother of Dae Gil but was a slave owned by Dae Gil's family. He burned down Dae Gil's house when his sister (Kim Hye Won) was locked in a shed and left to die by dehydration because she and Dae Gil were in love. When he set the house on fire he used a sickle to slash Dae Gil's face. When the house collapsed, Un Nyun/Hye Won thought Dae Gil was killed. 10 years have passed. Driven by his desire for revenge, he survives his harsh years on the street and makes Keun Nom runs away with Un Nyun and eventually accumulates enough wealth to buy Jokbo of a noble family. Assuming the identity of the yangban Kim family, he then changes his name to Kim Seong Hwan and his sister Un Nyun's name to Kim Hye Won. Driven by his desire for revenge as well as his obsession/love with Un Nyun, Dae Gil endures ten harsh years on the street and makes his name as a slave hunter. Dae Gil carries a sketch of Un Nyun at all times and searches for her wherever he goes.

 

Song Tae Ha is a military general who has spent years serving the crown prince in China, who has been held as a hostage after Joseon lost the war with the Qing Dynasty. Upon their release to Joseon, they find themselves embroiled in an even bigger political turmoil. The crown prince dies under suspicious circumstances shortly after returning to Joseon, the crown princess and two of his three young sons are also killed, and the youngest son is exiled on Jeju island. Tae Ha is framed for stealing military ration and is demoted to a slave along with his loyal subordinates.

When Tae Ha learns that the exiled youngest son of the late prince, who he believes to be the only rightful heir to the crown, is in danger, he is determined to protect him and have him declared the new crown prince. He escapes forced labor and sets off his journey to Jeju island. Along the way, Tae Ha comes across Hye Won/Un Nyun, who is on the run from an arranged marriage to a powerful noble, and saves her from danger. Dae Gil is hired to capture Tae Ha and chases after him, who, unbeknownst to Dae Gil, is now traveling and starting a romantic relationship with the woman for whom he has been obsessively searching for ten years.

Slave Hunter Lee Dae Gil 

 

* Lee Dae Gil is a man who was born as a Yangban (nobility), but his half-brother sets fire to his house and escapes, ruining his name and his family’s fortune. Fueled by a burning desire for revenge, he dedicates himself to apprehending the runaway slave and gives chase. Dae Gil is the top Slave hunter in the country, perceived as cool headed and cruelly cold but is actually soft and tender hearted. He doesn’t want anything to do with politics nor palace affairs but soon finds himself in the center of a struggle between the nobles and the royal family.

Song Tae Ha

 

    * Song Tae Ha, a slave on the runs an expert who, prior to his fall from grace, had been a military officer and good friend with Crown Prince Sohyeon. His character becomes a scapegoat in a political move and is made into a slave serving government officials. He decides to make a break for it and, following his escape, fights against an immense conspiracy plot. Tae ha is combatant and strategist who is always calm and collected

Snow white Hye Won

 

* Hye Won, a former slave A.K.A Snow white or Un-nyun is the epitome of womanly weakens due to feudality. She was in love with Dae Gil when he was a Yangban (noble). She became a middle class citizen when her half-brother, Kim Seong Hwan (큰놈이), became a wealthy merchant after running away from Dae Gil's house (killing Dae Gil's parents, burning house, etc). She later escaped from her marriage and encountered Song Tae Ha while she was on a run. she remains perfectly coiffed and styled even though she’s always running Hye won and Tae Ha forms romantic relationship during the travel and later gets married.

Un-nyun is inherently passionate, but doesn’t know how to express. She gains the courage to run away from an unwanted marriage, but afterward she doesn’t know what to do. Naturally there was nothing women could do in the feudal Joseon era. Aside from cooking and bearing children, there was nothing they could do. Un-nyun sets on a quest for a purpose.

Chuno and Seol-hwa

 

Seol-hwa was once a member of a traveling actors’ troupe, but after running away she travels with Dae-gil’s group. If Dae-gil tosses her out, she has nowhere to go. Later she falls in love with Dae gil seeing his softside

General Choi

 

General Choi, silent but fierece, among the three chuno he has the greatest sex appeal making women want him.

Wang Son

 

Wang Son the youngest of the three Chuno, wang son is the comic relief and the baby of the group, impulsive and always rushing into things

 

Beautiful and artistic Fight scenes on Chuno