The 2010 hit TV series “The Slave Hunters” is a period piece about fugitive slaves and the bounty hunters who tracked down them in Korea’s last kingdom of Joseon. The drama was a smash hit, fascinating the audiences with its captivating story of charismatic hunters and the hunted as well as breathtaking action scenes.

The tale is set in the 16th-centry Joseon Dynasty. Dae-gil, a young and warmhearted man from a noble family, is in love with Eon-nyeon, a servant girl in the house. Upon discovering their forbidden love, Dae-gil’s father tries to send her away. During the turmoil of the invasion of Korea by the Qing Dynasty of China, Eon-nyeon’s older brother kills his master—Dae-gil’s father—and sets fire to the house. Dae-gil barely survives, but the two lovers get separated as Eon-hyeon is forced to follow her brother, who absconds with his master’s money in his escape from the house. The brother and sister now pretend to be members of the noble class and start a new life, concealing their past. Dae-gil chooses to become a slave hunter, not to avenge his father’s death but to find his lost love.

Meanwhile, the king of the nation was killed and the last crown prince survives. Military officer Tae-ha, who was forcibly relegated to slavery after being falsely accused of a crime he never committed, is on a mission to save the young crown prince. The plot begins to twist when Eon-nyeon befriends the warrior-turned-runaway slave Tae-ha, who Dae-gil is tracking down. Dae-gil, always carrying a portrait of Eon-nyeon inside his jacket, finds his first love at long last, only to learn she was already married to Tae-ha. He realizes he can’t get any closer to his love. The infamous slave hunter also knows he cannot kill the escaped slave he was chasing for money because the man’s death would devastate the man’s wife. Brokenhearted, Dae-gil turned around and left, making up his mind to quit his job as a slave hunter. But when the lives of Eon-nyeon and Tae-ha come into danger, Dae-gil loses no time in saving them and eventually dies a lonely death.

The drama deals with a fresh subject: the world of runaway slaves and slave hunters in the Joseon Kingdom. According to historical records, the arrest and return of fugitive slaves were widespread in the rigid hierarchical Joseon society to maintain class order. In addition to the unfamiliar yet interesting theme, the action-heavy drama appealed greatly to viewers both visually and emotionally with heart-pumping action scenes involving martial arts and swords, impressive cinematography and expressive moments of humanity. Veteran actor Jang Hyuk succeeded in transforming himself, from a gentle nobleman to a ruthless hunter, but remained a pure-hearted man devoted to his love to the last breath.

The highly popular drama enjoyed high viewer ratings throughout its 24 episode run, with the rating of the last episode recording 35.9 percent. The series was sold to Japan and Thailand before it started airing on KBS in January 2010.