A Korean drama on an unprecedented scale, Damo tells a tale of love, conspiracy, loyalty, and honor. Taking place in Korea during the 17th century, the story focuses on the destinies of three central characters. Damo sets a new standard with dazzling special effects, breathtaking cinematography, and mystical martial art scenes.

A case of counterfeiting money troubles the Police Bureau of Hansung, the old capital city of Korea. Jang Chae-Ohk (Ha Ji-Won), a young lady police detective, is sent by Commander Hwangbo Yoon (Lee Seo-Jin) to investigate the case. However, what appears to be a small case of counterfeiting turns out to be a much larger national conspiracy. Soon, Chae-Ohk finds herself faced with an insurrection lead by the very charismatic, Jang Sung-Baek (Kim Min-Joon).

A man of the law, Commander Hwangbo Yoon is set on clearing the government of corruption. A man of the people, Jang Sung-Baek focuses only on tearing down social hierarchy and creating a world of equality. Amid a whirlwind of evil much larger than anyone could have imagined, Chae-Ohk must fulfill her destiny and become the legendary lady detective - Damo!

Each Limited Edition Damo box set comes with a Reference Guide providing episode-by-episode reference information about relevant aspects of Korean culture and significant story background elements to help viewers thoroughly understand the storyline and action. The Reference Guide also contains introductions for all 17 lead characters in Damo.


A sampling of the Damo Reference Guide (included in each DVD set):

Episode 1
In ancient Korea, rather than numbering political offices or government divisions with "first," "second," and "third," it was common to use, middle, right, and left. The use of "Left Police Bureau" and "Right Police Bureau" is not indicative of their domains over the city, but merely a numbering system in much the same way Americans have precincts and district numbers.

Episode 2
With regards to the character named "Mah Chuk-Ji," Chuk-Ji is NOT his true first name. His true first name is never mentioned in the Damo series. "Chuk-Ji" literally means, "compress space;" more akin to a nickname like "Quick-foot Mah."

Episode 3
As explained previously, the word "damo" has a dual meaning. One is the literal meaning of tea servant. The other is the implicit understanding that "damos" in the Police Bureau were female police detectives. The drama presupposes that all people during the 17th century were aware of this dual meaning.

What is a "Damo?"
Damo literally means "tea servant." These female servants were trained in the way of brewing and pouring tea. However, according to ancient Korean records, "Damos" were often used as undercover police detectives. While serving the royal class, they were given authority to investigate and solve important cases.

Content:
Set during the Chosun Dynasty, Damo depicts a world with strictly defined gender roles and a rigid class structure, and the way these distinctions affect the lives of the characters is the dominant theme of the series. As a woman, Jang Chae-Ohk technically cannot serve as a military or police officer; however, she can act as a tea servant to the police department, and basing the premise on Korean historical records, the series presupposes that using some of these tea servants in an undercover detective capacity was not an uncommon occurrence during this time period. Her abilities as a detective are as impressive as her skills with a sword, but class and gender distinctions force her to frequently pretend to be a man when assisting in police investigations.

Commander Hwangbo Yoon is also affected by his class. While his father was a nobleman, his mother was only a concubine, and this level of nobility limits how far he can be promoted within the military ranks. It also makes it difficult for him to have a relationship with Chae-Ohk, whom he cherishes above all others. As she is of the servant class, a union between the two of them would diminish his status, and so she keeps her distance, in part, for fear of harming his career. Coupled with his strong dedication and loyalty to serving the Police Chief and by extension the King, their relationship remains often detached and complicated.

As the primary story begins, the Left Police Bureau is investigating a counterfeiting ring that appears to spread across the entire country and threatens to destabilize the nation's currency. Through the course of their investigation, however, the Police Bureau finds that there is a much larger movement brewing beneath the surface, and at the heart of it is the rebel leader Jang Sung-Baek. After his father was accused of treason, Jang was taken from his home and raised by lepers where he saw firsthand how the caste structure demanded too great a sacrifice from the people. His vision for a future where the people are empowered is intoxicating, and he has built a small army of followers willing to die for him in pursuit of a new world. His passionate beliefs are also intoxicating to Chae-Ohk who often longs to see the world through his eyes and finds herself inescapably torn between these new feelings and her loyalty to a system that oppresses her.

Where Damo finds its greatest success is in the intricacy of this political story and the characters embroiled in the struggle. Commander Hwangbo is loyal and dedicated and serves his country with great honor, but the kingdom he so faithfully serves is an oppressive one. Boss Jang is a rebellious criminal whose means are often violent and unforgiving, but his motives are valid, and his desire to help the people of his country is pure. While so many series would have more clearly defined "good guys" and "bad guys", most of the characters in this story are slaves to circumstance, fighting for a better world, just from different perspectives. Who is right and who is wrong can depend on how you look at it, and it makes the battle between these opposing forces a compelling one to behold. It also makes it easy to understand why Chae-Ohk is so torn. She isn't simply attracted to the rebel leader because he has long hair and a "bad boy" personality. The world he desires and the freedom with which he lives are the very things she has found herself so desperately wanting as well.

While the series focuses heavily on these three main individuals, Damo boasts a large cast of characters who are each developed in interesting ways and play key roles in the overall story. Lee Won-Hae, trusted leader of the elite Biho forces, adds a great balance between light-hearted detachment and dedicated intensity. Joh Seh-Ook is a strong presence as a Police Chief who is caught in the middle of so many opposing forces, including managing his son Chi-Oh and daughter Nan-Hui. Soo-Myung is very convincing as a liaison of sorts between Magistrate Choi and Jang Sung-Bake. Even Mah Chuk-Ji, a smalltime thief who is a thorn in Chae-Ohk's side in early episodes, proves to be a vital character in the building story. As the show progresses, it becomes clear that the 14-episode arc was very well thought out from the beginning, and it seems that none of the characters or situations is entirely superfluous.

The intricate plot shows a depth of political and social interaction that is quite compelling, the visuals and landscapes are often breathtaking, and the love triangle between the three main characters is far stronger than one would expect and (to avoid spoilers) goes much deeper than what I have described in this review. As mentioned in the introduction, Damo is Shakespearean in both its scope and its execution.

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