A modern retelling of a Chinese classic turns the Monkey King into a protector
In short: In this South Korean fantasy series, the legendary Monkey King is bound by a magical bracelet to protect a woman who can see ghosts. Their complicated romance is set against a backdrop of corporate intrigue, where demons and deities masquerade as CEOs and pop stars in modern-day Seoul.
A Korean Odyssey, which premiered on tvN in December 2017, reimagines the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West for a contemporary audience. The series centers on Son Oh-gong, an immortal exiled to Earth for his pride, and Jin Seon-mi, a woman born with the ability to see spirits. Their fates are intertwined by a childhood contract that left Seon-mi vulnerable and Oh-gong seeking to regain his status as an immortal.
The narrative tension hinges on a magical device called the Geumganggo. While the original myth features a head-worn band, this version is a wrist-worn bracelet that enforces obedience through the power of love. Seon-mi gifts this to Oh-gong, unaware that it forces him to profess deep affection for her. The central conflict is whether his feelings are genuine or merely a byproduct of the charm, a doubt that plagues both characters as they fight demons and navigate a prophecy of the world's end.
The show populates its world with supernatural entities hiding in plain sight. Woo Ma-wang, the Bull Demon King, operates as the CEO of Lucifer Entertainment, while other figures from the original myth appear as pop stars, mobile phone executives, or ice cream shop owners. Seon-mi herself runs a real estate firm that profits from flipping haunted properties. This blend of ancient mythology and modern corporate life creates a unique stakes-driven drama where the protagonists must balance their budding relationship against a tragic destiny: one of them is fated to kill the other.
The series explores themes of sacrifice and redemption, as characters like Ma-wang accumulate good deeds to ascend to deity status. Despite the humor and fantasy elements, the core of the story remains the internal struggle of Seon-mi, who has spent her life as a loner, and Oh-gong, who must reconcile his desire for immortality with his growing attachment to the woman he was once tempted to consume.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: A Korean Odyssey
- Also: Wikidata — A Korean Odyssey · CC0
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