[1] But in 1999 Lee revolutionized the sageuk genre with Hur Jun, the first Korean period drama to focus on a "commoner" historical figure instead of royalty and powerful nobles.
[3] Journalists coined the term "fusion sageuk" for Lee's attempts to revitalize the genre, transforming the previous lack of accessibility and narrative cliches of period dramas with its viewership of older, male armchair historians, into something more appealing to an increasingly younger demographic of viewers.
Ballad of Seodong (2005) is about King Mu of Baekje who falls for Princess Seonhwa of the rival kingdom Silla (played by Jo Hyun-jae and Lee Bo-young).
[6] Yi San (2007) revolved around the love story of King Jeongjo and his concubine Ui-bin Seong (played by Lee Seo-jin and Han Ji-min).
[7] Dong Yi (2010) is about Suk-bin Choe (played by Han Hyo-joo) who rises from being a palace water maid (musuri) to the concubine of King Sukjong.