Set during the Joseon Dynasty, Yong acted as a hooligan in the marketplace by day but at night he was a thief who robbed corrupted government officials to give to the poor. After each robbery he left behind a painting depicting a plum tree branch to make his mark and was thus named Iljimae. His main purpose was not so much to rob but to search for the owner of a specially designed sword which he saw as a child was used to kill his father, a loyal subject of the emperor. Eun Chae is a government official's daughter who despite her upbringing has a lot of empathy towards the poor. She met Iljimae by chance and couldn't help admiring him for what he stood for even though she had never seen his face.

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• May 28, 2011 20 of 20 episodes seen

  Melwill28
  13 of 16 people found this review helpful
  Other reviews by this user
  • Overall  10
  • Story  10
  • Acting/Cast  10
  • Music  10
  • Rewatch Value  10

  Iljimae kept me on my toes. I thought of the main character as a playboy but he turned out to very smart. He understood so much more than he let on. I wounder how many times some1 has to be hit in the head to get their memory back. I think that the King in the story had some kind of disorder that made him so paranoid. The Megalomaniac behavior he displayed was over shadowed by his paranoid state of mind. "They r all out to get me" leads to desperate behavior. Watch this drama u will not be disappointed.

  report I found this review Helpful Not Helpful
• Apr 3, 2012 20 of 20 episodes seen

  iindu
  15 of 18 people found this review helpful
  Other reviews by this user
  • Overall  7
  • Story  9
  • Acting/Cast  10
  • Music  8
  • Rewatch Value  6

  The story and actors are great, but it wasn't a great drama.
  Probably because the plot isn't well developed. There are gaps in story telling that are never fixed.
  
  The story itself took about 4 episodes to warm up. From then on, it was definitely entertaining to watch. Once Iljimae appears, things become exciting and fun. Everything about the character of Iljimae is very interesting- his adventures as Iljimae, his life as Gyeom and Yong, and the people in his life.
  
  And it would have been great, if only for the blunt and inconclusive ending. Perhaps it is due to lack of time? but the last episode ends like a recap of the first episode, without adding any explanation on what happened or why the characters are the way they are now. It just feels incomplete.
  
  Lee Jun Ki is great in the lead role. He gives the character an undeniable charm and exuberance.
  
  Shi Hoo is a character who is built up almost parallel to that of Gyeom, but his character felt inconsistent at times, as he shifts from one side to the other. More than a sense of being conflicted, he gave a feeling of being closed. I can only wonder what was going in that head.
  
  The music was fine, the stealing and fight sequences are very good. Then again, don't look for logic in the many fight scenes, where he miraculously fights and escapes. It's a wonder he isn't praised as much for his martial arts skills in the drama, considering that he manages to conquer everyone he spars with. (Every time he gets hit is because of his often-proven-wrong-yet-unshaken belief in the opponent's righteousness)
  
  The romance bit starts off very well, and sustains till almost the last quarter, only to peter out to nothing by the end. If the romance bit had been handled better, it would have added to the charm surely, but as it is- When Iljimae himself has no time for romance, why would we care?
  
  Overall, Iljimae is entertaining and has charming actors, but left me unsatisfied. read more

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