Il Ji-Mae: The Phantom Thief
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User Rating
Current user rating: 94/100 (267 votes)
Profile
- TV Show: Il Ji-Mae: The Phantom Thief
- Revised romanization: Iljimae
- Hangul: 일지매
- Director: Yong-seok Lee
- Assistant Director: Choi Hyeong-Hun
- Writer: Ran Choi
- Network: SBS
- Episodes: 20
- Release Date: May 21 - July 24, 2008
- Runtime: 21:55
- Language: Korean
- Country: South Korea
Plot
On a night when the plum blossoms were in full bloom, young Geom (actor Yeo Jin-gu) witnessed the death of his father. The black emblem engraved on the sword shone under the moonlight... His father’s blood was splattered on the plum blossoms... After that night, Geom’s life became a wretched existence. He was adopted by a thief, Swe Dol (actor Lee Moon Shik) who named him Yong.
One day, Yong (actor Lee Joon-ki) remembered his past when he was being chased by a group 13 years ago (1644. 22nd year of King In-jo’s reign). Thoughts of revenge didn’t occur to him. His dreams were to be reunited with his mother and sister, recover his family home, and live with his family again. But when he finally met his sister again, she was executed in front of him. Revenge was all he wanted after that. Yong has a tattoo of the black emblem, which he saw on the sword that killed his father, engraved on his chest.
With the skills he learned from his foster father, who was a small-time thief, he obtained information from the nobles by committing his first break-in. But he left behind a plum blossom by accident. When the officials found this evidence, people began calling him “Iljimae” which means "A single stalk of plum ". From then on, he left behind a painting of red plum blossom to mark his presence and prove that he was the burglar everytime he robbed a house. Yong discovered the existence of a secret list, with the names of all the members of the secret Tianyou Clan while slipping into a nobleman’s home in search of the sword with the black emblem. Yong recalled that his father was a member of the secret Tianyou Clan. He then decided to use Eun-chae (actress Han Hyo-ju) to obtain the full list. Under his meticulous plan, Iljimae approached Eun-chae. Eun-chae fell into love with Iljimae and the feelings became mutual but he kept his focus on getting revenge and holding back on telling the truth to Eun-chae.
The royal court was deploying all their forces to capture Iljimae. Shi-hoo (actor Park Shi-hoo) failed to capture Iljimae twice during a stakeout. But Iljimae suffered a deep gash from Shi-hoo’s sword. Bong-soon (actress Lee Young-ae) discovered Yong lying half-unconscious from his wound and she took him to her foster father Gonggal, who saves Yong’s life. Yong then found out that Gonggal is one of the two legendary assassins and begged Gonggal to teach him martial arts. The stories of various incidents involving Iljimae spreaded among the people who began to worship him as the hero of the commoners. Iljimae robbed more noblemen to the delight of the people.
Royal palace prosecutor Shi-hoo became obsessed with catching Iljimae. King In-jo felt threaten by the growing reputation of Iljimae as the king of the commoners and wanted him captured at all cost.
Mysterious deaths kept occurring after the death of his father. Small nail scratches are found on the dead bodies that keep turning up. The shocking truth emerged... Who wielded the sword with the black emblem? Iljimae then bravely embarked on his final mission!
Notes
- The 2009 MBC drama "Moon River" (Dolahon Il Ji-Mae), also centers around the character Il Ji-Mae, but "Moon River" focuses more on Il Ji-mae's personal life.
Cast
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| Lee Jun-Ki | Park Si-Hoo | Han Hyo-Joo | Lee Young-Ah |
| Il Ji-Mae / Yong-Yi | Si-Hoo | Eun Chae | Bong-Soon |
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| Lee Mun-Shik | Lee Il-Hwa | Son Tae-Young | Kim Sung-Ryeong | Jo Min-Gi |
| Soe-Dol | Mrs. Han | Yeon-Yi | Dan-Yi | Lee Won-Ho |
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| Ahn Kil-Kang | Kim Hyun-Sung | Lee Won-Jae | Do Ki-Seok | Mun Ji-Yun |
| Kong Gul Ah je | Hong-Gyeon | Jang Po-Gyo | Hee-Bong | Dae-Sik |
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| Jeong Jae-Eun | Seo Dong-Won | Kim Kwang-Sik | Lee Won-Jong | Yang Jae-Seong |
| Sim-Duk | Eun-Bok | Kuk-Doo | Byeon-Sik | Shim Ki-Won |
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| Kim Roe-Ha | Kim Moo-Yul | Kim Chang-Wan | Jo Sang-Ki |
| Sa-Chun | Si-Wan | Huin Do-Po | Mu Lee |
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| Yeo Jin-Ku | Lee Da-Wit | Kim You-Jung | Jeong Da-Bin |
| Geom Lee (young) | Si-Hoo (young) | Eun-Chae (young) | Bong-Soon (young) |
Additional Cast Members
- Kim Sung-Hoon - surgeon
- Lee Sol-Gu
- Kim Dong-Yoon
- Jung In-Seo - (young) Sumsumyi
Ojo emmanuel Says:
Apr 30 2012 4:23 pm
My buddies don't get confused iljimae is alive,the sword dat was used to slash him is bladeless.
ana Says:
Mar 07 2012 2:26 pm
is there any chance theres gonna be season 2? it was a great show :)
emmah kisau Says:
Sep 05 2011 9:43 am
i love this series i wish you could bring us more like this.thanks koreans for your good work i love you all.
Nathan Mutiso Kioko Says:
Aug 30 2011 5:49 am
I really love this show.There are many lessons to learn from the show which is very wonderful,a very smart and beautiful show.
cntuxy Says:
Aug 24 2011 3:46 am
Just a thank you to GBS station for having introduced these remarkable Tv drama/ series.But where can one get the whole series of the Phantom thief and Winter sonata?
mubia Says:
Aug 22 2011 10:17 am
Its so good and its a great one. Thanks to GBS
muthoni Says:
Aug 18 2011 7:43 am
just started watchin' it en am loving it! Thanks to GBS-Kenya
ayindeh Says:
Aug 05 2011 1:19 am
why did this film end this way it's so annoying
ayindeh Says:
Aug 05 2011 1:10 am
what kind of drama film is this which has no good ending
djexodus Says:
Jun 16 2011 9:09 pm
yes.. ILJIMAE: The Phantom Thief is indeed a very nice drama with love story, action and family bond. I love this story very much.. Thanks to SBS and the director in charge. ILJIMAE is absolutely alive..
Ann Ha Says:
Feb 15 2011 8:48 pm
He's alive, watch the 1st episode, and the guy that slashed him switched sword with Ijimae's dull sword (Plus i heard that the Director said that Iljimae is alive so he can end the ending controversy). He remain single though, He will continue to steal from the palace because the king didn't keep his promise. I hope Ryung will become king later, Remember what the fortune telling guy said, and it makes total sense because Iljimae's dad and the king are brother. Woah if he's king he can keep both Eun chae and Bong Soon. >=]
compa Says:
Jan 21 2011 7:11 pm
sure he alive... if not he won`t acting anymore :P
sarah Says:
Jan 09 2011 10:26 am
Iljimae dead? or not? I can't understand. he was dead or not?
Moses Says:
Nov 10 2010 7:22 am
We demand an explanation from the director,coz we used to watch a good ending drama
p Says:
Sep 01 2010 3:46 am
I like Lee Jun Ki. He's very cute in Iljimae. He is amazing.
raneem Says:
Aug 01 2010 3:48 pm
Great drama
I love it
NessZa Says:
May 03 2010 8:54 am
This film is really awesome, but i'm very dissapointed with the ending..
I really hope that at least Eun-Chae could see who's the real Il Ji Mae, aaarrrggggghhh!!! T_T
MT Says:
Jan 27 2010 3:00 am
Iljimae was alive, at the ending part, he was slashed, but only in the back. He was slashed countless of time in the back and he survived them all. After Sa cheon was killed, he still could talk. He ran up to the mountain in spite of his injuries. From then on, he never met his real mother, dani, bong soon, eun chae or his real brother. the only people who knew he was alive are: Ajik gang, Dae-shik and his palace friend(the shoemaker). If you observe carefully, the flower he drew was the same flower he drew the first time he burglered Lord Lee Myung's secret warehouse. so he is still alive, and the whole story is him recalling what happened in the past.
Misty3e Says:
Sep 16 2009 5:50 am
Hi Yasmin! ^^
No, thank you for creating a website about "Iljimae". Let's hope more people watch the drama. Everyone, we really recommend it.
By the way, I was a bit disappointed when "Iljimae" didn't win best drama in the SEOUL INTERNATIONAL DRAMA AWARDS 2009. "We invite you to enjoy the world best drama where you can be moved to tears," they said. For me, "Iljimae" was the one that moved me to tears. Also, I wanted Lee Jun Ki to win as best actor. Oh, well... Even if you didn't win, we appreciate your hard work. Fighting! ^^v
Thank you again. Have a nice day!
YASMIN Says:
Aug 18 2009 9:00 pm
Thank you " Misty3e " for your Message ,
I like ILJIMAE drama and i like story too because it is an interesting drama about the history of korea.....
this is my website of ILJIMAE :
www.iljimae.weebly.com
thanks for coming to my web
have a nice day
thank you again
Misty3e Says:
Jul 22 2009 7:09 am
I think this drama was awesome. It made me cry, laugh, get angry and everything. At the end of every episode I couldn't wait to watch the next one.
By the way, I don't get why some people thought the boy at the end was Iljimae and Eun Chae's son. That's so wrong. Really. The boy even say that he didn't have a tooth because he was like his father. So, do you know who lost a tooth through the series? Right! Yong-ee's adoptive father. Now, the boy was with Yong-ee's adoptive mother and called her mother, what can we all conclude? Yes! The boy at the end was actually the son of Yong-ee's adoptive parents; Yong-ee's little brother.
You know, Iljimae/Eun-Chae love story wasn't that good to me. I liked Yong-ee/Bong Soon story better. She truly loved him; and her story was so touching.
About the ending, the way I see it, there are only two ways: he died and the scene of the beginning/ending, was just the legend that went on even with him dead. However, what I want to believe is that he is alive. He went to train/live in the mountains, and then returned four years later to remind the king of his promise to leave the throne.
I think that if Yong-ee is alive, he wouldn't leave Bong Soon alone. After all, he promised her to this time not let go of her hand (he was the kind of man that kept his promises and he was so happy when he realized she was alive), and so she was waiting for him. Moreover, she's sacrificed a lot for him (she couldn't walk well and lost her status as a woman after nearly dying for him).
True, he loved Eun-Chae, but when he burned her handkerchief, he firmly decided to let her go. Even after he went to save her, he never intend to let her know who he really was. Eun-Chae just loved what Iljimae represented and the memory of a young first love (she too soon started treating bad Yong-ee).
At the other hand, Bong-Soon felt in love with Yong-ee, was thankful to Geum and admired Iljimae; and then, she knew and loved all of him. Her love for him was similar to the love of Yong-ee's adoptive father for Danee, and you know, at the end, in Danee's heart was only him.
Anyway, I want to believe Bong-Soon was living in the mountains along with Yong-ee and her adoptive father. She went to the town after four years that's why she didn't know the son of Danee, but she did know Yong-ee's birth mother.
Thank you for read my rambling.
Victor Says:
Jul 19 2009 5:16 pm
HE* had
Victor Says:
Jul 15 2009 3:23 pm
sorry to dissapoint,but had the bow BEFORE the ending scene,TOO,guys.Not only that,but he used it,as well.
If u don't belive me,just check out the last episode,when he learns that the king killed his father (in the king's portret room). minute 27.
CONCLUSIONS:
" the killer hit Iljimae with Iljimae-sword,and the sword that it blades doesn't cut ...remember his "teacher" given him and telling him it is not for killing...but to protect...also in all the drama nobody caught cut by that sword " <-- I AGREE WITH THIS
" if you look closer he has new weapon added, the bow at his hand...that sth he did not own before " <-- THIS IS NOT TRUE,BECAUSE OF WHAT I'VE JUST SAID IN THE BEGINING OF THIS POST.
so...IS HE DEAD? i don't know,lol.
feia Says:
May 11 2009 3:36 am
of course he is alive! the opening of the series is actually the ending part. if you can see, dae-shik (yongi best fren) was in the group planning for the next attempt while in the last episode, dae-shik was in the palace and did not know who is iljimae and had not join the group. but in the opening, the group included dae-shik.
and other commenters were right about the sword used by sa-cheon to kill iljimae was bladeless. and the small kid ke-dong is yongi brother son of soe-dol and dani.
i love this show sooooo much! and i admit, it is because of lee jun ki! ;p
sabiha Says:
May 07 2009 12:29 pm
when the drama ended I was confused too.
The last part (that is over 4 years lather) you could see some things dat will let you think he is dead but alsow he is not dead.
It's the sword that was been picked up.
The sword off his measter.
Canon Says:
May 05 2009 3:50 pm
For Comment 14
Il Ji Mae doesn't die.
Becourse assasin didn't use HIS OWN BLADE.It's true that Iljimae used assasin's blade and threw away but
the blade which assasin pick up was layed upon the floor before Iljimae threw it away.
If you not sure.You should notice an appearance of the blade and you would know that It's a Iljimae blade.
likeuknowit Says:
May 01 2009 10:34 pm
I really like this drama!
But, I really confuse with the ending cos the chief assasin is using HIS OWN blade
I mean, he is not using Iljimae's blade
you guys must watch it one more time
when Iljimae and that man are fighting -after Iljimae's blade are drop-, Iljimae take over that man's blade and after the end of the fighting, Iljimae throw that man's blade and the assassin pick it and slash him
Sayaka Says:
Apr 30 2009 7:00 am
I really like this drama!
But, i do really confuse with the ending
Is he really alive?
And, i just read some of your comment which say that the boy who looks like iljimae is his child and the mother is eun chae
I dont think so
Cos if the boy is really eun chae's child, why the boy is not with her but with both iljimae's mother?
And eun chae herself didn't try to find or meet her child
angelwing871 Says:
Apr 19 2009 4:41 pm
Ok... after watching the series.. I was kinda unsure whether he was dead or not because well.. when Eun Chae was asking about Yong-ee, the maid and the other guy were really 'nervous' when they said he's living well, and another thing was that the boy at the end.. he said he wished to have a name like Yong-ee instead of his so it kind of proves that he didn't know who Yong-ee was therefore meaning Yong-ee wasn't living amonst them... And I also remembered that when his 'teacher' gave him the sword, he told him that even though there is no blade, with enough intention, it could kill. So there was a possibility that he died because after his few words, we saw a flash of white.
But then my hope revived when the familiar scene we have seen at the beginning played again.. I've notice he had more advance weapons than he did before and.. a new place/ headquarters that he didn't have before. His brother was near him (because he killed Sa Chun) so there is a possibility that he saved Yong-ee. After facing all these facts and theories, I still concluded that he is alive.
animehime_2 Says:
Mar 26 2009 8:21 pm
PEOPLE LISTEN TO ME!!!! iljimae is not dead but alive and well and there are clues to that at the end of the last episode. first of all, the sword taht was used to kill him was a reversed blade sword so he could not be dead and his teacher asked for TWO pairs of shoes instead of one and we also saw the apricot tree blossom note at the end in the scene of a theft. so people ILJIMAE IS STILL ALIVE SO QUIT ASKING WETHER HE'S ALIVE OR NOT!!!! XD
wendy Says:
Mar 14 2009 3:12 am
The best series that i ever seen.And sadness.It is drama and action movie i think.And i think iljimae doesn't die. Isn't it??
Miyuki Says:
Jan 25 2009 4:53 am
This show is AMAZING! although i watched it in the dubbed version he's still as funny as ever. Oh, and Thanks Mariya. Otherwise if i get to watch "the return of iljimae" i would be confused because i might think that it is something like a sequel.
sunnypooh Says:
Jan 02 2009 12:52 am
hmmm.. i watch the show again... he is alive.. but i don't think he is with any of the girls..
jenny Says:
Dec 22 2008 6:09 pm
isnt the opening scene part of the story the story teller and the kid is telling in the end?
Angel Says:
Dec 19 2008 1:32 am
Actually, the ending is some sort of an open ending...
The show only leaves clues to show that he is alive ... (eg, he was only hit with the bladeless knife his master gave him, his shoemaker friend delivered two pairs of shoes to his master who is living on an island instead of one pair, his little brother mentioned tat he cannot remember the correct story to tell when asked about Iljimae) I think the last part went back to the first scene in the show because he is very much alive and started to go into the palace to do his good work again...
However, that son raised by his mothers is not his own child... is actually the child between his adopted parents. Even though his dad died, he died only after he got married and managed to consumate his marriage finally to his beautiful Danee..
The Return of Iljimae is actually revolved around the same storyline... but it is named this way because it is made by a different broadcasting company in Korea. They changed the name to avoid confusion and delayed the release date to the one played by Lee Joon Ki. So it is actually not like a sequel. Is actually has a similar but totally different storyline to the one done by Lee Junki...
Mariya Says:
Dec 16 2008 6:16 pm
The ending is a bit confusing...but you have not to worry...so if you haven't see all the drama yet, do not read it...because it will ruin the end, and the hole story! Its is realy a awesome drama so watch it ...after seeing it and you to not get the ending I am reviling the end...
Iljimae is killed, but at last scenes and you focused at the drama you will see that the killer, hit Iljimae with Iljimae-sword, the sword that it blades doesn't cut ...remember his "teacher" given him and telling him it is not for killing...but to protect...also in all the drama nobody caught cut by that sword...
So he could not be dead, after all the scene that we see at the begin is after his death, cause if you look closer he has new weapon added, the bow at his hand...that sth he did not own before...
And if I am not wrong the child that acts at the end like Iljimae, raised by Iljimae mothers (biological and none) is his own child (the one that will act at "The Return of Iljimae" that will be procusting at jan-2009, and Iljimae son will be played be Iljimae and will be palyed by the actor Joo Ji Hoon (who was considered for the lead role at Iljimae, but lost to Lee Joon Ki...lee joon ki will not appearing at "The return of Iljimae"...ohh and the mother is Chae Eun ...
So that he is not dead is keep a secret to protect him, after all the king is still at the throne...and his half brother mention it that is for their protection...
KumikOcHaN Says:
Dec 14 2008 12:32 pm
wow! the sadness drama i ever seen!!
Lee Jun-Ki looks so gentle ! i loveeee him sooo much!! *_*
actually i'm lee jun-ki's hard fan after he showed up in Virgin Snow, then i always went to shop and asked the same question untill NOW.. "Excuse me, what's the new drama will be showed after this? was it on sale??" =x
(sry my english sucks)
Wingx Says:
Dec 05 2008 8:00 pm
He is alive.. The starting of the show ia what became of him at the end of all the misery revenge.
Ze Says:
Nov 23 2008 4:35 am
...I am confuse about the ending...is it that it was in the past and it just showed him...or is it that he really is alive and stole the things....that is why it was the beginning part of the opening?
ARRGHH...I'm confuse
dragonlady Says:
Sep 11 2008 5:55 pm
I was so sad that this show ended so fast! I wish there's a follow-up....don't really know the ending....is he alive,is he not???