Iljimae

This is Korea. We don't have ninjas; we have really, *really* good thieves.

"Don't worry, I can steal anything. After all, I'm Il Ji-Mae."

Corruption and oppression in Korea during the time of the Qing Dynasty is [[Serious Busines]. The rich and powerful shed the blood of the innocent and just. And that's the good news. The bad news is that it's all about to get worse. And the family of [[The Woobie|one poor little bo] is caught smack dab in the middle.

Il Ji-Mae is a Korean drama detailing a boy's growth and maturation into the nation's greatest hero against a spoiled government. Sure, the emperor seems like a nice guy, but his field of vision amounts to diddly squat, and the noblemen do as they please and take what they want. It's a little overacted, but the characters--[[Loads and Loads of Characters|just about ALL of the]--are unique and engaging, and the story has more [[Character Developmen], plot twists, and Crowning Moments than you can shake a stick at. A very fine project that shows Korea's got chops of its own. Watch out though, some kink in Korean television scheduling puts each episode at over an hour without commercials, and there's a full season of them, so once you get started, this Troper suggests you get comfy.

Tropes used in Iljimae include:

[[Abusive Parent]: Si Hu's noble parents refuse to acknowledge him, even though he outshines their older son with flying colors.
[[Attempted Rap]: And it just goes downhill from there...
[[Badas]: Il Ji-Mae, Yong-Jae the Fake Monk, the Emperor's assassin Chun, Si-Hu, even Bong-Sun gets a few moments
- [[Back-to-Back Badasse]: Yong-Jae and Chun in the old days
- Badass Beard: Chun
- [[Badass Long Rob]: Yong-Jae
- [[Retired Badas]: Yong-Jae
[[Batman Gambi]: There's a rebellion brewing under the surface of the noblemen. Anyone who finds out about this rebellion, and isn't on their side, is arrested and murdered on charges of--three guesses--treason.
- Yong gets increasingly good at this, using the noblemen's pride against them.
[[Beware the Nice One]: Emperor Injo is perpetually polite in a sickening way, but man, has he got a temper!
[[Big Screwed-Up Famil]: If you follow the lines of biology and match them with behavior, hoo boy.
[[Breather Episod]: The first half of of episode 16].
[[Character Developmen]: Gyum/Yong and Cha Dol/Si Hu are most notabe (at least as far as I've gotten.)
[[Cold-Blooded Tortur]: Used on anyone who gets arrested for pissing off a nobleman.
[[Coming of Age Stor]: coming of age, then coming of [[Badas]
[[Cut Himself Shavin]: Yong comes up with plenty of these to keep his parents from worrying when he gets beat up. They're never convinced, but at least they don't press him.
[[Darkest Hou]: Yong's father is killed after impersonating Il Ji-Mae, the last man willing to help Gyum find his father's murderer is assassinated, and then Il Ji-Mae is slapped with murder after trying to interrogate the afore-mentioned last man willing to help Gyum.
Disney Death: Il Ji-Mae, at the end of the series.
[[Dramatic Shatterin]: When Yong realizes that the woman he scoffed at in jail was his long-lost sister, and she was set to be hanged.
[[Dropped a Bridge on Hi]: You killed Yang-sun! You BASTARD!!!
[[Forgotten First Meetin]: One of the love interests figures out who he was by a piece of jewelry the boy who saved her life carried. The other love interest also figures out who he was because he continued a story he never finished when they were children.
Heroic BSOD: poor Yong...
Justified Criminal: Swe Dol, eventually Yong, arguably the Castor Oil Gang
[[The Masquerade Will Kill Your Dating Lif]: Yong / Iljimae can't reveal himself to the girl he likes.
[[Meaningful Nam]: Yong means dogshit. Yet, hilariously, people will name their kids that based on the myth that dragon rise from canine crap like a phoenix from ashes.
[[One-Man Arm]: After mastering combat techniques, Il Ji-Mae loves to do this.
Please, I Will Do Anything!: used quite often.
[[Police Brutalit]: In spades, as well as Police Lechery.
[[Roof Hoppin]: Taken to a fine art by the main character, which also leads to [[Rooftop Confrontatio].
[[Smug Snak]: Minister Byun and, of course, his son.
[[Took a Level In Badas]: Si Hu gains plenty during the first time skip, while Gyum actually manages to lose some. But Gyum takes even more by the end of the series.

[[Category:Korean Serie] [[Category:Live-Action TV of the 2000] [[Category:Korean Dram] [[Category:Iljima] [[Category:Western Animatio]