‘Drama Special 2024’ proved the power of the one-act play powerhouse with its first one-act play ‘The Officers Discuss’.

In the first one-act play ‘The Officers Discuss’ (directed by Lee Ga-ram, written by Lim Eui-jung) of KBS2 ‘Drama Special 2024’ aired on the 5th, officer Nam Yeo-gang (played by Tang Jun-sang), who tries to protect history, met his death after a sharp conflict of beliefs with the Crown Prince (played by Nam Da-reum), who tried to erase history.

Yeo-gang, who was the Crown Prince‘s confidant (a child of the same age who was brought into the palace for the Crown Prince’s education and socialization), kept her promise to pass the civil service examination and return to the Crown Prince‘s side after 15 years. The Crown Prince, who took over as regent in place of the King (played by Jo Han-cheol), engaged in a fierce war of nerves with the ministers who were keeping him in check, and he decided to erase the diary of the ‘Im-o year’ related to his father, wanting to end the political strife of the past and open a new Joseon.

The Crown Prince set out to establish discipline by ordering the historians to look into the precedents of past regents. Yeo-gang looked into the diary entries from the year of Gisa to the year of Im-o as instructed by the Crown Prince, but other censors (officials in charge of recording history) warned that if she was involved with things related to the ‘Im-o year’, her family could be destroyed.

Yeo-gang, who was captivated by curiosity about the ‘Im-o year’ diary, reached out to the diary in the archives with sparkling eyes, and at that moment, the Crown Prince appeared from the darkness, heightening the dramatic tension. Yeo-gang was deeply shocked when she heard the sad news that Shin Ju-seo, who had submitted a petition to the Crown Prince, had committed suicide. When everyone kept quiet about Shin Ju-seo’s death, Yeo-gang decided to take out Im-o-nyeon‘s diary and read it. Yeo-gang was caught in a whirlwind of emotions as she read about the Crown Prince’s tragic family history.

The Crown Prince ordered Yeo-gang to delete the diaries related to her father, Crown Prince Sado, and Yeo-gang, who tried to uphold her convictions as a historian, continued to oppose the Crown Prince‘s will and continued their fierce confrontation. In particular, the Crown Prince said, “Do you know that many people died while arguing about the work of their father?” and explained the reason for his attempt to erase the records, saying, “I do not want to erase history, but I just want to end the wasteful political strife that has been caught up in the past and open a new Joseon.”

Yeo Kang, who confronted him, said, “You cannot do the right thing with the wrong method,” and advised him to find another way, but the Crown Prince turned away, saying, “Politics is about survival, and survival is not the best, but the second best.” The unwavering opposition of opinions deepened the conflict between the two and made the viewers’ palms sweat.

Yeo Kang, who was furious at the censors who forgot their sense of duty as a historian and tried to follow the Crown Prince’s will, recalled the death of Shin Ju Seo who tried to protect history and steeled his resolve once again. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince decided that he could no longer delay and ordered his ministers to erase some of the records in the Seungjeongwon Diary. The king, who had read all of the crown prince’s memorial, permitted his will, and Yeo-gang, who had resolved to fulfill his duty as a historian, escaped from the palace with the Im-o year‘s diary, presenting extreme suspense.

When the crown prince learned of Yeo-gang’s misdeeds, he found a note in the room where he had been staying, and he met Yeo-gang who was waiting for him at Segeomjeong. Yeo-gang resolutely looked at the approaching crown prince, calling his name pitifully, and recited his thesis. He also said, “As a subject, I have stood on Your Majesty‘s side many times, but as Your Majesty’s friend, I could not bring myself to stand there. Please do not erase or destroy anything again using today‘s incident as a lesson, and let everything bloom together,” and shed hot tears, arousing regret. The Crown Prince, who took heavy steps behind Yeo-gang, who risked her life to protect her beliefs, also shed tears of self-reproach for not being able to protect her friend.

At the end of the broadcast, the Crown Prince, who ascended the throne after erasing the records of history, climbed the pagoda and recalled Yeo-gang who had passed away, leaving a heavy resonance and a bittersweet aftertaste.

‘The Officer Discusses’, which fired a successful signal flare for ‘Drama Special 2024’, densely portrayed the friendship and conflict between the officer and the crown prince who fight fiercely with their beliefs, and the script that never let the tension go, perfectly combined to present a powerful appeal. Here, Tang Jun-sang and Nam Da-reum, who showed delicate emotional acting, and Yoon Na-mu, Choi Hee-jin, Jo Han-cheol, and Seo Jin-won, who gave flawless performances, raised the level of perfection of the play and properly demonstrated the power of the one-act play masters.

The second one-act play of ‘Drama Special 2024’, ‘Find Handsome’, will air on Tuesday the 12th at 10:45 PM.

Jeon Hyo-jin, Donga.com reporter jhj@donga.com