The story begins in 1876, the third year of Emperor Gojong's reign. It is a time of great upheaval and rapid modernization, with conflict brewing between the two leading political factions, the Sugu (conservative) and the Kaehwa (enlightenment). Those on the Kaehwa side support Gojong's enlightenment policies during this time of change; Joseon was known as a hermit kingdom through the nineteenth century, keen to isolate itself from foreign influence. In previous years, Joseon had rejected Western overtures to open trade lines, which had led to military clashes with American and French forces. While newer ideology advocated a more open policy, it had yet to take root. Adding to the mounting tensions, recently Gojong's Kaehwa supporters have begun, one by one, to fall victim to a mysterious figure toting a brand-new style of gun.
Park Yoon-kang (Lee Joon-gi) is the son of the last great swordsman of nineteenth century Joseon. After the tragic death of his father and the enslavement of his younger sister, Yoon-kang trades his sword for a Western-made lever action rifle as he embarks on a revenge mission, but ends up becoming a hero for the people.[2]
Estranged from his father Park Jin-han, Yoon-kang lives an indolent life, drinking and flirting at the gisaeng house while performing daredevil acts with his sword for extra tips. Like his father who is a legendary swordsman, Yoon-kang himself is a highly skilled swordsman but went through life with little ambition or direction, which his father often admonished him for. After Jin-han is killed by conspirators then falsely branded a traitor, his children are also punished. The girl Yoon-kang loves, Soo-in, helps him escape arrest, but while on a boat he is shot, falls into the water, and is presumed dead. Fortunately, Yoon-kang is rescued by a group of men heading to Japan, and three years later, he returns to Joseon under the assumed name Hasegawa Hanjo to embark on his revenge mission and has traded his sword for a rifle.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]
Soo-in is a feisty and intelligent noblewoman, despite her sheltered upbringing. Though she retains her wonder at modern gadgets such as the camera, Soo-in's heartbreak over Yoon-kang's "death" has made her jaded at the seeming pointlessness of changing the world for the better. But upon meeting Hasegawa Hanjo, she instantly recognizes him as Yoon-kang despite his repeated denials. Through the twists of fate that follow, Soo-in develops into a strong, tough modern woman.[8][10][11][12]
A cold-hearted, unapproachable merchant's daughter. Hye-won desires to acquire enough wealth to hold the world in her hand, but things change when she inconveniently falls for the Japanese trader Hasegawa Hanjo, who unbeknownst to her is Yoon-kang, her father's enemy. As a child, she was a slave who was raped by her master and beaten by her mistress.[13]
He leads a lonely existence due to his status as the illegitimate son of Minister Kim Byung-je. Thus, Ho-kyung dreams of revolution and a new world after being influenced by Kaehwa-aligned politicians and scholars. Ho-kyung is close to the Jung family, who treat him as a beloved son, but the feelings he harbors for Soo-in are romantic rather than brotherly.
A merchant and assassin with an expressionless face and a heart full of ambition which was driven by a past of being humiliated by those in higher ranks. He is involved in a conspiracy against the king, picking off the latter's allies one by one with his rifle. Won-shin is also Hye-won's father and his daughter's enslavement is a source of his hatred for the ruling elite class. Due to this, he wants power more than anything else since only then could he keep himself and his daughter safe and saw money as the future and thus became a businessman.
Somewhere in the past, he had to make a deal which allowed him and his daughter to be free of slavery, but in return, he became a hunting dog.
A stern but principled man, he is Yoon-kang and Yeon-ha's father. As head of the king's royal guard, his job includes tracking down those plotting to interfere with the king's reforms. However, his loyalty to the king and dedication to his job has put his family in the cross hairs of the very people he tracks down.
Yoon-kang's younger sister. Upon the court's orders, she becomes a slave after her father is posthumously branded a traitor. Though she's saved before anything major happening by her brother.
Park Jin-han's second-in-command. Three years after Jin-han's death, Emperor Gojong orders him to secretly reopen the gunman case. He remained loyal to the Park family all these years and steadfastly believed in his former superior's innocence.
A clumsy timid and quite greedy police officer serving under Il-do and also Yoon-kang's best friend. He realizes Hanjo's real identity as Yoon-kang and agrees to secretly help his friend.
When Yoon-kang was a young boy and Yeon-ha a baby, their mother was kidnapped and used as bait by a group of bandits her husband was after. She sacrificed herself to prevent them from searching their house for the children. For many years Yoon-kang blamed his father Park Jin-han for not complying with the ransom demand to stop advancing his troops in order to spare his wife's life, believing that was the reason she was killed.
The official state interpreter, and Soo-in's father. He and Park Jin-han became friends after the latter saved his life during one of his travels, so Hwe-ryung welcomes Jin-han's children into his household to hide them from their father's enemies.
Leader of the Kaehwa faction, who is assassinated while giving a speech to his followers. Among his pupils were Soo-in and Ho-kyung. Hyun Am wrote a book of his teachings and left it in Soo-in's keeping before his death.
Kim Jung-hak as Oh Kyung
The last living Kaehwa scholar who becomes the assassins' next target.
Nobleman who is the head of the powerful Andong Kim clan. He is Gojong's most powerful political opposition and is the leader of the conservative Sugu faction.
All of the guns in the drama are props, and are just used to fire blanks. Ryu Young Jae, who is in charge of special effects said, "Use of real firearms in movies and broadcasts is prohibited in South Korea. The guns have been borrowed from Hong Kong". Due to various conditions, it's very difficult to obtain the appropriate firearms.
