KBS Drama Wins Award From Roma Fiction Fest

A scene from KBS hit miniseries ``Hong Gil-dong, the Hero,'' which has won the Best Television Prodcut at the 2008 Roma Fiction Fest Saturday. / Korea Times file

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

The Korean Broadcasting System's (KBS) hit miniseries ``Hong Gil-dong, the Hero'' won the Best Television Product award at the 2008 Roma Fiction Fest Saturday.

The Roma Fiction Fest, which started last year, is an annual event dedicated to Italian and international television fiction. It is divided into five competitive categories: Television Movies, Miniseries, Continuing series, Documentaries for Television and Docu-dramas, and Pitching. ``Hong Gil-dong'' won the Best Television Product in the miniseries section while KBS won the award for Best Producer and Broadcaster.

``Hong Gil-dong'' first aired last January with Kang Ji-hwan as the Korean version of Robin Hood and Sung Yu-ri, former member of pop group Fin.K.L, as the heroine.

Aiming to be the first ``comical epic drama,'' the miniseries became popular with its dazzling action scenes and experimental scenes, including an episode where Gisaeng, or traditional female entertainers, dance to techno music dressed in Korean traditional clothes, known as hanbok, during the Joseon Kingdom era (1392-1910).

Depicting the heroic story of one of Korea's legendary heroes, Hong Gil-dong, the drama went for genuine ``fusion,'' presenting costumes, music and sets that held modern elements during the Joseon period.

Other winners from the event include BBC's ``10 Days to War'' for the Best Television Movie and Italy's ``Boris 2'' for the Best Continuing Series.

sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr