Inspiring Generation (Korean: 감격시대) is a 2014 South Korean television series starring Kim Hyun-joong, Im Soo-hyang and Jin Se-yeon. It aired on KBS2 from 15 January to 3 April 2014 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 24 episodes.
Based on the manhwa by Bang Hak-gi (published daily by Sports Seoul from June 1985 to June 1988), the drama series had a budget of US$14 million and its story depicts the loves, friendships and patriotism of young Korean independence fighters in 1930s Shanghai.
Plot
A story of violence, love and friendship that travels between Korea, China and Japan in the 1930s.
Shin Jung-tae (Kim Hyun-joong) loses his father at the age of 15 when a Japanese soldier shoots him during the Japanese occupation of Shanghai in the 1930s. But instead of finding justice, Jung-tae is accused of his own father's death. Jung-tae finds justice only by using his fists in the back alleys of Shanghai, growing up to become the best fighter on the continent.
Cast
Main characters
- Kim Hyun-joong as Shin Jung-tae
- Kwak Dong-yeon as young Jung-tae
- Im Soo-hyang as Lady Gaya Deguchi
- Joo Da-young as young Gaya
- Jin Se-yeon as Yoon Ok-ryun
- Ji Woo as young Ok-ryun
Supporting characters
- Kim Jae-wook as Kim Soo-ok
- Kim Kap-soo as Toyama Denkai
- Choi Jae-sung as Shin Young-chul
- Son Byong-ho as Choi Soo-ri
- Shin Seung-hwan as Jjang-ddol
- Kim Dong-hee as young Jjang-ddol
- Kim Ga-eun as So-so
- Yoon Hyun-min as Toyama Aoki
- Choi Cheol-ho as Shinjo Deguchi
- Shin Eun-jung as Kim Sung-deok
- Lee Cho-hee as Mal-sook
- Kim Min-ha as young Mal-sook
- Bae Noo-ri as Yang-yang
- Jo Dong-hyuk as Shinichi
- Choi Ji-ho as Aka
- Kwak Seung-nam as Genjo
- Yang Ik-june as Hwang Bong-shik
- Jo Dal-hwan as Poong-cha
- Ji Seung-hyun as Kang-gae
- Nuel as Kkab-sae
- Kim Sung-oh as Jung Jae-hwa
- Kim Seo-kyung as Mang-chi
- Yoo Tae-woong as Shin Ma-juk
- Seo Dong-gun as Cha Sang-ki
- Choi Il-hwa as Seol Doo-sung
- Jung Ho-bin as Wang Baek-san
- Song Jae-rim as Mo Il-hwa
- Lee Joon-seok as Won-pyung
- Lee Chul-min as Bul-gom
- Uhm Tae-goo as Do-goo
- Oh Soon-tae as Omogari
- Kim Roi-ha as Shin Ga-jum
- Park Chul-min as Old Man Fly
- Kim Se-jung as Shin Chung-ah
- Lee Ji-woo as young Chung-ah
- Kim Byung-ki as Fortune teller
- So Hee-jung as Mok Po-daek, Mal-sook's mother
- Lee Sang-hee as Kim Cheom-ji
- Jung Jin as Yamamoto Hagesawa
- Im Hyung-joon as Koichi
- Jo Ha-seok as Sasaki
- Im Se-hwan as Tamada
- Moon Hee-kyung as Nun director
- Hwang Chae-won as Ran-ran
- Kim Yoon-hee as Ryoko Deguchi
- Yeo Ho-min as Ma Dang-ga
- Lee Hae-in as Sun Woo-jin
- Han Je-in as Dan-shim
- Kim Jae-kyung as Meiling
- Tae Hang-ho as Moon-bok
Original soundtrack
Part 1
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Destiny" (운명) | Im Jae-bum | 4:04 |
| 2. | "Destiny" (Inst.) | 4:04 | |
| Total length: | 8:08 | ||
Part 2
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Bruise" (멍) | Kim Gun-mo | 3:57 |
| 2. | "Bruise" (Inst.) | 3:57 | |
| Total length: | 7:14 | ||
Part 3
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Good day to die" (죽기좋은날) | J2M | 3:40 |
| 2. | "The Road" | Rhosy | 3:31 |
| Total length: | 7:01 | ||
Part 4
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Like a flame" (불꽇처럼) | I. D. | 3:34 |
| 2. | "Like a flame" (Inst.) | 3:34 | |
| Total length: | 6:58 | ||
Part 5
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Light" (빚) | Na Yoon Kwon | 4:22 |
| 2. | "The Light" (Inst.) | 4:22 | |
| Total length: | 8:44 | ||
Part 6
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Until that day, Goodbye" (그날까지안녕) | Zia | 4:08 |
| 2. | "Until that day, Goodbye" (Inst.) | 4:08 | |
| Total length: | 8:16 | ||
Part 7
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "When today passes" (오늘이지나면) | Kim Hyun-joong | 4:06 |
| 2. | "When today passes" (Inst.) | 4:06 | |
| Total length: | 8:12 | ||
Ratings
| Episode # | Original broadcast date | Average audience share | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TNmS Ratings | AGB Nielsen | ||||
| Nationwide | Seoul National Capital Area | Nationwide | Seoul National Capital Area | ||
| 1 | 15 January 2014 | 7.9% | 9.2% | 7.8% | 7.7% |
| 2 | 16 January 2014 | 7.8% | 9.2% | 7.7% | 7.7% |
| 3 | 22 January 2014 | 8.9% | 9.2% | 9.6% | 10.3% |
| 4 | 23 January 2014 | 8.9% | 8.3% | 7.9% | 8.4% |
| 5 | 29 January 2014 | 7.7% | 8.6% | 7.0% | 7.9% |
| 6 | 30 January 2014 | 7.9% | 8.7% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| 7 | 5 February 2014 | 7.0% | 7.2% | 8.4% | 8.6% |
| 8 | 6 February 2014 | 7.4% | 9.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 9 | 12 February 2014 | 8.8% | 9.4% | 10.0% | 10.7% |
| 10 | 13 February 2014 | 9.9% | 11.6% | 11.4% | 12.8% |
| 11 | 19 February 2014 | 8.8% | 9.1% | 10.3% | 10.8% |
| 12 | 20 February 2014 | 8.2% | 9.8% | 9.8% | 10.2% |
| 13 | 26 February 2014 | 8.7% | 9.3% | 9.3% | 9.7% |
| 14 | 27 February 2014 | 8.9% | 10.3% | 9.7% | 10.1% |
| 15 | 5 March 2014 | 10.0% | 10.9% | 12.0% | 12.7% |
| 16 | 6 March 2014 | 10.3% | 11.6% | 12.5% | 13.3% |
| 17 | 12 March 2014 | 10.7% | 12.2% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 18 | 13 March 2014 | 10.0% | 11.4% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 19 | 19 March 2014 | 9.2% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| 20 | 20 March 2014 | 10.8% | 12.4% | 12.1% | 12.8% |
| 21 | 26 March 2014 | 10.0% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 22 | 27 March 2014 | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% | 13.6% |
| 23 | 2 April 2014 | 9.8% | 10.4% | 11.1% | 11.5% |
| 24 | 3 April 2014 | 10.7% | 11.6% | 12.3% | 13.5% |
| Average | 9.0% | 10.0% | 10.2% | 10.8% | |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | KBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama | Kim Hyun-joong | Nominated |
| Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama | Im Soo-hyang | Nominated | ||
| Best New Actor | Yoon Hyun-min | Nominated | ||
| Best Young Actor | Kwak Dong-yeon | Won |
International broadcast
While it aired in Korea, the drama was simultaneously available online (with subtitles in several languages) on Singapore-based video streaming website Viki.
It aired in Japan on cable channel DATV beginning 9 August 2014.
In aired in Indonesia on cable channel RTV beginning 16 August 2014.
In Thailand aired on PPTV HD beginning 20 March 2015.