The writing pair of Kim Young-hyun and Park Sang-yeon were behind one of the biggest dramas of the past year, Queen Seon-deok, so interest is high to see if they can replicate that success in their new series, A Tree With Deep Roots [뿌리깊은 나무]. (Other titles they have penned include hit sageuks Dae Jang Geum and Seo Dong Yo.)

Adding to the anticipation is the fact that the new drama is based on a bestselling book of the same name which was published in 2006. It was authored by popular writer Lee Jung-myung, who also wrote bestselling novel Painter of the Wind, which was turned into the critically acclaimed sageuk drama in 2008 starring Park Shin-yang and Moon Geun-young. For her performance as a young woman dressing as a man to pursue painting in the Joseon era, Moon won a Daesang at the age of 21.

A Tree With Deep Roots takes its name from a famous poem that says that trees with deep roots do not sway. It takes place a prosperous time — the era of King Sejong, who invented the modern Korean writing system in the 15th century. The book deals with a series of murders that occur in Gyeongbok Palace (or Gyeongbokgung) that targeted scholars of the Hall of Worthies (an institute set up by King Sejong for scholarly research). According to the director of the production company, the project has been under preparation for a long time and is taking particular care in building its large-scale sets of Gyeongbok Palace.

Queen Seon-deok may have had some crazy writing (due to tailoring scripts to satisfy the audience’s tastes) but it was decidedly a hit; Painter of the Wind, on the other hand, was a modest ratings success but had superior production values (gorgeous cinematography, for one) and wonderful acting. Add a murder conspiracy in the mix, and this should be one to keep an eye on.

A Tree With Deep Roots will begin casting in May, but doesn’t plan to hit airwaves until early 2011.

Via OSEN