The Merchant: Gaekju 2015

{{Infobox television

| image = The_Merchant_Gaekju_2015_(장사의_신_-_객주_2015).jpg

| caption = Promotional poster

| alt_name = The God of Trade: Gaekju 2015, The God of Commerce: Gaekju 2015, Master of Trade: The Inn 2015

| genre = Historical

| based_on = {{based on|Gaekju|Kim Joo-young}}

| writer = Jung Sung-hee
Lee Han-ho

| director = Kim Jong-sun

| starring = Jang Hyuk
Yu Oh-seong
Kim Min-jung
Han Chae-ah
Park Eun-hye
Lee Deok-hwa

| theme_music_composer =

| opentheme =

| endtheme =

| composer =

| country = South Korea

| language = Korean

| num_seasons =

| num_episodes = 41

| list_episodes =

| executive_producer =

| producer =

| editor =

| location =

| cinematography =

| camera =

| runtime =

| company = S.M. Culture & Contents

| channel = Korean Broadcasting System

| first_aired = {{start date|2015|09|23}}

| last_aired = {{end date|2016|02|18}}

| related =

}}

The Merchant: Gaekju 2015 ({{ko-hhrm|장사의 신 – 객주 2015||Jangsaui sin – Gaekju 2015}}; lit. "Master of Trade: The Innkeeper Merchant 2015")The word gaekju literally translates to "innkeeper merchant," which refers to private or free traders who sold grain wholesale; gaekju is no longer used in present-day Korea but was commonly used in the Joseon era. is a South Korean television series based on Gaekju, Kim Joo-young's ten-volume novel which was serialized in daily newspaper Seoul Shinmun from June 1979 to February 1983.{{cite web|title=Jang Hyuk stars in new drama Gaekju|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2015/09/201_182872.html|website=The Korea Times|access-date=September 10, 2015|date=July 16, 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Young-hee|script-title=ko:김주영 『객주』34년 만에 10권 완간...보부상 밑바닥 삶 오롯이 살려 뿌듯|url=http://article.joins.com/news/article/article.asp?total_id=12754165|website=JoongAng Ilbo|language=Korean|access-date=September 10, 2015|date=October 3, 2013}} It aired on KBS2 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 41 episodes beginning September 23, 2015.{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Hye-won|title=Korea's hottest actors to appear in new dramas|url=http://kpopherald.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=201508111555371527247_2|website=K-pop Herald|access-date=September 10, 2015|date=August 11, 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Hye-won|title=K-drama roundup for September: SBS, KBS, MBC|url=http://kpopherald.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=201509011712389738296_2|website=K-pop Herald|access-date=September 10, 2015|date=September 1, 2015}}

Plot

In late Joseon, a poor man named Chun Bong-sam inherits a decrepit inn and honestly works his way up to becoming a powerful merchant. As tradesmen clash against the bureaucratic powers that attempt to oppress them by rigging bad deals, Bong-sam never loses sight of his humble beginnings as a peddler even after achieving great success and eventually shapes the way that industry and business are done in his time.

Cast

Jang Hyuk as Chun Bong-sam
Jo Hyun-do as young Bong-sam
Yu Oh-seong as Gil So-gae
Park Gun-woo as young So-gae
Kim Min-jung as Mae-wol
Han Chae-ah as Jo So-sa
Park Eun-hye as Chun So-rye
Seo Ji-hee as young So-rye
Lee Deok-hwa as Shin Seok-ju
Kim Il-woo as Maeng Gu-beom
Kim Kyu-chul as Kim Bo-hyun
Kim Hak-chul as Kim Hak-joon
Jung Tae-woo as Sun-dol
Ryu Dam as Gom-bae
Yang Jung-a as Bang-geum
Song Young-jae as Mung-gae
Moon Ka-young as Wol-yi
Choi Seung-hoon

Original soundtracks

{{Track listing

| extra1 = Luna (f(x))

| extra2 = Taeil (SM Rookies)

| extra_column = Artist

| headline = Track listing

| title1 = 그대만 살아서 (Only You)

| title2 = 단 한 사람 (Because of You)

| length1 = 4:50

| length2 = 3:48

}}

Ratings

In the table below, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.

class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
rowspan="3"\|Episode # !rowspan="3"\|Original broadcast date !colspan="4"\|Average audience share
colspan="2"\|TNmS Ratings{{cite web\|url=http://www.tnms.tv/rating/default.asp \|title=TNmS Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu \|work=TNmS Ratings \|language=Korean \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131128032303/http://www.tnms.tv/rating/default.asp \|archivedate=November 28, 2013 }} !colspan="2"\|AGB Nielsen{{cite web\|url=http://www.agbnielsen.co.kr/index.asp?ref=0 \|title=AGB Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu \|work=AGB Nielsen Media Research \|language=Korean \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226133248/http://www.agbnielsen.co.kr/index.asp?ref=0 \|archivedate=December 26, 2013 }}
width=100\|Nationwide !width=100\|Seoul National Capital Area !width=100\|Nationwide !width=100\|Seoul National Capital Area
1 \|September 23, 2015 \|5.2% \|(<6.7%) \|6.9% \|7.3%
2 \|September 24, 2015 \|4.5% \|(<7.2%) \|5.9% \|5.8%
3 \|September 30, 2015 \|4.1% \|4.0% \|6.0% \|5.8%
4 \|October 1, 2015 \|4.3% \|(<7.8%) \|6.7% \|6.7%
5 \|October 7, 2015 \|6.9% \|7.2% \|7.8% \|8.2%
6 \|October 8, 2015 \|7.4% \|7.7% \|9.5% \|10.0%
7 \|October 14, 2015 \|8.7% \|9.1% \|11.1% \|11.5%
8 \|October 15, 2015 \|8.4% \|9.2% \|10.0% \|9.8%
9 \|October 21, 2015 \|8.1% \|9.1% \|9.9% \|10.5%
10 \|October 22, 2015 \|8.0% \|8.5% \|10.9% \|11.2%
11 \|October 28, 2015 \|8.2% \|8.5% \|10.1% \|9.9%
12 \|November 4, 2015 \|7.7% \|8.2% \|11.1% \|11.3%
13 \|November 5, 2015 \|7.8% \|8.3% \|10.2% \|10.2%
14 \|November 11, 2015 \|7.9% \|8.7% \|11.3% \|11.7%
15 \|November 12, 2015 \|9.5% \|10.2% \|12.1% \|11.6%
16 \|November 18, 2015 \|8.4% \| — \|12.0% \|11.9%
17 \|November 19, 2015 \|8.0% \|8.9% \|11.7% \|11.6%
18 \|November 25, 2015 \|8.6% \|8.9% \|12.2% \|12.2%
19 \|November 26, 2015 \|9.2% \|9.6% \|13.0% \|12.8%
20 \|December 2, 2015 \|8.1% \|8.7% \|12.4% \|12.6%
21 \|December 3, 2015 \|9.7% \|10.6% \|12.2% \|12.3%
22 \|December 9, 2015 \|8.4% \|9.2% \|11.6% \|11.8%
23 \|December 10, 2015 \|8.5% \|9.4% \|11.4% \|11.6%
24 \|December 16, 2015 \|8.4% \|8.7% \|10.6% \|10.1%
25 \|December 17, 2015 \|7.4% \|7.6% \|11.6% \|10.9%
26 \|December 23, 2015 \|7.7% \|8.2% \|11.7% \|11.0%
27 \|December 24, 2015 \|7.6% \|8.0% \|11.0% \|11.1%
align=center !colspan="6"\|2016
align=center !28 \|January 6, 2016 \|7.7% \|8.5% \|9.8% \|9.7%
29 \|January 7, 2016 \|8.8% \|9.6% \|11.4% \|11.6%
30 \|January 13, 2016 \|8.0% \|8.5% \|10.7% \|10.4%
31 \|January 14, 2016 \|9.2% \|9.5% \|11.4% \|11.5%
32 \|January 20, 2016 \|8.4% \|8.1% \|10.8% \|10.2%
33 \|January 21, 2016 \|9.8% \|9.3% \|11.5% \|11.0%
34 \|January 27, 2016 \|9.1% \|9.1% \|10.2% \|9.9%
35 \|January 28, 2016 \|9.9% \|9.6% \|11.8% \|11.0%
36 \|February 3, 2016 \|9.1% \|9.0% \|11.2% \|11.1%
37 \|February 4, 2016 \|9.9% \|10.1% \|11.4% \|10.6%
38 \|February 10, 2016 \|8.7% \|8.9% \|10.4% \|%
39 \|February 11, 2016 \|8.4% \|8.5% \|11.1% \|10.4%
40 \|February 17, 2016 \|8.5% \|8.5% \|10.4% \|9.7%
41 \|February 18, 2016 \|8.8% \|9.4% \|11.2% \|10.9%

class=wikitable style="text-align:center"

rowspan="3"|Episode #

!rowspan="3"|Original broadcast date

!colspan="4"|Average audience share

colspan="2"|TNmS Ratings{{cite web|url=http://www.tnms.tv/rating/default.asp |title=TNmS Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu |work=TNmS Ratings |language=Korean |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131128032303/http://www.tnms.tv/rating/default.asp |archivedate=November 28, 2013 }}

!colspan="2"|AGB Nielsen{{cite web|url=http://www.agbnielsen.co.kr/index.asp?ref=0 |title=AGB Daily Ratings: this links to current day-select the date from drop down menu |work=AGB Nielsen Media Research |language=Korean |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226133248/http://www.agbnielsen.co.kr/index.asp?ref=0 |archivedate=December 26, 2013 }}

width=100|Nationwide

!width=100|Seoul National Capital Area

!width=100|Nationwide

!width=100|Seoul National Capital Area

|September 23, 2015

|5.2%

|(<6.7%)

|6.9%

|7.3%

|September 24, 2015

|4.5%

|(<7.2%)

|5.9%

|5.8%

|September 30, 2015

|4.1%

|4.0%

|6.0%

|5.8%

|October 1, 2015

|4.3%

|(<7.8%)

|6.7%

|October 7, 2015

|6.9%

|7.2%

|7.8%

|8.2%

|October 8, 2015

|7.4%

|7.7%

|9.5%

|10.0%

|October 14, 2015

|8.7%

|9.1%

|11.1%

|11.5%

|October 15, 2015

|8.4%

|9.2%

|10.0%

|9.8%

|October 21, 2015

|8.1%

|9.1%

|9.9%

|10.5%

|October 22, 2015

|8.0%

|8.5%

|10.9%

|11.2%

|October 28, 2015

|8.2%

|8.5%

|10.1%

|9.9%

|November 4, 2015

|7.7%

|8.2%

|11.1%

|11.3%

|November 5, 2015

|7.8%

|8.3%

|10.2%

|November 11, 2015

|7.9%

|8.7%

|11.3%

|11.7%

|November 12, 2015

|9.5%

|10.2%

|12.1%

|11.6%

|November 18, 2015

|8.4%

| —

|12.0%

|11.9%

|November 19, 2015

|8.0%

|8.9%

|11.7%

|11.6%

|November 25, 2015

|8.6%

|8.9%

|12.2%

|November 26, 2015

|9.2%

|9.6%

|13.0%

|12.8%

|December 2, 2015

|8.1%

|8.7%

|12.4%

|12.6%

|December 3, 2015

|9.7%

|10.6%

|12.2%

|12.3%

|December 9, 2015

|8.4%

|9.2%

|11.6%

|11.8%

|December 10, 2015

|8.5%

|9.4%

|11.4%

|11.6%

|December 16, 2015

|8.4%

|8.7%

|10.6%

|10.1%

|December 17, 2015

|7.4%

|7.6%

|11.6%

|10.9%

|December 23, 2015

|7.7%

|8.2%

|11.7%

|11.0%

|December 24, 2015

|7.6%

|8.0%

|11.0%

|11.1%

align=center

!colspan="6"|2016

align=center

!28

|January 6, 2016

|7.7%

|8.5%

|9.8%

|9.7%

|January 7, 2016

|8.8%

|9.6%

|11.4%

|11.6%

|January 13, 2016

|8.0%

|8.5%

|10.7%

|10.4%

|January 14, 2016

|9.2%

|9.5%

|11.4%

|11.5%

|January 20, 2016

|8.4%

|8.1%

|10.8%

|10.2%

|January 21, 2016

|9.8%

|9.3%

|11.5%

|11.0%

|January 27, 2016

|9.1%

|10.2%

|9.9%

|January 28, 2016

|9.9%

|9.6%

|11.8%

|11.0%

|February 3, 2016

|9.1%

|9.0%

|11.2%

|11.1%

|February 4, 2016

|9.9%

|10.1%

|11.4%

|10.6%

|February 10, 2016

|8.7%

|8.9%

|10.4%

|February 11, 2016

|8.4%

|8.5%

|11.1%

|10.4%

|February 17, 2016

|8.5%

|10.4%

|9.7%

|February 18, 2016

|8.8%

|9.4%

|11.2%

|10.9%

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable"
Year ! Award ! Category ! Recipient ! Result
rowspan="7" \|2015 \| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center" \|4th APAN Star Awards \| Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama \| Jang Hyuk \| {{nom}}
rowspan="2" \|Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama \| Kim Min-jung \| {{won}}
Han Chae-ah \| {{nom}}
rowspan="4" style="text-align:center" \|29th KBS Drama Awards \| Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama \| Jang Hyuk \| {{won}}
rowspan="2" \|Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama \| Kim Min-jung \| {{won}}
Han Chae-ah \| {{nom}}
Best Couple Award \| Jang Hyuk and Han Chae-ah \| {{won}}

class="wikitable"

Year

! Award

! Category

! Recipient

! Result

rowspan="7" |2015

| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center" |4th APAN Star Awards

| Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama

| Jang Hyuk

| {{nom}}

rowspan="2" |Excellence Award, Actress in a Serial Drama

| Kim Min-jung

| {{won}}

Han Chae-ah

| {{nom}}

rowspan="4" style="text-align:center" |29th KBS Drama Awards

| Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama

| Jang Hyuk

| {{won}}

rowspan="2" |Excellence Award, Actress in a Mid-length Drama

| Kim Min-jung

| {{won}}

Han Chae-ah

| {{nom}}

Best Couple Award

| Jang Hyuk and Han Chae-ah

| {{won}}

International broadcast

class="sortable wikitable"

! Country

! Network(s)/Station(s)

! Series premiere

! Title

True4U

พ่อค้าเร่แห่งโชซอน (Phor Kha Re Haeng Joseon; lit: "Vendor of Joseon"{{cite web|script-title=th:#พากย์ไทย เริ่มฉายวันนี้ตอนแรกค่ะ |url=https://www.facebook.com/LoveSageukSeriesKorea/posts/1004002799649641|work=facebook|access-date=28 June 2016|date=6 June 2016|language=Thai}})

| -

| {{INA}}

RTV

Kemenangan Cinta ("Wonder of Joseon")

References

External links

{{Official website|http://www.kbs.co.kr/drama/gaekjoo/}} {{in lang|ko}}
{{KBS World TV program|957}}
{{hancinema drama|God_of_Trade_-_Innkeeper_2015}}

Category:Korean Broadcasting System television dramas

Category:2015 South Korean television series debuts

Category:2015 South Korean television series endings

Category:South Korean historical television series

Category:Television series set in Joseon

Category:Television series by SM C&C

Category:Television shows based on South Korean novels