Bridal Mask (Hangul: 각시탈; RR: Gaksital) is a 2012 KBS2 period drama based on the popular Korean manhwa by Huh Young-man. The setting takes place in Seoul, Korea during the 1930s Japanese colonial era.
The plot of the TV drama is slightly modified from the original graphic novel. The story follows a man named Lee Kang-to, a Korean police officer commissioned by the Japanese Police to betray his own country and aid the Japanese in the annihilation of the Korean rebellion. During his mission, he encounters a notorious masked man who dons a traditional Korean bridal mask to fight for Korea's independence by assassinating key Japanese officers. As the detective's hunt for "Gaksital" ("Bridal Mask") unravels, his eyes are slowly opened to the treacherous deeds he has committed towards his own countrymen. It stars Joo Won and Jin Se-yeon as the leads and with Shin Hyun-joon as the notorious masked hero of the Korean rebellion.
Two brothers - Lee Kang-to and Lee Kang-san – live in Seoul in the 1930s, oppressed under Imperial Japanese rule. Kang-to, the younger brother, is a rising star in the police force and works with the Japanese police to capture “Bridal Mask,” a mysterious freedom fighter who fights for independence wearing a Korean Bridal Mask. Later when Lee Kang-to’s life is turned upside down, he dons the Bridal Mask and fights injustice and rights wrongs against the Japanese during one of the darkest periods of Korea’s history.
Kimura Shunji is a gentle Japanese teacher who has come to teach in Korea against his father's will. He is best friends with Kang-to and shares a loving relationship with his Korean nanny. He also falls in love with the fiercely patriotic Mok-dan, a woman who is in love with Kang-to, a twist that begins to change him into a darker person.
Joo Won as Lee Kang-to/Sato Hiroshi/Lee Young (childhood name) (2nd Gaksital, Lieutenant of Jongro police station, Freedom Fighter)A pro-Japanese Korean police officer hated by his own fellow countrymen, who label him as a traitor to his homeland. Kang-to is infamous for being heartless and inconsiderate of others' feelings. After 1st Gaksital, Kang-san's death, he becomes the masked vigilante known as "Gaksital" (meaning "Bridal Mask") who fights for Korea's independence.
Jin Se-yeon as Oh Mok-dan/Esther/Boon-yi (childhood name) (Circus Member, Freedom Fighter)A young woman who is part of a circus troupe and is the daughter of Damsari, an important general of the Independence army. Her real name is Boon-yi, though she has also been referred to as "Esther." As a young girl, she falls in love with a boy who made a moving promise to her in a moment of life and death. Years later, she comes to suspect that her first love is the man behind the mask, though she despises Lee Kang-to, whom she regards as her arch-enemy.
Park Ki-woong as Kimura Shunji (Former Music Teacher in Namsan Elementary School, Captain of Jongro police station, Kishokai member)Kang-to's best friend. He is a Japanese born into a prominent Samurai family but chooses to defy his father and becomes a music teacher for Korean children. His first love is Mok-Dan, whom he knew as Esther. Due to certain circumstances, Shunji later swears to kill Bridal Mask with his own hands. His father, Kimura Taro inducts him into the Kishokai and the Japanese Police Force, replacing his older brother, Kimura Kenji
Han Chae-ah as Ueno Rie/Lara/Chae Hong-joo (Spy, Singer, Former Gisaeng, Kishokai member)A Korean woman whose aristocratic family was murdered after they refused to send monetary support to the Independence army. Orphaned, she voluntarily becomes a "gisaeng" at the age of 9 but was then adopted by a prominent Japanese man who saw her deep hatred for Korea. She receives military training and becomes a spy in charge of a mission to kill Gaksital. She inadvertently falls in love with Lee Kang-to, whom she admires.
Shin Hyun-joon as Lee Kang-san/Lee In (childhood name) (1st Gaksital, Village idiot, Freedom Fighter)Kang-to's older brother, who is known as the "village idiot" after the Japanese police tortured him for joining the Independence Movement, rendering him mentally-disabled, or so they thought. However, under being an idiot, he is revealed to be Gaksital. Kang-san later becomes an important catalyst for Kangto's transformation into Gaksital.
Chun Ho-jin - Kimura Taro (Chief of the Jongro police station, Chairman of Gyeongseong branch of Kishokai)Jeon No-min - Mok Damsari (Mok-dan's father and the General of the Independence Army)Son Byong-ho - Circus Master Jo Dong-ju (Leader of the Circus team)Song Ok-sook - Mrs. Han (Kang-to's mother)Lee Il-jae - Lee Seon (Kang-to's father)Ahn Hyung-joon - Katsuyama Jun (Chae Hong-joo's bodyguard)Lee Byung-joon - Shin Nan-da (Circus member)Ahn Suk-hwan - Lee Shi-yong (Royal Count, Kishokai member)Kim Jung-nan - Lee Hwa-gyung (Royal Countess, Kishokai member)Lee Kyung-shil - Oh Dong-nyeon (Widowed circus member who had close relationship with Mok-dan as her own daughter)Kim Tae-young - Park In-sam (Kyeongseong Ilbo newspaper owner, Kishokai member)Son Yeo-eun - Um Sun-hwa (Mok-dan's best friend, Circus member)Seo Yun-a - Ham Gye-soon (Circus member who became Shunji's spy in order to earn money to take care of her family)Park Joo-hyung - Kimura Kenji (Former Captain of Jongro police station, Kishokai member)Jeon Gook-hwan - Ueno Hideki (Chairman of Kishokai, a secret organization involved in the assassinations of the last Emperor and Empress of Joseon, adopted father of Chae Hong-joo)Bruce Khan - Ginpei Gato (Chairman Ueno's samurai bodyguard)Kim Eung-soo - Konno Goji (Director of the Kyeongseong police force)Yoon Jin-ho - Goiso Tadanobu (Sergeant of Jongro police station)Yoon Bong-kil - Abe Shinji (Private of Jongro police station)Ban Min-jung - Jeok Pa/Anna (Comrade of Damsari)Ji Seo-yun - Tasha (Owner of Angel Club)Baek Jae-jin - Director Bong (Manager of Angel Club)Choi Dae-hoon - Lee Hae-suk/Minami Tamao (Count's son, Kishokai member)Bang Joong-hyun - Park Sung-mo (Newspaper owner's son, Kishokai member after replacing his father, In-sam)Jang Joon-yoo - MerryLee Jae-won - No Sang-yeobKim Kyu-chul - Woo Byung-joon (Hospital director, Kishokai member)Ko In-beom - Jo Young-geun (President of Jo Il Bank, Kishokai member)Kwon Tae-won - Choi Myung-sub (Judge, Kishokai member)Kim Bang-won - Kim Deuk-soo (Member of Dong Jin's Death Squad)Jeon Hyun - Baek Gun (Subordinate of Kang-to's father)Kim Myung-gon - Yang-baek (Leader of Korean Freedom Fighters)Park Sung-woong - Dong-jin (Leader of Dong-jin’s Death Squad)This drama was originally expected to air on May 9, 2012 but a bus accident resulting in the death of a stunt double and serious injuries of other crew members caused delays in production. There had been an issue on about KBS about not apologizing to the victim’s families. However, on the last episode that had been aired on September 6, 2012, KBS has sent out a formal apology message towards the victims’ family and friends.
Sources: TNmS Media Korea, AGB Nielsen Korea
Algeria : It aired on DTV starting August 2016, dubbed into Arabic as قناع العروس (Qinā‘ al-‘Arūs). Thailand It aired on Workpoint TV beginning January 13, 2015, dubbed as Nakak Peesaj. ("หน้ากากปีศาจ", literally: Devil Mask).