Jang Bo Go was a slave from Shilla (a Korean dynasty that lasted from 57 B.C. until 935 A.D.) He was sold in China during the Tang Dynasty, where he was trained as a gladiator-slave. Through hard work and perseverance, he makes it back to Shilla and becomes a successful sea merchant. The sea passage at the time was plagued by pirates and Jang Bo Go goes head to head with them