In the sprawling, blood-soaked universe of Netflix’s Kingdom franchise, the 2021 special prequel episode Kingdom: Ashin of the North laid bare the tragic origins of the resurrection plant and the bitter fury of Ashin. Among the ensemble of hardened soldiers, desperate villagers, and ruthless frontier players, Ai Da Gan (also spelled Aidagan) stands out as one of the most commanding and dangerous antagonists.
Who is Ai Da Gan?
Portrayed with a chilling, magnetic intensity by acclaimed actor Koo Kyo-hwan, Ai Da Gan is the fearsome chieftain of the Pajeowi (the United Jurchen Tribe) living along the northern borders of Joseon.
Operating in a volatile era defined by political instability and shifting borders, Ai Da Gan rapidly unites various factions across the northern frontier. He is depicted as a ruthless, highly capable commander whose warriors strike fear into the hearts of both local tribes and the Joseon military. Clad in heavy furs and accompanied by hunting birds, his physical presence on screen immediately establishes him as an apex predator of the northern wilderness—someone who values strength, dominance, and absolute loyalty above all else.
The Catalyst of Tragedy
While Ai Da Gan rules the Pajeowi with an iron fist, he becomes a pawn in a much larger, cynical geopolitical game orchestrated by Joseon military commander Min Chi-rok.
When a group of Pajeowi scouts enter forbidden Joseon territory and are killed, Min Chi-rok scrambles to prevent a full-scale border war. To cover up the incident, he manipulates the narrative and successfully frames Ashin’s marginalized village—a community of Peculiar Jurchen people living within Joseon borders—for the murders.
Enraged by what he believes is a treacherous betrayal by fellow Jurchen people, Ai Da Gan leads a brutal retaliatory raid. His warriors slaughter Ashin’s entire village, sparing only young Ashin, who watches helplessly from hiding as her family and community are wiped out. This horrific massacre serves as the emotional bedrock of the entire Kingdom mythos, transforming a young girl into a vengeful force of nature.
The Final Showdown and Demise
Years later, Ashin returns to exact her meticulous and merciless revenge. Having discovered the mysterious Saengsacho (resurrection plant) and weaponized it, she systematically dismantles the forces standing in her way.
During her confrontation with the Pajeowi stronghold, Ashin blocks the path of Ai Da Gan and his elite warriors. Despite his formidable combat skills—demonstrated earlier by his lightning-fast reflexes and deadly accuracy with throwing axes—Ai Da Gan meets his match. Ashin ultimately kills him with a precise arrow to the head, bringing a swift and brutal end to the fearsome chieftain who destroyed her life.
Koo Kyo-hwan’s Masterclass in Antagonism
Though Ai Da Gan’s screen time in Ashin of the North is relatively brief, Koo Kyo-hwan’s performance left a lasting imprint on viewers. Rather than playing a one-dimensional brute, Koo infused the character with an unpredictable, animalistic energy paired with a surprisingly calm, pragmatic demeanor. His portrayal made Ai Da Gan both terrifying and strangely compelling, cementing the character as an essential pillar in the dark, atmospheric tragedy of the Kingdom timeline.
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