West Palace

West Palace (Korean: 서궁; Hanja: 西宮; RR: Seogung; MR: Sŏkung) is a 1995 South Korean television series starring Lee Young-ae, Kim Kyu-chul and Lee Bo-hee. It aired on KBS2 from July 7 to December 26, 1995, on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:40 for 52 episodes.

Synopsis[]

The series is based on the reign of Gwanghaegun of Joseon,^[1] and his conflict with his stepmother, Queen Inmok, along with his scheming concubine, Kim Gae-shi.^[2]

Kim Gae-shi (portrayed by Lee Young-ae) is given Seung-eun (승은) by the regent Crown Prince, Crown Prince Gwanghae (portrayed by Kim Kyu-chul). Although Kim receives seung-eun, she already has a lover, Won-pyo (portrayed by Kim Bo-sung), an excellent swordsman, who then enters the palace to stay next to her. However, Won-pyo dies after trying to protect her during the rebellion.^[2]

Meanwhile, Queen Inmok (portrayed by Lee Bo-hee) is a virtuous lady that fell victim to palace politics and is subsequently banished to the West Palace along with her children, Princess Jeongmyeong (portrayed by Park Rusia) and Grand Prince Yeongchang (portrayed by Choi Kang-won) after her stepson, Gwanghaegun, is bewitched by his scheming concubine, Kim Gae-shi, whose ambitions and insatiable thirst for power leads to her downfall.^[1]

Cast[]

Main[]

• Lee Young-ae as Court Lady Kim Gae-shi / Gae-dong
  • Lee Jung-hu as young Kim Gae-shi
• Kim Kyu-chul as Yi Hon, Crown Prince Gwanghae, King Gwanghae
• Lee Bo-hee as Queen Dowager Inmok (Soseong)
  • Park So-ra as young Queen Inmok

Supporting[]

Royal Household[]

• Kim Sung-ok as Yi Yeon, King Seonjo
• Park Jin-hyung as Yi Jong, Prince Neungyang King Injo
• Lee Han-na as Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Kim clan
• Jang Seo-hee as Crown Princess Consort Yu, Queen Yoo
• Im Hyuk-joo as Yi Jin, Prince Imhae
• Park Nam-hyun as Yi Je, Prince Heungan
• Choi Kang-won as Yi Ui, Grand Prince Yeongchang
• Park Rusia as Princess Jeongmyeong
• Lee Jae-yun as Yi Bu, Prince Jeongwon, King Wonjong

Ministers and nobles[]

• Seo In-seok as Yi I-cheom
• Han In-soo as Kim Je-nam, Queen Inmok's father.
• Ahn Dae-yong as Kang Hong-rip
• Moon Chang-kil as Yoo Geun
• Kim Jong-kyul as Heo Gyun
• Su-hak as Ki Ja-hun
• Shin-goo as Yi Won-ik
• Park-woong as Jung Chul
• Park Chil-yong as Yi San-hae
• Tae Min-yung as Yoo Hee-boon
• Im Byung-ki as Park Seung-jong
• Kim Si-won as Yi Duk-hyung
• Park Yung-mok as Yi Hang-bok
• Lee Jung-woong as Yi Gwi
• Park Seung-kyu as Yi Gwal
• Kim Sung-chan as Kim Ja-jeom
• Kim Chang-bong as Yi Kwang-jung
• Kim Sung-won as Kim Yoo
• Lee Doo-sup as Kim Yook
• Sun Dong-hyuk as Choi Myung-kil
• Lee Han-wi as General Jang Soo
• Yoo Byung-han as Ha-sam
• Choi Dong-joon as Lee Duk-hyung
• Lee Kyung-yung as Park Ja-heung, Crown Prince Gwanghae's relative
• Heo Hyun-ho as Yi Soo, Prince Gwichun
• Kang In-duk as Seo Yang-kap
• Kim Kyung-eung as Shim Woo-yung
• Seo Yung-jin as Park Eung-su
• Ahn Gwang-jin as Park Chi-ui
• Kim Jung-hoon as Im Sook-yung
• Park Kun-shik as Han Hee-kil
• Lee Han-seung as Yun Bang
• Lee Yong-jin as Kwon Pil
• Jo Jae-hoon as Jung Hang
• Jin Woon-sung as Yi Jung-pyo
• Ki Jung-soo as Han Hyo-soon
• Park Yong-shik as Yi Heung-rip
• Heo Jung-kyu as Yi Ahn-jin
• Jang Ki-yong as Kim Kyung-su
• Park Hae-sang as Shin Kyung-jin
• Sun Dong-hyuk as Choi Myung-kil
• Kim Dong-wan as Choi Kwon
• Choi Hun-chul as Uhm Il-goe
• Lee Chun-shik as Choon Bo
• Kim Bo-sung as Won-pyo
  • Jung Tae-woo as young Won-pyo
• Seo Sang-ik as Jeong In-hong
• Park Jung-woong as Eo-ui

Palace maids and eunuchs[]

• Kim In-moon as Eunuch Ham
• Lee Jong-man as Eunuch Han
• Kim Eul-dong as Court Lady Uhm
• Jang Jung-hee as Court Lady Ji
• Kim Min-hee as Maid Eum-duk

Other families[]

• Yang Geum-seok as Lady Kang, Kim Gae-shi's mother.
• Uhm Yoo-shin as Lady No, Kim Je-nam's wife.
• Park Joon-geum as Lady Lee, Lee Yi-cheom's wife.
• Kim Young-ok as Lady Ryu, Lee Yi-cheom's mother.
• Ko Hee-joon as Won-pyo's adoptive father.

Extended cast[]

• Park Byung-ho as a missionary ambassador
• Park Yong-gi as a Buddhist monk
• Lee Hyo-jung
• Seo Yung-ae
• Moon Su-in
• Yoo Byung-hwan
• Kwon Oh-hyun

Production[]

1. It was Lee Young-ae and Choi Dong-joon first appearance in a historical drama.^[3][4]
2. The series emphasized Kim Gae-shi's role as Gwanghae's concubine so the production team added a fictional character, Won-pyo, who is Lady Kim's lover, to promote a love conflict.^[2]

References[]