Lee San, Wind of the Palace, also known as Yi San (Korean: 이산), is a 2007 South Korean historical drama, starring Lee Seo-jin and Han Ji-min. It aired on MBC from September 17, 2007 to June 16, 2008 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55. The series was directed by Lee Byung-hoon, who also created the award-winning television series Dae Jang Geum.
Lee Seo-jin and Han Ji-min received recognition for their performances at the MBC Drama Awards.
Contents
Synopsis
The series dramatizes the life of Korea's King Jeongjo, the 22nd ruler of the Joseon Dynasty. Jeongjo is remembered in Korean history for his sympathy with the plight of the common man, in spite of his own pampered upbringing as royalty.
The drama begins with the King's early years, during which he befriends two children working in the Palace who are later expelled. King Yeongjo (Yi San's grandfather) seals San's father, Crown Prince Sado, in a rice chest with no food or water because he fears that the Crown Prince is planning a coup. San wants to save his father, and with the help of his friends Seong Song-yeon and Park Dae-su, begs King Yeongjo to forgive the Crown Prince.
The drama then skips forward to Jeongjo's adult years when he and his friends re-establish contact with each other. Throughout, his position as heir is threatened by palace intrigues.
Yi San begins to fall in love with one of his childhood friends, Seong Song-yeon, whose father, a palace artist, died when she was young. The story then follows his rise to power, his assumption of the kingship, and the labyrinthine palace intrigues that he must constantly guard against from the Noron Faction.
While the show does deviate from the historical record in a number of ways, its representation of court life during the Joseon period appears to be based on contemporary sources.
Cast
Main
Lee Seo-jin as Yi San/King Jeongjo
Park Ji-bin as young San
The main protagonist in the series. He is the only son of Crown Prince Sado and Lady Hyegyeong.
Han Ji-min as Seong Song-yeon/Seong Ui-bin
Lee Han-na as young Song-yeon
King Jeongjo's love interest. She is the daughter of a skilled palace artist and thus has a fondness for art.
Lee Jong-soo as Park Dae-su
Kwon Jung-min as young Dae-su
King Jeongjo's favorite military officer.
Kyeon Mi-ri as Lady Hyegyeong
Jeongjo's mother.
Park Eun-hye as Queen Hyoui
King Jeongjo's primary wife, born into the Cheongpung Kim clan.
Lee Soon-jae as King Yeongjo
Jeongjo's grandfather. He was the 21st King of Joseon before San took over.
Kim Yeo-jin as Queen Jeongsun
King Yeongjo's second wife.
Sung Hyun-ah as Princess Hwawan
Yeongjo's beloved daughter.
Cho Yeon-woo as Jeong Hu-gyeom
Others (fictional characters)
Yoo Jung-suk as Seong Song-wook
Song-yeon's little brother
Jung Ho-keun as Min Joo-shik
Son Il-kwon as Oh Jung-ho
Gyeong In-seon as Mak-seon
Lee Jung-young as Shin-geom
Baek Min as Eo-ui
Hwang Il-chung
Maeng Bong-hak
Jo Jae-yoon as Kkak Jung-yi
Lee Jung-sung
Special appearance
Lee Chang-hoon as Crown Prince Sado
King Jeongjo's father and Yeongjo's son
Hwang Geum-hee as Royal Noble Consort Wonbin Hong
Kang San as Prince Eunjeon
Choi Jung-woo as Sado's eunuch
Yoo Jae-suk
Park Myung-soo
Jeong Jun-ha
Jung Hyung-don
Noh Hong-chul
Im Hyun-sik
Episode Ratings
Yi San was popular and recorded a solid viewership rate (average) of 26.4% (Nationwide) and 28.6% (Seoul) and a peak of 35.3% (Nationwide) and 38.6% (Seoul)
International Broadcast
In Sri Lanka, the drama aired on Rupavahini dubbed in Sinhala from 7 July 2014 to 9 February 2015. Under the title, යහපත් මහරජ - Yahapath Maharaja