# 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, a conflict with his stepmother, Queen Inmok and scheming concubine, Kim Gae-shi.
Kim Gae-shi (portrayed by Lee Young-ae) is given Seung-eun (승은) by the 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 enters the palace to stay by her side. However, Won-pyo dies after trying to protect her during the rebellion.
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 Gwanghaegun is bewitched by his scheming concubine, Kim, whose ambitions and insatiable thirst for power leads to her own downfall.

## 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

* It was Lee Young-ae and Choi Dong-joon first appearance in a historical drama.
* 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.