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Moon Embracing the Sun (해를 품은 달; Haereul Pum-eun Dal, also known as The Moon that Embraces the Sun or The Sun and the Moon) is a 2012 South Korean television drama series, starring Kim Soo Hyun, Han Ga In, Jung Il Woo and Kim Min Seo. It aired on MBC from January 4 to March 15, 2012, on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 20 episodes.
The historical-fantasy drama is adapted from the novel of the same name written by Jung Eun-gwol. It tells of a secret, poignant love story between a fictional king of the Joseon Dynasty and a female shaman against the backdrop of a Korean traditional palace; and the conflicts and conspiracy of vying political powers.
The drama reached a peak rating of 42.2%. It won the Best Drama and Best Actor awards in the television category at the 48th Baeksang Arts Awards, and multiple awards at 2012 MBC Drama Awards, including Drama of the Year.
Synopsis[]
The Queen Mother orders the assassination of her stepson to protect her own son's ability to become king. Ari, a shaman of the Royal Star Mansion (Royal Astrology House), witnesses the murder. The pregnant wife of the palace's Chief Scholar helps her escape, and Ari vows to protect her unborn child, who has a "noble fate."
Ari is arrested, tortured, and imprisoned. She tells her friend and fellow shaman, Jang Nok-yeong, to look after the unborn child in her stead. Ari is declared guilty of treason and killed.
Yeon-woo, the unborn child Ari swore to protect, and Crown Prince Lee Hwon fall in love. Prince Yang Myung, the Crown Prince's half-brother, has also fallen in love with Yeon-woo, who does not reciprocate his feelings.
The Queen Mother seeks to promote Bo-kyung, the daughter of the Prime Minister and her blood relative, to be the Crown Princess in order to maintain her clan's power. However, the King is impressed by Yeon-Woo's intelligence and chooses her over Bo-Kyung, infuriating the Queen Mother and Prime Minister Yoon.
The Queen Mother secretly orders Nok-yeong to cast a deadly curse on Yeon-woo so that Bo-kyung can take her place.
Yeon-woo is diagnosed with an unidentifiable illness, expelled from the palace, and loses her title as Crown Princess. She "dies" from this illness and is buried. Nok-yeong digs Yeon-woo out of the grave; the spell is temporary and only mimics the appearance of death. However, Yeon-woo is so traumatized by being buried alive that she has lost all of her memories. She and Nok-yeong leave the capital.
Crown Prince Lee Hwon is unwillingly married to Bo-kyung. He refuses to consummate the marriage by citing an unnamed illness; he broods over his "dead" first love, Yeon-woo.
Eight years later, Lee Hwon is now king. Yeon-woo is now Shaman Wol (which means "moon"); unaware of Wol's true identity, the Queen Mother calls her to the palace so that she can cure the King's "illness." The King is struck by Wol's unmistakeable resemblance to Yeon-woo, and he quietly launches an investigation into Yeon-woo's death. Meanwhile, Wol struggles to understand the strange memories of her life as Yeon-woo, which she interprets as shamanic visions. Wol must fight Queen Bo-Kyung, the Queen Mother, and Prime Minister Yoon in order to reclaim her rightful place as the Queen of Joseon. Political intrigue continues to build and comes shockingly to a head as King Lee Hwon fights for his throne, fights for the woman he loves, and fights for his very life.
Cast[]
- Kim Soo Hyun as Crown Prince / King Lee Hwon (李暄) / King Taejong
- Yeo Jin Goo as 15-year-old Lee Hwon
- 'Sun Reaching for the Moon': Lee Hwon is the intelligent and kind Crown Prince of Joseon. He falls in love with Yeon-woo; even after her sudden death, he remains devoted to her memory. When he meets Wol, he has doubts about Yeon-woo's death and begins an investigation, unearthing political machinations and dark secrets.
- Han Ga In as Heo Yeon Woo (許煙雨) / Shaman Wol (月)
- Kim Yoo Jung as 13-year-old Heo Yeon Woo
- 'Moon Embracing the Sun': Although she is destined to be the Queen of Joseon, Yeon-woo is cheated out of her fate by the scheming Queen Mother and Prime Minister Yoon. She is appointed Crown Princess, but she mysteriously dies before the wedding. In reality, she loses her memory and becomes a shaman. Eight years later, she returns to the palace as Shaman Wol and is struck by her inexplicable attraction to the king and her strange "visions" about the king's mysterious first love.
- Jung Il Woo as Prince Yang Myung (陽明)
- Lee Tae Ri as young Yang Myung
- 'Overshadowed by the Sun': Yang Myung is Lee Hwon's half-brother. Although he is the elder brother, he is the son of the king's concubine and therefore ineligible for the throne. He struggles to reconcile his lifelong, unrequited love for Yeon-woo, his fraternal love for his brother, and his attraction to Shaman Wol.
- Kim Min Seo as Yoon Bo Kyung（尹寶鏡）
- Kim So Hun as young Yoon Bo Kyung
- 'A Mirror longing to be the Moon' Bo-kyung is used by the Queen Mother and her father, Prime Minister Yoon, in order to maintain their clan's power. After Yeon-woo's death, she becomes Lee Hwon's queen. She remains in love with Lee Hwon all her life, but he still loves Yeon-woo.
Soundtrack[]
Episodes[]
Trivia[]
Gallery[]
Video Gallery[]