Main •
Ha Ji-won as Ki Seung-nyang / Ki Nyang, the future
Empress Ki •
Jung Ji-so as young Ki Seung-nyang :A woman who was born in
Goryeo but is sent to Yuan as a child with a group of tribute women. Her mother gets killed when the group tries to escape, but she manages to flee, growing up as a boy then man and becoming a great warrior. She is a great patriot of Goryeo and serves the country with her life, disguised as a man. Initially the fiancée of Wang Yoo, she is later forcibly taken to the Yuan court. She eventually becomes the wife of Ta Hwan, thus making her the Empress Consort of the
Yuan dynasty, as which she greatly influences politics. •
Joo Jin-mo as
Wang Yoo, King Choonghye of Goryeo •
Ahn Do-gyu as young Wang Yoo :The King of Goryeo who is Ki Seung-nyang's first love and fiancé. He later dies in the
Yuan dynasty. •
Ji Chang-wook as
Toghon Temür / Ta Hwan :The last Emperor of the
Yuan dynasty and Seung-nyang's true love and later husband. •
Baek Jin-hee as
Tanashiri, daughter of Yeon Chul :A noblewoman who was the first wife and Empress Consort of Ta Hwan but when her crimes are revealed, is deposed from her throne and is executed in front of her people. Tanashiri serves as the main antagonist of the first chapter who plotted to kill Seung-nyang's friends and poison anyone who dare to take her throne.
Supporting People in Yuan Dynasty Imperial household •
Kim Seo-hyung as
the Empress Dowager; Ta Hwan's aunt. However, due to her greed, she attempted to kill Ta Hwan but failed and committed suicide as she is unwilling to accept defeat. •
Lim Ju-eun as
Bayan Khutugh, niece of Baek Ahn :The evil second wife and Empress Consort of Ta Hwan after Tanashiri's death. She was also deposed from her position due to her cunningness. • Jeon Se-hyun as Lady Oh; Ta Hwan's Mongolian concubine. She is the daughter of Governor Ohgwang of Yunnan. •
Park Ha-na as Lady Bu; Ta Hwan's Mongolian concubine. She is daughter of Governor Busaqui of Lingbei.
Nobleman and ministers • Jeon Gook-hwan as
Yeon Chul; Empress Tanashiri's merciless father and Yuan Dynasty's regent. • Kim Jung-hyun as Dang Ki-se; Yeon Chul's ruthless eldest son and Empress Tanashiri's oldest brother. •
Cha Do-jin as Tap Ja-hae; Yeon Chul's greedy second son and Empress Tanashiri's second older brother. •
Kim Young-ho as
Baek Ahn :Empress Bayan Khutugh's uncle who succeeded Yeon Chul's position as Yuan Dynasty's regent. He was later killed by Tal Tal for being greedy and evil like Yeon Chul. •
Jin Yi-han as
Tal Tal :Empress Bayan Khutugh's cousin and Baek Ahn's nephew. Following his uncle's death, Tal Tal become the new Yuan Dynasty's regent. • Cha Kwang-soo as Go Yong-bo • Lee Gye-young as Busaqui • Jang Soon-gook as Seol Do-kan • Park Tong-il as Haeng Sung-joo
Servants and maids •
Lee Won-jong as Dok-man; Goryeo-born who become the Yuan eunuch in Aekjung Palace. •
Shin Seung-hwan as Kkwe-bo •
Choi Moo-sung as
Park Bul-hwa; Goryeo-born who become the Yuan eunuch. • Jung Yoon as Kook-soo •
Lee Eung-kyung as Court Lady Noh •
Seo Yi-sook as Court Lady Seo; Empress Tanashiri's right-hand servant. The one who reveals Prince Maha's birth mother. •
Yoon A-jung as Yeon-hwa / Court Lady Yeon – The evil servant who tortures Seung-nyang. After conniving with Tanashiri and Lady Seo to steal the baby from the maid by poisoning them, she was granted a Court Lady position. • Lee Ji-hyun as Hong-dan • Kim Myung-gook as Jang Soon-yong
People in Goryeo Dynasty Royal household • Kwon Tae-won as
Wang Man, King Choongsook •
Ryu Hyun-kyung as
Princess Kyunghwa; Yuan-born who become King Choongsook's wife. •
Lee Jae-yong as
Wang Go, Prince Yeonan, King Simyang; a Royal Family member and the head of Chirwon Faction. •
Choi Jung-won as
Wang Gi, Grand Prince Gangneung, later King Gongmin People around Wang Yoo •
Lee Moon-sik as
Bang Shin-woo; Goryeo's eunuch. •
Kwon Oh-joong as Choi Moo-song; a man who died in Yuan Dynasty together with Wang Yoo. • Yoon Yong-hyun as Jeom Park-yi; Goryeo Kings' assistant and servant. •
Yoo In-young as Yeon Bi-soo / Batoru; a woman warrior who leading the Göktürks (?), who were controlling Yuan's western frontier and the silk road. She admired Wang Yoo but later died protecting him. • Seo In-woo as Soo-ri; Batoru's aide. • Song Kyung-chul as Mak-saeng / Jeok-ho; a village chief in Goryeo Dynasty who become the Yuan Emperor's eunuch.
Others • Kim Myeong-su as
Ki Ja-oh, King Yeongahn, Ki Seung-nyang's father and a royal commander. •
Kim Jin-seong as Prince Maha; Wang Yoo and Seung-nyang's son who is adopted by Tanashiri. • Seol Wo-hyung as young Prince Maha •
Jung Woong-in as Yeom Byung-soo • Kim Hyung-bum as Jo-cham •
Jo Jae-yoon as Golta; the main antagonist in the series and a Yuan's eunuch. • Kim Jin-woo as Ayushiridara (
Biligtü Khan); Ta Hwan and Seung-nyang's son. • Lee Shi-woo as young Ayushiridara •
Jo Woo-jin as Wang Go's soldier.
Special appearances • Kim Ye-ryung as Lady Lee; Seung-nyang's mother. • Lee Jung-sung as Kim Soon-jo •
Oh Kwang-rok as Heuk-soo • Kim Moo-young as Na-moo •
Han Hye-rin as Park Oh-jin; Ta Hwan's Korean concubine. She was a court lady in the Yuan Palace before she became a concubine. Her life as a concubine became tragic. •
Shim Yi-young as a fortune teller (Ep. 28) •
Park Hae-mi as a shaman (Ep. 34–35) • Seo Bum-shik as Won-jin • Jung Byung-ho as Joo Gook-chung • Jung Soo-in as a
Courtesan • Seo Ji-yeon as an Inspector Court Lady • Son Kwang-up as the killer Mak-son • Yoon Young-mok as a coward captain • Jung Jae-min as Yirinjilban • Choi-hyun as Ballachupmokah • Kim Hyo-won as
Emperor Myungjong of Yuan; the former emperor of Yuan. ==Original soundtrack==