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==