Lee San, Wind of the Palace
Lee San, Wind of the Palace, also known as Yi San, 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.
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 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
- Han Ji-min as Seong Song-yeon/Seong Ui-bin
- *Lee Han-na as young Song-yeon
- Lee Jong-soo as Park Dae-su
- *Kwon Jung-min as young Dae-su
- Kyeon Mi-ri as Lady Hyegyeong
- Park Eun-hye as Queen Hyoui
- Lee Soon-jae as King Yeongjo
- Kim Yeo-jin as Queen Jeongsun
- Sung Hyun-ah as Princess Hwawan
- Cho Yeon-woo as Jeong Hu-gyeom
- Han Sang-jin as Hong Guk-yeong
- Song Chang-eui as Jeong Yak-yong
- Lee Ip-sae as Yang Cho-bi
- Park Young-ji as Kim Gwi-joo
- Maeng Sang-hoon as Nam Si-cho
- Han In-soo as Chae Je-gong
- Ji Sang-ryeol as Yi Cheon/Lee Chun
- Yoo Min-hyuk as Tak Ji-soo
- Cha Jae-dol as Crown Prince Munhyo
Others (fictional characters)
- Yoo Jung-suk as Seong Song-wook
- 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
- 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 of 26.4% ' and 28.6% ' and a peak of 35.3% and 38.6% ''''''Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
| 2007 | 2007 MBC Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor | Lee Seo-jin | Won | |
| 2007 | 2007 MBC Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actress | Han Ji-min | Won | |
| 2007 | 2007 MBC Drama Awards | Best Teen Actor | Park Ji-bin | Won | |
| 2007 | 2007 MBC Drama Awards | Best Writer | Kim Yi-young | Won | |
| 2007 | 2007 MBC Drama Awards | Viewer's Favorite Drama of the Year | Lee San, Wind of the Palace | Nomitated | |
| 2007 | 2007 MBC Drama Awards | Popularity Award, Actor | Lee Seo-jin | Nomitated | |
| 2007 | 2007 MBC Drama Awards | Popularity Award, Actress | Han Ji-min | Nomitated | |
| 2007 | 2007 MBC Drama Awards | Best Couple Award | Lee Seo-jin and Han Ji-min | Nomitated | |
| 2008 | 2008 Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Director | Lee Byung-hoon | Won | |
| 2008 | 2008 Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor | Lee Seo-jin | Nomitated | |
| 2008 | 2008 Baeksang Arts Awards | Best New Actor | Han Sang-jin | Nomitated |