Insu, the Queen Mother (Korean: 인수대비) is a 2011 South Korean historical television series, starring Chae Shi-ra, Hahm Eun-jung, Kim Young-ho, Kim Mi-sook, Baek Sung-hyun and Jeon Hye-bin. Focusing on the fierce power struggle among three women in the royal court of the Joseon period, it aired from December 3, 2011, to June 24, 2012, on Saturdays and Sundays at 20:55 (KST) for 60 episodes. It was one of the inaugural dramas on newly launched cable channel jTBC.
Chae Shi-ra reprised the role of Queen Insu; she previously played the same character in the 1998–2000 period drama The King and the Queen, also written by Jung Ha-yeon. She said she joined the series because she wanted to explore the character further, "This drama series focuses more on the ambitious side of Queen Insu, who dreams of becoming the absolute ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, and I liked the part."
Contents
Cast
Chae Shi-ra as Queen Insu (23–60)
Hahm Eun-jung as Han Jung (the future Queen Insu) (1–23)
Kim Mi-sook as Lady Yun, later Queen Jeonghui
Kim Young-ho as Grand Prince Suyang, later King Sejo
Baek Sung-hyun as Crown Prince Uigyeong (1–23) & Seongjong of Joseon (40–54) (dual role)
Jeon Hye-bin as Deposed Queen Yoon (23–54)
Jin Ji-hee as Yoon Song-yi (the future Queen Yoon) (1–23)
Kim Ga-yeon as Lady Han, Prince Gyeyang's wife and Jung's older sister
Han In-soo as Kim Jong-seo
Lee Kwang-ki as Grand Prince Anpyeong
Shim Yang-hong as Hwangbo In
Choi Ji-na as Lady Yang Hye-bin, Sejong's concubine
Jang Yong as Han Hwak
Kim Yong-hee as Gwon Ram
Kwon Ki-seon as Lady Shin, Song-yi's mother
Lee Deok-hee as Court lady Kim
Seo Yi-sook as Court lady Park
Baek Su-ho as Yoon-goo
Joo Min-soo as Yoon-woo
Chae Sang-woo as King Danjong
Son Byong-ho as Han Myung-hoe
Yoo Ho-rin as Cho-sun
Jo Jung-eun as Queen Jeongsun, Danjong's wife
Choi Won-hong as Prince Jasan, later young King Seongjong (23–40)
Jin Tae-hyun as King Yeonsan
Jeon So-min as Jang Nok-su, Yeonsan's concubine
Hong So-hee as Queen Shin, Yeonsan's wife
Kwon Min as Heo Chim
Kang Cho-hee as Lady Gwon Suk-ui
Yoo Gyeom as Prince Hannam
Sunwoo Jae-duk as King Munjong
Jeon Moo-song as King Sejong
Noh Young-hak as Grand Prince Haeyang, later King Yejong
Lee Yeon-doo as Queen Ansun, Yejong's second wife
Yoon Joo as Se-seon
Ratings
In this table, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
Cable/Pay TV usually have a relatively smaller audience compared to free-to-air TV/public broadcasters (KBS, SBS, MBC and EBS).
Media release
The series was released as a 3-DVD box set in Japan on March 22, April 26 and May 24, 2013, under NHK Enterprises.