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Queen Seondeok — news, coverage & facts — IJR

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Lee Yo-won as Princess Deokman, later Queen Seondeok

Nam Ji-hyun as young Deokman

A charismatic, yet solitary ruler: She was known as the first female ruler in Korean history. Deokman was born as the twin sister of Princess Cheonmyong and had a close brush with death as a baby due to the attempted assassination by Mi-shil, who had ambitions for the throne. A loyal servant named So-hwa rescued her by fleeing the kingdom with her. She loves to be around people, but after becoming a queen, she lost the liberty to trust them as sincerely and innocently as she once did. As ruling queen, she is deeply lonely and filled with despair. Yet she must hide her true feelings and stand on her own to be reborn as a true king.

Go Hyun-jung as Lady Mishil

Uee as young Mishil

Archenemy of Queen Seondeok: A Royal concubine who will stop at nothing in order to achieve her dream of becoming a Queen. She rose to power as a result of her relationships with prominent rulers and officials. She was concubine to three successive Silla kings: King Jinheung, King Jinji, and King Jinpyeong. She was the wife of Lord Sejong (the prime minister), the lover of General Seolwon and the mother of Bidam.

Park Ye-jin as Princess Cheonmyeong

Shin Se-kyung as young Cheonmyeong

Kim You-jung as 10-year-old Cheonmyeong

Princess Cheonmyeong was Princess Deokman's twin sister, as the firstborn daughter, King Jinpyeong choose her to stay in the palace in the belief that she was the destined child who will bring Mishil down someday. She grew up fearing Mishil which led to her living a life out of politics. She fell in love and married King Jinji's son Kim Yongsu but one day, Kim Yongsu was nominated as a possible candidate for the throne but had to prove himself worthy of it which in the end caused him his death. Believing that Mishil had her hand on his death, she set out gathering allies in order to bring Mishil down one day. She was the first person to find out about Deokman's real identity and did everything she can in order to help her sister which costs her life.

Uhm Tae-woong as Kim Yushin

Lee Hyun-woo as young Kim Yushin

The invincible warrior forever remembered by history: With a grand vision of unifying the three kingdoms under Silla's rule, he aligns himself with Princess Deokman who puts her complete trust on him. He became an invincible warrior, admired by all in the capital. He earns a well-deserved place in history, the very thing that Bidam desires.

Kim Nam-gil as Bidam

Park Ji-bin as young Bidam

The glorious downfall of a tragic hero: Bidam inherits the life of Mishil, and their story comes to an end. The tragedy of his mother's life comes full circle and he becomes the wretched hero of the same fate. Ultimately he gains nothing he desires - not a place in history, Silla nor Deokman - and ends up forgotten by history, recorded only as the instigator of a mutiny. He is loved then hated, he gains power only to lose it, he earns the trust of people and then loses that trust. He will crash and burn, and his end will be tragic and glorious.

Supporting

Yoo Seung-ho as Kim Chunchu (later King Taejong Muyeol)

Jung Yoon-seok as young Kim Chunchu

Ruler of the next age and ruler of the Three Kingdoms: This series began with Misil's age, continues through Deokman's age and will end at the start of Chunchu's age. This precocious genius will find his own footing alongside Deokman, Yusin, and Bidam, and gain power in his own way. Ultimately he will be the one to uphold the dream that began with the late King Jijeung and unify the Three Kingdoms.

Lee Seung-hyo as Kim Alcheon

Ho Hyo-hoon as young Kim Alcheon

He is most well known as Deokman's staunch supporter and bodyguard. He was initially cold and looked down on Kim Yushin and the Yonghwa Hyangdo. Deokman earns his respect during the war with Baekje, and then his loyalty later on. He is Yushin's war comrade and close friend. Along with Yushin, he is with Deokman until her final days.

Jung Ho-bin as Gukseon Munno

The 8th leader of Hwarang warriors and the Gukseon. Along with Mishil, Seolwon, and Sadaham, they were the people who King Jinheung trusted the most during his era. He helps rescue young Princess Deokman from the palace to protect the royal house. He also took care of Bidam, per the request of King Jinji. He is later killed by Yeomjeong while compiling the Geographical Survey of the Three Kingdoms after Yeomjeong learns that he planned to give the books to Yushin.

Jo Min-ki as King Jinpyeong

Baek Jong-min as young Jinpyeong

Kang San as child Jinpyeong

Deokman and Cheonmyeong's father. He was a weak king. He was placed on the throne after Mishil dethroned King Jinji.

Yoon Yoo-sun as Queen Maya

Park Soo-jin as young Maya

King Jinpyeong's wife, mother of Deokman and Cheonmyeong. She is extremely devoted to her husband. In her early days, Mishil tried to murder Maya after Maya witnessed the Hwarang putting makeup on their faces. Mishil then tried to take Maya's place as queen, however, Munno saved Maya, and her twins, from falling to her death.

Seo Young-hee as Sohwa

Maidservant to Jinpyeong and Maya, foster mother of Deokman. She brought Deokman to the desert and raised her there until Chilsuk found them. She "died" once in the desert trying to save Deokman. She dies a second time in an attempt to protect Deokman also.

Im Ye-jin as Lady Manmyeong

Jinpyeong's older sister; Kim Yushin's mother, and Kim Seohyeon's wife. She had eloped with Kim Seohyeon in her younger days. Her princess status was not restored until the Queen Mother had forgiven her.

Jung Sung-mo as Kim Seo-hyun

Manmyeong's husband; Kim Yushin's father. He is of Gaya descent and on the hwabaek council.

Park Jung-chul as Kim Yong-su

King Jinji's eldest son; Princess Cheonmyeong's husband. He was originally named heir after Princess Cheonmyeong's three younger siblings die (because of the prophecy), and he goes out to war to prove himself. However, he is killed because of Mishil.

In Gyo-jin as Kim Yong-chun

King Jinji's 2nd son, a government minister; Princess Cheonmyeong's ally and confidante. He was a pungwolju (prior to Hojae) and later served on the hwabaek council. He remains loyal to the royal house and becomes Deokman's ally later on.

Shin Goo as Eulje

Senior government minister, friend to King Jinpyeong. He does everything he can to protect the royal house, even if it meant trying to kill Deokman. He is later stripped of his titles by King Jinpyeong.

Jung Woong-in as Misaeng

Mishil's younger brother; the 10th leader of Hwarang warriors. He was also a father to over 100 children.

Dokgo Young-jae as Sejong

Mishil's husband, the Prime Minister and 6th leader of Hwarang warriors

Jeon No-min as Seolwon

Mishil's lover, the Minister of Defense and 7th leader of Hwarang warriors.

Kim Jung-hyun as Hajong

Mishil and Sejong's son, a government minister and the 11th leader of Hwarang warriors

Baek Do-bin as Bojong

Kwak Jung-wook as young Bojong

Mishil and Seolwon's son, a Hwarang commander

Song Ok-sook as Seori

Chief mudang of Shilla, an old friend of Mishil and Misaeng

Ahn Gil-kang as Chilsook

Formerly a Hwarang, agent of Mishil. He was given the task to find the lost twin. 15 years later, he found Deokman in the desert.

Lee Moon-sik as Jookbang

A con artist who rips off the young Deokman and later joins Yu Shin's Hwarang

Ryu Dam as Godo

A con artist who rips off the young Deokman and later joins Yu Shin's Hwarang)

Kang Sung-pil as Santak

Seokpum's, and later Bidam's, aide-de-camp

Joo Sang-wook as Wolya

Last prince of Gaya and the leader of the Bokya. He was adopted by Kim Seohyeon, and then replaced Yushin as Yonghwa Hyangdo's leader. Yushin earns Wolya's loyalty after letting the Gaya refugees stay on the Kim family's private land.

Jung Ho-keun as Seolji

Kayan commander; he is loyal to Wolya.

Choi Won-young as General Gyebaek

Jun Young-bin as Gok Sa-heun

Jung Hyung-min as young Gok Sa-heun

Park Young-seo as Daepung

Lee Suk-min as young Daepung

Go Yoon-hoo as Hojae

The 14th leader of Hwarang warriors (pungwolju), later a council member of the hwabaek.

Hong Kyung-in as Seokpum

Noh Young-hak as young Seokpum

Commander of a Hwarang loyal to Misil. He comes from a poor family, but Misil gives him his elevated status--this is why he is so loyal to Misil.

Kang Ji-hoo as Imjong

Kim Seok as young Imjong

Commander of a Hwarang loyal to Kim Yong-choon

Seo Dong-won as Deokchung

Lee Do-hyun as young Deokchung

Jang Hee-woong as Bakui

Seo Sang-won as young Bakui

Lee Sang-hyun as Piltan

Kim Tae-jin as young Piltan

Kim Dong-hee as Wangyoon

Choi Woo-sung as young Wangyoon

Ryu Sang-wook as Dae Nam-bo

Kim Sang-bin as young Dae Nam-bo

The most prominent of Misaeng's sons, a Hwarang commander

Choi Sung-jo as Seonyeol

Oh Eun-suk as young Seonyeol

Kim Dong-soo as Hyeopseong

Moon Ji-yoon as Siyeol

Shin Tae-hoon as young Siyeol

Jung Hye-sun as Lady Man-ho

Jinpyeong and Manmyeong's mother

Park Eun-bin as Boryang

Bojong's daughter; Kim Chunchu's wife

Qri as Youngmo

Hajong's daughter; Kim Yushin's wife

Mametkulovs Mansur as Katan

Roman, possibly Jewish, trader who teaches Latin to the young Deokman

Seo Kang as Yangkil

O Yeong-su as Wolcheon abbot

Mahbub Alam as Tibetan man (토번인)

Plagiarism controversy

On 31 December 2009, Kim Ji-young, an obscure playwright and representative of Great Works Ltd., a culture content company, filed a plagiarism lawsuit against MBC and screenwriters Kim Young-hyun and Park Sang-yeon, saying they plagiarized her script for Seondeok, Queen of Mugunghwa, an unperformed musical she said she wrote in 2005. Kim argued that the development of the story and conflict between characters were similar to her play, including discord between two major female characters, Seondeok and Mishil; a romance between Deokman and General Kim Yushin; and the story of the young Deokman wandering through a desert. The MBC drama contains all of these plot twists, which are not based on history but which Kim says she invented. Kim said she shared some of her scripts with the Korea Creative Content Agency to attract investment in the musical, and believed that was how the content was leaked. Kim asked for ₩200 million in compensation and an injunction banning the broadcast of the soap opera. The injunction was turned down and Queen Seondeok ran from May to December 2009, but the copyright infringement case continued.

The MBC network and the series' writers maintained they did not know of the existence of Kim's play. MBC had copyrighted its script in May 2008. After Kim requested an assessment by experts, the Seoul Southern District Court asked Seoul National University's Center for Law & Technology to investigate. In a process called a "script autopsy," the center first identifies similar content in the two scripts. At that point, university historians confirm historical facts regarding the characters and plot, and differentiate them from literary creations. Afterward, the center makes an appraisal based on copyright laws, then the court makes the final adjudication. In February 2011, the SNU Center for Law & Technology confirmed the plagiarism.

In December 2012, the High Court ruled in favor of plaintiff Kim Ji-young that Queen Seondeok was a work of plagiarism, and fined MBC ₩200 million (US$186,000). In its ruling, the court stated that though the characters and the details were in fact different, "the overall plot was the same" and it is "most probable that the network relied on the script and plot of the musical to produce their drama." Furthermore, any additional reruns on cable TV and internet, and the making of DVD and related books were banned.