The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won

The King of Tears, Lee Bang-won (Korean: 태종 이방원) is a South Korean television series starring Joo Sang-wook in the title role. With this series, KBS revived its historical drama series after 5 years, as the last KBS historical series Jang Yeong-sil was aired in 2016. It depicts the story of Yi Bang-won, the third king of Joseon, from a new perspective (unrelated to 1996–98 TV series Tears of the Dragon). It premiered on KBS1 on December 11, 2021, and aired on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:40 (KST) till May 1, 2022.

Synopsis

The King of Tears, Yi Bang-won sheds new light on leader Yi Bang-won, who took the initiative to establish the Empire of Joseon during the end of the Goryeo Dynasty and early Joseon Dynasty when the ancient order of Goryeo was destroyed and the new order of Joseon was created.

Cast

Main

Joo Sang-wook as Yi Bang-won, King Taejong, the 3rd King of Joseon. Known as "Duke Jeongan" (정안공, 靖安公).
Kim Yeong-cheol as Yi Seong-gye, King Taejo, the founder and 1st King of Joseon.
Park Jin-hee as Queen Wongyeong, the 3rd Queen Consort of Joseon.
Ye Ji-won as Queen Sindeok, the 1st Queen Consort of Joseon.

Supporting

Queen Shinui's family

Um Hyo-sup as Yi Bang-woo, "Grand Prince Jinan" (진안대군, 鎭安大君).
Kim Myung-soo as Yi Bang-gwa, King Jeongjong, the 2nd King of Joseon. "Prince Yeong-an" (영안군, 永安君).
Hong Kyung-in as Yi Bang-ui, "Grand Prince Ik-ahn" (익안대군, 益安大君).
Jo Soon-chang as Yi Bang-gan, "Grand Prince Hoi-an" (회안대군, 懷安大君).
Kim Chae-rin as Princess Gyeongshin, Yi Seong-gye and Queen Sinui's 1st daughter.
Cheon Ji-won as Princess Gyeongseon, Yi Seong-gye and Queen Sinui's 2nd daughter.
Kim Seo-yeon as Queen Jeongan, the 2nd Queen Consort of Joseon.

Queen Sindeok's family

Oh Seung-joon as Yi Bang-beon, Yi Seong-gye's 7th son from Queen Sindeok.
- Hong Dong-young as young Yi Bang-beon
Kim Jin-sung as Yi Bang-seok
- Jang Jae-ha as young Yi Bang-seok

Yi Seong-gye's 8th son from Queen Sindeok, Yi Bang-won's half little brother and Joseon's first crown prince.

Jang Tae-hoon as Yi Je, Princess Gyeongsun's husband.
Choi Da-hye as Princess Gyeongsun, Yi Seong-gye and Queen Sindeok's daughter.
Lee Ha-eun as Lady Ryu Hyun-bin

As Bang-seok's wife, she later causes an adultery case with the eunuch Yi Man.

Han Yoon-ji as Princess Gyeongnyeong, wife of Yi Bang-beon.

Yi Bang-won's family

Kim Min-gi as Yi Do, Prince Chungnyeong.
- Gu Hyun as 5-year-old Yi Do
- Joo An as 1-year-old Yi Do
- Kim Ro-woon as baby Yi Do
Lee Tae-ri as Yi Je, Prince Yangnyeong.
- Kim Joon-ui as 8-year-old Yi Je
- Kim In-woo as 4-year-old Yi Je
Jung Shi-hoon as Yi Bo, Prince Hyoryeong.
- Shin Seo-woo as 7-year-old Yi Bo
Im Ye-jin as young Princess Jeongsun, Yi Bang-won and Queen Wongyeong's 1st daughter.
Lee Do-yeon as Princess Gyeongjeong, Yi Bang-won and Queen Wongyeong's 2nd daughter.
- Park Soo-eon as young Princess Gyeongjeong
Lee Ye-seo as Princess Gyeongan, Yi Bang-won and Queen Wongyeong's 3rd daughter.
Kim Vi-ju as Queen Soheon.

Yi Seong-gye's family

Ye Soo-jung^* as Queen Sinui, Yi Seong-gye's first wife and Yi Bang-gwa & Yi Bang-won's mother.
Lee Won-bal as Yi Hwa, Yi Seong-gye's half little brother. "Grand Prince Ui-ahn" (의안대군, 義安大君).
Ban Sang-yoon as Yi Cheon-u, Yi Seong-gye's older brother.

Chonghae Yi clan

Seon Dong-hyuk as Yi Ji-ran

One of Joseon's founding helper and Yi Seong-gye's brother-in-law.

Tae Hang-ho as Yi Hwa-sang, Yi Ji-ran's eldest son.

Queen Wongyeong's family

Kim Kyu-chul as Min Je, Queen Wongyeong's father.
Lee Eung-kyung as Lady Song of the Yeosan Song clan, Queen Wongyeong's mother.
Kim Tae-han as Min Mu-gu, Queen Wongyeong's first younger brother.
Noh Sang-bo as Min Mu-jil, Queen Wongyeong's second younger brother.

Yi Bang-won's political comrades

Park Yoo-seung as Yoon So-jong, a politician in the early Joseon dynasty and at the end of the Goryeo dynasty.
Nam Sung-jin as Ha Ryun.
Kim Bup-rae as Jo Young-mu, one of Joseon's founding helper and the public relations.
Kim Geon as Jo Young-gyu, Yi Bang-won's person who helps him in the Seonjuk Bridge's accident.
Noh Young-guk as Jo Jun, a Jwauijeong and one of Joseon's founding helper.
Kim Young-gi as Kwon Geun, a politician in the early Joseon dynasty and the end of the Goryeo dynasty.
Park Chil-yong as Nam Jae
Jung Tae-woo as Yi Suk-beon
Lee Hyun-kyun as Park Eun
Kang Ji-sub as Hwang Hui
Cha Ki-hwan as Yi Geo-yi
Im Ho as Yu Jeong-hyeon

Yi Seong-gye's political comrades

First strife of crown prince
- Lee Kwang-gi as Jeong Do-jeon, one of Joseon's founding helper.
- Lee Ki-yeol as Nam Eun
- Lee Kyung-young as Sim Hyo-saeng
- Lee Woo-seok as Park Wi
Second strife of crown prince
- Ahn Hong-jin as Park Po
- Park Jang-ho as Yi Maeng-jong, Prince Uiryeong.
Jo Sa-eui's rebellion
- Jung Eui-gap as Jo Sa-eui

Goryeo people

Choi Jong-hwan as Jeong Mong-joo, the last loyalist of Goryeo.
Im Ji-kyu as King Woo, the 32nd King of Goryeo.
Song Yong-tae as Choi Young.
Nam Myung-ryul as Yi Saek

Both of Jeong Do-jeon, Jeong Mong-ju, Ha-Ryun, Yoon So-jong, Yi Soong-in's teacher and a spiritual leader in the Shinjin Grand Temple, also the later Goryeo's warrior.

Im Byung-gi as Byun An-ryeol
Park Sang-jo as Jo Min-soo, a warrior in the later Goryeo who cause a revolt with Yi Seong-gye.
Ki Eun-yoo as King Chang, the 33rd King of Goryeo.
Park Hyung-joon as Wang Yo, King Gongyang, the last King of Goryeo.

A famous general in the end of Goryeo dynasty who oppose Yi Seong-gye's new dynasty.

Kim Bo-mi as Lady Ahn, Consort Jeong

The eldest member in the Goryeo Royal household who later gave the royal seal to General Yi Seong-gye which ended the Goryeo dynasty.

Choi Eun-seok as Kim Jeo, Choi Young's nephew.
Jo Su-hyuk as Jung Deuk-hoo
Choi Young as Kwak Chung-bo
Lee Chang as Choi Yoo-kyung
Kang Bong-seong as Kim Jin-yang, the limb of Jeong Mong-joo and the one who opposes Yi Seong-gye.
Kim Jin-gook as Jeong Mong-ju-related minister

Others

Park Yeo-reum as an old nanny
Choi Shi-in as gisaeng
Lee Choon-sik as Noh Hee-bong, Taejo and Taejong's eunuch.
Jin Zheng-gang as Zhu Yuan-zhang
Kim Do-won as young Bul-no, a child born to Yi Bang-gwa and his concubine.

Production

A reunion took place on 2011 between the actors Joo Sang-wook and Park Jin-hee after filming the Giant series.
The first script reading was held on August 24, 2021. On November 9, 2021, the production company released site images from the series.
^* Initially, actress Lee Deok-hee had been cast for the role of Queen Shinui, but this apparently was changed. In this drama, she portrays a mother-and-child relationship with Um Hyo-sup, again following Stranger.
On November 28, 2021, a report was confirmed that actor Ye Ji-won had tested positive for COVID-19 on November 27, and that filming would continue as scheduled except for her appearance.
On January 21, 2022, KBS decided not to air two of the latest episodes originally set for release on January 22 and January 23, potentially due to controversy surrounding the death of a horse during filming.

Controversies

On January 20, KBS released an apology for a horse's death on the set during filming of the seventh episode, when a scene was filmed showing the horse and its rider falling down. The horse's hind leg had been tied up with a wire, causing the horse to flip in the air and land on its neck.

While the actor also sustained injuries, the horse died a week after the incident, generating great public outcry over animal abuse.