Princess Hours (Korean: 궁, Hanja: 宫, romanized as Goong and also known as The Imperial Household, Love in Palace, Palace Love or Palace, its literal translation and alternate official title) is a popular soonjong manhwa (Korean girls' comic) by Park So-Hee. It was adapted into an even more well-known live-action comedy/drama series, which had its first season run from January 11 to March 30, 2006. It was distributed by Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, which ran episodes on Wednesdays and Thursdays every week until the show's completion. The original manhwa (which, as of July 2007, has run for 15 volumes) is being published in English as Goong, while the drama has been released on DVD in North America as Palace by YA Entertainment.
Princess Hours became one of MBC's most popular dramas of 2006, second only to Jumong[1]. Overall, the show was the tenth most popular drama of 2006, according to TNS Media. Due to the success of the first season, a second season was to be produced, a rare occasion in the Korean television industry. However, there was controversy over who had the rights to make the sequel, and as a result, two separate parties planned different seasons. However, the sequel, Goong 2 will no longer be produced due to the withdrawal of two main actors. The spin-off Goong S started its run on January 10, 2007.
Season 1
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Synopsis
Set in an alternate 21st-century reality where Korea possesses a royal family, this show revolves around the lives of the Crown Prince (Hwangtaeja) Yi Shin, and his new bride, Chae-kyeong. The depicted royal family in the show is modelled after the last royal family of Korea, which in reality reigned until the start of the Japanese Occupation in 1911 and was not reinstated after Japanese surrender in WW2.
The series starts off with the news that the King, Shin's father, is very ill. With the grim outlook on the King's health, the royal family scrambles to find a wife for Shin, so as to allow him to take over the royal throne if the situation requires. Despite being in love with another girl, the ambitious and talented ballerina Hyo-rin whom Shin initially proposed to (she rejects him to pursue her ballet dreams), Shin eventually marries a commoner to whom he was betrothed by his late grandfather in an old agreement with the girl's grandfather. Shin marries the headstrong yet lovable Chae-kyeong after Hyo-rin's rejection. Despite initially feeling nothing for Chae-kyeong, love eventually blossoms between the couple.
In the meantime, however, matters are further complicated with the return of Yi Yul and his mother Lady Hwa-Young, who was once the Crown Princess (Bigoong) before the death of her husband, the late Crown Prince, older brother of the current King. Yul and his mother were chased out of the palace some time after the death of his father, and it is later revealed that this was due to the King's discovery of an affair between Yul's mother and the current King who was his father's younger brother. Yul's mother had returned with a sinister motive in mind; to restore her son back to the throne, which would have been his eventually, if his father had not died. A series of events befall the palace with the schemes Yul's mother carries out, and is further intensified by the various scandals involving the royal family, which are inclusive of the Shin's continuing relationship with his old flame Hyo-rin, and the budding love Yul develops for Chae-kyeong, his cousin's new-found bride.
Main Characters
Shin Chae-Kyeong (신채경)
Portrayed by Yoon Eun Hye, Shin Chae-kyeong is a very creative and outgoing, normal high school girl. She attends the same school as Yi Shin, the Crown Prince of Korea. Her grandfather was best friends with the previous King. To honor his friend, the previous King dictated that Chae-kyeong is to become the Crown Princess, which means that she is to marry whoever is the Crown Prince at the time of the marriage (Yi Shin) . Although she often seems immature and irritating, she is a kindhearted, innocent, honest person. Often called "Pig" by her younger brother, Chae-kyeong marries the prince to save her family from bankruptcy. Her initial reaction to Yi Shin is one of irritation but she falls in love with him in the earlier part of the series, not knowing that he, in return, feels the same way, until the last few episodes. Although she regards Yi Yul only as a friend and cousin-in-law, he falls in love with her. In the Philippine airing, her name is "Janelle".
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Yi Shin (이신)
The crown prince of Korea, Yi Shin, as portrayed by model and actor Joo Ji Hoon, is seen as a smug, indifferent, insensitive young man. After getting rejected by his girlfriend when he proposes to her, he decides to go along with his elders' arranged marriage with Shin Chae-kyeong. At first, he was irritated by her naivete and enthusiasm, but as he recognizes how genuinely sweet she is, he begins to open his heart to her, and falls in love. Throughout the series, it becomes obvious that inside, he is just a lonely, sensitive, warm and kind young man. He also owns a teddy bear, Alfred, the only thing that he can let his guard down for, which is used as a focal point throughout the series. As his cousin re-enters the picture after being forced out of the country many years earlier, the prince quickly butts head with him, as Yi Yul is a contender not only for the throne, but for the crown princess Chae-kyeong's love. Chae-kyeong does not realize this until later on in the story. In the Philippine airing, he is "Gian".
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Yi Yool (이율)
Kim Jeong Hoon plays Yi Yool, Shin's cousin. He returns from a long stay in England with his mother, the widow of the former crown prince. He is the opposite of Shin, he is warm, kindhearted, sweet, and romantic -- an instant hit with the girls. Interested in Chae-kyeong, their friendship grows to love on his side, while she remains innocently unaware of it until much later. Although the position of the Crown Prince originally belonged to him, it was given to his cousin when Yool's father died in a car accident and his mother was found to have had an affair with his uncle, who she was originally in love with, but she decides to marry his brother, the crown prince, wanting her son to inherit the title of crown prince. Originally uninterested in the throne, Yool decides to follow his mother's wishes and compete with Shin for the throne after falling in love with Chae-kyeong. In the end, after realizing that Chae-kyeong and Shin truly love each other, and after discovering his mother's affair with the King, he passes up both the chance of being King and having Chae-kyeong as a wife. He is "Troy" in the Philippine airing.
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Min Hyo-rin (민효린)
Portrayed by Sung Ji Hyo, Hyo-rin is a skilled ballerina. She is beautiful, intelligent, accomplished--basically, perfect in every way possible. In the beginning, she is Shin's girlfriend, and he proposes to her. However, she rejects him, not only because she thinks he is joking, but also because she does not wish to give up her dreams of becoming a star ballerina. When she sees Chae-kyeong and Shin's wedding and how Chae-kyeong is loved by the people (similar to Diana, Princess of Wales), she regrets her hasty decision, and does everything she can to oust Chae-kyeong from her position. Hyo-rin finds ways to draw Shin back to her, including a "chance" meeting in Thailand, but simply ends up hurting herself, resulting in attempting suicide. Later, however, she decides that Shin does truly love Chae-kyeong, and she ultimately gives him up and decides to just concentrate on her ballet. She is "Monique" in the Philippine airing.
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Family History
The fictional family history was released by MBC, as follows:
First year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 원년) 1945: After World War II, Korea's common people wanted the royal family (House of Yi) to remain in the country, even as they act as symbols of Korea's past.
Fortieth year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십년) 1984: Crown Prince Yi Soo (황태자 이수) is married to dancer Seo Hwa Yeong, who becomes the Crown Princess (consort) (황태자비 서화영).
Forty-first year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십일년) 1985: Grand Prince Yi Hyeon (대군 이현) is married to Lady Min.
Forty-third year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십삼년) 1987: Grand Prince Yi Hyeon (대군 이현) sires a daughter, named Hye Myeong (혜명 옹주).
Forty-fourth year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십사년) 1988: Crown Prince Yi Soo (황태자 이수) sires a son, named Yool (이율). Grand Prince Yi Hyeon (대군 이현) sires a son, named Shin (이신).
Forty-seventh year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십칠년) 1991: Shin Chae Kyeong's grandfather dies.
Forty-eighth year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십팔년) 1992: Crown Prince Yi Soo (황태자 이수) dies in a car accident. His brother the Grand Prince Yi Hyeon (대군 이현) becomes the Crown Prince (황태자) upon his brother's death. Meanwhile, Yi Soo's family, the Crown Princess (consort) Seo Hwa Yeong (황태자비 서화영) and his son Yool (이율) are chased out of the palace, emigrating to Great Britain.
Forty-ninth year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십구년) 1993: Emperor Seongjo (성조 황제), Yi Soo and Yi Hyeon's father, dies. Crown Prince Yi Hyeon (황태자 이현) becomes the next Emperor of Korea, thereby changing the former era name of Gwanghwa (광화) to Inhwa (인화 仁化) (1993 becomes, thru implication, first year of the Inhwa Era).
Third year of the Inhwa Era (인화 삼년) 1995: Yi Shin (이신) becomes the next Crown Prince (황태자 이신).
Twelfth year of the Inhwa Era (인화 십이년) 2004: Yi Shin (이신) enrolls into a well-known arts and cultures school in Korea centering on film and movie. Yi Yool (이율), while in Britain, enrols in to an art-school.
Fourteenth year of the Inhwa Era (인화 십사년) 2006: Crown Prince Yi Shin (황태자 이신) is married to Shin Chae Kyeong after an old agreement between his grandfather and Chae Kyeong's grandfather.
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Cast
Yoon Eun Hye (윤은혜) as Shin Chae-kyeong
Princess Consort to the Crown Prince of the Empire Shin Chae-kyeong (황태자비 신채경)
Joo Ji Hoon (주지훈) as Lee Shin
Grand Prince Lee Shin (대군 이신)
Crown Prince of the Empire Lee Shin (황태자 이신)
Kim Jeong Hoon (김정훈) as Lee Yool
Crown Prince of the Empire Lee Yool (황태자 이율)
Grand Prince Lee Yool (대군 이율)
Prince Uiseong (의성군)
Song Ji Hyo (송지효) as Min Hyo-rin
Lee Yoon Ji (이윤지) as Hyae-Myeong
Princess of the Empire Hyae Myeong (혜명 옹주)
Jeon Ji Ae as Rhee Kang-hyun
Nah Eun-kyeong (나은경), as Kim Soon-young
Dan Ji (단지) as Yoon Hee-soong
Kang Nam Gil (강남길) as Chae-kyeong's father
Im Ye Jin (임예진) as Chae-kyeong's mother
Kim Suk as Shin Chae-joon (Chae-kyeong's younger brother)
Kim Sang-joong (김상중), as Yi Soo (Yool's deceased father)
Crown Prince of the Empire Yi Soo (황태자 이수)
Park Chan-hwan (박찬환), as Yi Hyeon (Shin's father)
Grand Prince Yi Hyeon (대군 이현) (by birth, the youngest offspring of Emperor Moo)
Crown Prince of the Empire Yi Hyeon (황태자 이현)
Emperor/King Yi Hyeon (이현 황제)
Kim Hye-ja (김혜자), as Yool and Shin's grandmother
Dowager Empress Park (황태후 박씨)
Shim Hye-jin (심혜진), as Lady Hwa-Yong (Yool's mother)
Princess Consort to the Crown Prince of the Empire Seo Hwa-Yong (황태자비 서화영) (wife of Crown Prince Yi Soo)
Yoon Yoo-seon (윤유선), as the Queen (Yi Shin's mother)
Princess Consort to the Grand Prince Min (민씨)
Empress/Queen Min (황후 민씨)
Choi Seong-joon (취성준), as Kang-in (강인)
Lee Yong-joo (이용주), as Jang-kyung (장귱)
Uhm Seong-mo (엄성모), as Ryu-hwan (류환)
Choi Bool-am (최불암), as Emperor Seongjo (성조 황제) (Shin and Yool's grandfather) (deceased)
Lee Ho-jae (이호재), as Gong Nae-kwan (공 내관)
Jeon Su-yeon (전수연), as Choi Sang-goon (최 상궁)
more
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Awards and nominations
The drama managed to win two awards but was in the nominations part a lot. Such as in Popularity Award for Yoon Eun Hye and Joo Ji Hoon and Best Couple Award for them, it were all in 2nd place, next to Fantasy Couple.
Won
2006 MBC Acting Awards: Best New Actor (Joo Ji Hoon)
2006 MBC Acting Awards: Best New Actress (Yoon Eun Hye)
Nominated
2006 MBC Acting Awards: Popularity Award (Yoon Eun Hye)...2nd place
2006 MBC Acting Awards: Popularity Award (Joo Ji Hoon)...2nd place
2006 MBC Acting Awards: Best Couple Award (Yoon Eun Hye and Joo Ji Hoon)...2nd place
2006 MBC Acting Awards: This Year's MBC Drama...3rd place
In the Philippines
Princess Hours also got award from the 4th USTv Student's Choice Awards which was held last February 20, 2008 in UST (University of Santo Tomas) Medicine Auditorium.
The Show won the award for Student's Choice of Foreign Soap Opera.
