Princess Hours (
Korean:
,
Hanja: 宫, romanized as
Goong) and also known as
The Imperial Household,
Love in Palace,
Palace Love or
Palace, is a live-action comedy/drama series based on the popular
soonjong manhwa (
Korean girls' comic)
Goong by
Park So-Hee. It 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 January 2009, has run for 17 volumes in Korea, and by 2012 17 in America) is being published in English as
Goong.
Princess Hours became one of MBC's most popular dramas of 2006, second only to Jumong. 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.
Synopsis
Set in an alternate 21st-century reality where
Korea possesses a royal family, since 1945 to present, this show revolves around the lives of the Crown Prince (Hwangtaeja) Lee 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 1910 and was not reinstated after Japanese surrender in
Second World War, 1945.
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 as time passes.
In the meantime, however, matters are further complicated with the return of Lee Yul and his mother Lady Hwa-Young, who was once the Crown Princess (Bingoong) 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. Things gets out of hand and many incidents happened.
Main characters
Shin Chae-Kyeong ()
Portrayed by
Yoon Eun Hye, Shin Chae-kyeong is a very creative and outgoing, normal high school girl. She attends the same school as Lee 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 (Lee 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 because of the promise made between her grandfather and Shin's. Her initial reaction to Lee 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 Lee Yul only as a friend and cousin-in-law, he falls in love with her.
Lee Shin ()
The crown prince of Korea, Lee 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 Lee 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.
Lee Yul ()
Kim Jeong Hoon plays Lee Yul, 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, romantic, and charismatic. 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 Yul'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, wanting her son to inherit the title of crown prince. Originally uninterested in the throne, Yul 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.
Min Hyo-rin ()
Portrayed by
Song Ji-hyo, Hyo-rin is a skilled
ballerina. She is beautiful, intelligent, accomplished—basically, perfect in every way possible,but she is also poor. Prince Shin and her ballet instructor paid for her tuition fees at school. 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 by a pill overdose. 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.
Family History
The fictional family history was released by MBC, as follows:
*1st year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 원년) 1945: After World War II, The Korean public calls for the royal family (House of Yi) to be reinstated, if only to act as figureheads and symbols of Korea's past.
40th year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십년) 1984: Crown Prince Lee Soo (황태자 이수) marries the dancer Seo Hwa Yeong, who becomes Crown Princess (consort) (황태자비 서화영).
41st year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십일년) 1985: Grand Prince Lee Hyeon (대군 이현) marries Lady Min.
43rd year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십삼년) 1987: Grand Prince Lee Hyeon (대군 이현) sires a daughter, who is named Hye Myeong (혜명 옹주).
44th year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십사년) 1988: Crown Prince Lee Soo (황태자 이수) sires a son, named Yul (이율). Grand Prince Lee Hyeon (대군 이현) sires a son, named Shin (이신).
47th year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십칠년) 1991: Shin Chae Kyeong's grandfather dies.
48th year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십팔년) 1992: Crown Prince Lee Soo (황태자 이수) dies in a car accident. His brother the Grand Prince Lee Hyeon (대군 이현) becomes the Crown Prince (황태자) upon his brother's death. Meanwhile, Lee Soo's family, the Crown Princess (consort) Seo Hwa Yeong (황태자비 서화영) and his son Yul (이율) are evicted from the palace, emigrating to Great Britain.
49th year of the Gwanghwa Era (광화 사십구년) 1993: Emperor Seongjo (성조 황제), Lee Soo and Lee Hyeon's father, dies and Crown Prince Lee Hyeon (황태자 이현) becomes Emperor of Korea. The era name of Gwanghwa (광화) changes to Inhwa (인화 仁化) (1993 becomes, thru implication, first year of the Inhwa Era).
3rd year of the Inhwa Era (인화 삼년) 1995: Lee Shin (이신) becomes Crown Prince (황태자 이신).
12th year of the Inhwa Era (인화 십이년) 2004: Lee Shin (이신) enrols in a well-known arts and cultures school in Korea centering on film and movie. Lee Yul (이율), while in Britain, also enrols in an art-school.
14th year of the Inhwa Era (인화 십사년) 2006: Crown Prince Lee Shin (황태자 이신) is married to Shin Chae Kyeong after an old agreement between his Chae Kyeong's grandfathers.
Cast
Yoon Eun Hye (윤은혜) as Shin Chae-kyeong/Pi Koon Mama
* Princess Consort to the Crown Prince of the Empire Shin Chae-kyeong (황태자비 신채경)
* Crown Princess Consort to the Crown Prince of the Empire Shin Chae-kyeong
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 Yul
* Royal Prince Lee Yool (대군 이율)
* Prince Uiseong (의성군)
* 2th Crown Prince of the empire Lee Yool(empire Inwha)
Song Ji-hyo (송지효) as Min Hyo-rin
Lee Yoon Ji (이윤지) as Hyae-Myeong
* Grand Princess of the Empire Hyae Myeong (혜명 옹주)
* Empress Queen of The Empire Hyae Myeong (after Yi Hyeon and Lee ship Contact Raj taking time constant.)
Jeon Ji Ae as Lee 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)
* The Empire Yi Soo
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 HM Queen Mother/Tae Hoo Mama (Yool and Shin's grandmother)
* Empress HM Queen To Emperor Seongjo Park (황태후 박씨)
* Dowager Empress HM Queen Mother
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)
* HM Queen Consort to Emperor/King Yi Soo
Yoon Yoo-seon (윤유선), as the Empress Queen/KWang Hoo mama(Yi Shin's mother)
* Princess Consort to the Grand Prince Min (민씨)
* Crown Princess of The Empire Min
* Empress/Queen Min to Emperor Yi Hyeon (황후 민씨)
Choi Seong-joon (최성준), as Kang-in (강인)
Lee Yong-joo (이용주), as Jang-kyung (장경)
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)
Awards and nominations
2006 MBC Acting Awards: Best New Actor (Joo Ji Hoon)
2006 MBC Acting Awards: Best New Actress (Yoon Eun Hye)
2007 MBC Acting Awards: Best New Artist( Joo Ji Hoon)
Airings in other countries
Philippines
Aired on Philippine television in ABS-CBN Broadcasting Company on December 18, 2006. It was aired every weekdays. It was shown again on May 6, 2008, with the same title,
Princess Hours --aired Thursdays at 8:00 pm on
Animax Asia in the Philippines and Malaysia.
Singapore
Princess Hours (宫－野蛮王妃) premiered on
Singapore MediaCorp TV's Channel U on October 9, 2006, with each episode airing every weekday from 6PM to 7PM. The series was stretched out into 32 episodes.
England
"Princess Hours" (روزگار شاهزاده) is aired since 2010 on
Gem Classic in Persian language.
Production credits
Original Work: Manhwa 궁(Goong, Hanja: «宮») by (박소희)
Production Company: Eight Peaks (에이트픽스)
Director: Hwang In-Roi (황인뢰)
Writer: In Eun-A (인은아)
Related Series
Season 2
The plot of the sequel would have closely followed the plot of the remaining volumes of the manhwa. The production company, Eight Peaks was aiming to re-sign the entire original cast for the sequel
Goong 2.
Last year, Eight Peaks stated that they would aim to film Goong 2 in late 2007 or early 2008. However, Yoon Eun Hye and Kim Jeong Hoon have stated their wishes to withdraw from Eight Peaks due to conflicting problems with the company. Yoon Eun Hye, one of the main character, has already ended her contract with Eight Peaks and has moved onto Kraze Entertainment. Without the complete main characters of the first season, it is most likely there will be no sequel of Goong.
Season S
The plot of Season S revolves around a young worker at a Chinese restaurant who suddenly discovers that he is a member of the royal family and subsequently enters the palace. Hwang mentioned that he would be looking for Yoon Eun Hye's male counterpart, of sorts. This spinoff has no relation to the first season since there is a new cast and plot.
In October 2006, Korean pop star Se7en was chosen to play the leading role in the spinoff. He will play the character of "Yi Hoo", while others in the drama's second season include Heo Yi Jae (who plays Yang Soon-Ae), Kang Doo (who plays Yi Joon), and Park Shin-hye (who plays Shin Sae-Ryung). Many of the supporting cast, including those who played the royal family, are expected to join Goong S. Filming started in November 2006.
The name for the spinoff changed from Goong 2 to Goong S – Prince Hours (궁 S) due to copyright infringement problems. Filming continued despite Group 8 facing lawsuits due to the unlawful use of Goong in the title.
However, MBC has looked into this issue with Eight Peaks and have stated that the channel station and original production company both own the rights of the name. Goong S will still be used for this season, with the subtitle of "Prince Who". Goong S was broadcasted from January 10 to March 15, 2007, with only a few minor characters returning for this spinoff.
See also
Goong (manhwa)
Goong S
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programs_broadcast_by_ABS-CBN#Koreanovela
References
External links
Official Site of Korea Tourism - Princess Hours (English)
Official Website (Korean)
MBC Global Media (English)
Article: Thinking Out of the Box Proves a Success for Hit Drama (The Korea Times, 2006-03-08)
Article: MBC drama 'Palace' may set a new record among drama exports (KOCCA, 2006-03-03)
DramaWiki
Princess Hours (English) http://beta.abs-cbn.com/tabid/71/xmmid/387/Article/2779/program/ph/xmview/2/Default.aspx
Princess Hours Reviews at spcnet.tv
ReviewAsia - Goong (Princess Hours) Reviews
Reviews, and information
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programs_broadcast_by_ABS-CBN#Upcoming_programs
"Goong" DramaFever.com, North America only
http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/sim/sim/view/20081228-180293/12-Stars-to-Watch-in-2009
Category:South Korean television drama
Category:2006 television series debuts
Category:2006 television series endings
Category:Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation
