Lee San, Wind of the Palace

The series dramatizes the life of Korea's King Jeongjo, the 22nd ruler of the Joseon Dynasty. Jeongjo is remembered in Korean history for his sympathy with the plight of the common man, in spite of his own pampered upbringing as royalty.

The drama begins with the King's early years, during which he befriends two children working in the Palace who are later expelled. King Yeongjo (Yi San's grandfather) seals San's father, Crown Prince Sado, in a rice chest with no food or water because he fears that the Crown Prince is planning a coup. San wants to save his father, and with the help of his friends Seong Song-yeon and Park Dae-su, begs King Yeongjo to forgive the Crown Prince.

The drama then skips forward to Jeongjo's adult years when he and his friends re-establish contact with each other. Throughout, his position as heir is threatened by palace intrigues.

Yi San begins to fall in love with one of his childhood friends, Seong Song-yeon, whose father, a palace artist, died when she was young. The story then follows his rise to power, his assumption of the kingship, and the labyrinthine palace intrigues that he must constantly guard against from the Noron Faction.

While the show does deviate from the historical record in a number of ways, its representation of court life during the Joseon Dynasty appears to be based on contemporary sources.

• Lee Seo-jin as Yi San/King Jeongjo^[5]
  • Park Ji-bin as young San

The main protagonist in the series. He is the only son of Crown Prince Sado and Lady Hyegyeong.

• Han Ji-min as Seong Song-yeon/Seong Ui-bin^[6]
  • Lee Han-na as young Song-yeon

King Jeongjo's love interest. She is the daughter of a skilled palace artist and thus has a fondness for art.

• Lee Jong-soo as Park Dae-su^[7]
  • Kwon Jung-min as young Dae-su

King Jeongjo's favorite military officer.

• Kyeon Mi-riasLady Hyegyeong^[8]

Jeongjo's mother.

• Park Eun-hyeasQueen Hyoui

King Jeongjo's primary wife, born into the Cheongpung Kim clan.

• Lee Soon-jaeasKing Yeongjo

Jeongjo's grandfather. He was the 21st King of Joseon before San took over.

• Kim Yeo-jinasQueen Jeongsun^[9]

King Yeongjo's second wife.

• Sung Hyun-ahasPrincess Hwawan

Yeongjo's beloved daughter.

• Cho Yeon-wooasJeong Hu-gyeom

Princess Hwawan's adoptive son.

• Han Sang-jinasHong Guk-yeong

King Jeongjo's right-hand man, as well as distant cousin to his mother, Lady Hyegyeong.

• Song Chang-euiasJeong Yak-yong

A scholar from the Confucian Academy and a member of the Namin Faction.

• Lee Ip-sae as Yang Cho-bi

Adamo at the Bureau of Painting.

• Park Young-ji as Kim Gwi-joo

Queen Jeongsun's older brother and a member of the Noron Faction.

• Maeng Sang-hoon as Nam Si-cho

San's chief eunuch.

• Han In-soo as Chae Je-gong

San's administrative assistant and Minister of the Tribunal.

• Ji Sang-ryeol as Yi Cheon/Lee Chun

A Royal Artist at the Bureau of Painting.

• Yoo Min-hyuk as Tak Ji-soo

Another Royal Artist at the Bureau of Painting.

• Cha Jae-dol as Crown Prince Munhyo

The infant son of King Jeongjo and Ui-bin Seong who died at the age of four.

• Yoo Jung-suk as Seong Song-wook

Song-yeon's little brother

• Jung Ho-keun as Min Joo-shik
• Son Il-kwon as Oh Jung-ho
• Gyeong In-seon as Mak-seon
• Lee Jung-young as Shin-geom
• Baek Min as Eo-ui
• Hwang Il-chung
• Maeng Bong-hak
• Jo Jae-yoon as Kkak Jung-yi
• Lee Jung-sung

• Lee Chang-hoonasCrown Prince Sado

King Jeongjo's father and Yeongjo's son

• Hwang Geum-hee^[a]asRoyal Noble Consort Wonbin Hong
• Kang San as Prince Eunjeon
• Choi Jung-woo as Sado's eunuch
• Yoo Jae-suk
• Park Myung-soo
• Jeong Jun-ha
• Jung Hyung-don
• Noh Hong-chul
• Im Hyun-sik

Yi San was popular and recorded a solid viewership rate (average) of 26.4% (Nationwide) and 28.6% (Seoul) and a peak of 35.3% (Nationwide) and 38.6% (Seoul)

InSri Lanka, the drama aired on Rupavahini dubbed in Sinhala from 7 July 2014 to 9 February 2015. Under the title, යහපත් මහරජ - Yahapath Maharaja

• Yi San official MBC website (in Korean)
• Yi SanatHanCinema
• Yi SanatIMDb