January 1 (2009-01-01) – September 30, 2009 (2009-09-30)
Empress Cheonchu (
Korean: 천추태후;
Hanja: 千秋太后;
RR: Cheonchu Taehu;
MR: Ch'ŏnch'ŭ Ta'ehu; also known as The Iron Empress) is a 2009
South Koreanperiodtelevision series based on the title character, an
actual historical figure and her lifelong struggle to protect the country her ancestors built.[1][2] The granddaughter of
Goryeo Dynasty founder
Taejo Wanggeon, the empress ruled as the
regent for her son
Mokjong, the dynasty's seventh ruler. Determined to realize her ambitious goals for the kingdom of Goryeo, she dons armor, battles against foreign invaders, and tramples her lover, her son and brother in her rise to power.[3]
Synopsis
The drama is based on the historical
Dowager QueenEmpress Cheonchu of the
Goryeo, who fought against the
Liao Dynasty in order to achieve her Grandfather's personal dream of reclaiming old lands lost over the years to other associated tribes and countries such as the
Khitans and some
Jurchens.
The series largely revolves around her desire to influence and win back her son (later known as
Mokjong) from her brother
Seongjong when he decided to have his nephew succeed him as ruler. Seongjong deemed her unacceptable to raise the boy in preparation of his future as Emperor and has his barren wife raise the boy as their son.
This causes a lot of conflict between Seongjong and his sister despite their continual working together to maintain the country from external and internal threats such as
the Khitan invasion and various royal court intrigues and power struggles.
There are several liberties taken in the series the most obvious is that Mokjong is depicted as having
epilepsy which is part of the reason General
Gang Jo later removes him from ruling the country. There are no known records supporting the supposition that the historical Mokjong had epilepsy.
Taejo's 4th wife who represents the position of the Hwangju supporters and raised all of her grandchildren instead of her son and daughter-in-law who died early. However, she became angry and died suddenly when her grandson, Seongjong whom she trusted betrayed her.
Jang Hee-soo as Princess Chungju
One of Taejo's granddaughter who treated harshly and imprisoned during Empress Cheonchu's coup. She accepts Hyeonjong who went to Mongjin, but when the Khitan pursuers arrive, she tries to betray him but then shot with an arrow by Empress Cheonchu own.
Gwangjong's primary wife and formerly half sister who killed by his sword while trying to prevent the attempt to kill their son (the-young-Gyeongjong) during Gwangjong's slaughtering politics.
Gwangjong's daughter and Seongjong's 1st wife who always been coldly ignored by him although she already kind to him. Despite her position as the first queen, she later completely ill and dies alone.
Kim Won-sung's daughter whom originally about marry Gyeongjong, but later instead became Seongjong's concubine. With the restraint of the Hwangju's power who found out about her family, she was promoted to the queen position. She initially kind and care with her husband's family, but soon after he fell ill and she acted as deputy for a while, she then slowly shows her desire for power. When he died in anger because of stress, she harbors hostility to Empress Cheonchu and working with Kim Won-sung and Silla peoples to interfere with Empress Cheonchu. Although she applies that to Cheonchu almost every time, but she still survives under Mokjong's protection. After Kim Chi-yang's rebellion, she choose her own daughter as Hyeonjong's primary wife so she can entered the palace again. After preventing the second invasion of the Khitan, Hyeonjong who had a stronger voice, told her to not too meddle in politics which she then laughed by Empress Cheonchu when they meet again.
Kim Yoon-hee as
Lady Yeonchang (Seongjong's 3rd wife and Choi Haeng-eon's daughter)
Empress Mundeok's daughter who raised by Seongjong, her stepfather from child. She later married Mokjong, but since they two were grow up like a sibling from young, so Mokjong doesn't like or see her as a spouse. As she never has any children, so they are living in a cold state and suffer only from hardships here and there. Even so, she cares and always follow his mother, Empress Cheonchu until the end of the episode.
A woman who forget her real identity as Kim Won-Sung's subordinate and succeeded in gaining Mokjong's favor, but failed to have children. In the end, she later commits adultery with Kim Yung-dae, who is her biological older brother and have a child with him. She then caught by the guard and killed by an angry minister.
Seongjong and Princess Yeonheung's daughter who has a good personality and take good care of her parent. However, she only receives cold treatment from Hyeonjong, her husband.
Jung Han-bi as
Empress Wonseong (Hyeonjong's 2nd wife and Kim Eun-bu's 1st daughter)
Park Hye-bin as
Empress Wonhye (Hyeonjong's 3rd wife and Kim Eun-bu's 2nd daughter)
Actually the last
BalhaeCrown Prince,
Prince Dae Kwang-hyun's son. He become Seongjong and Mokjong's warrior, also served Hyeonjong as his General and later Great General.
Lee Won-bal as Yoo-Bang, Seongjong's warrior who served Mokjong and Hyeonjong's as their 6th rank General.
Park Chul-ho as Kim-Hoon, Seongjong's warrior who become Mokjong's 6th rank General and Hyeonjong's Great General.
Choi Wang-soon as Choi-Jil, Seongjong's warrior who become Mokjong's 6th rank General and Hyeonjong's Great General.
Jeon Byung-wook as Yoon Su-ahn, Seongjong's warrior who goes to war during the 1st Khitan-Liao invasion on Goryeo.
Hong Il-kwon as
Yang Kyu, Seongjong's warrior who become Mokjong's and Hyeonjong's Great General.
Hong Sung-ho as Kim Suk-heung, Seongjong's people, also Mokjong and Hyeonjong's 5th rank military officer.
Lee Byung-wook as Ha Kong-jin, Mokjong and Hyeonjong's 5th rank military officer.
Jeon Seung-bin as Ji Chae-moon, Mokjong and Hyeonjong's 5th rank military officer.
Kim Joo-ho as Kang Min-chum, Hyeonjong's Great General.
Lee Il-jae as Kim Jong-hyun, Hyeonjong's warrior in Chungju Palace.
Jung Ui-kap as Tak Sa-jung, Mokjong's General in Yongho Palace and later Hyeonjong's people.
Choi Oh-shik as Choi Sa-wi, Mokjong's General in Eungyang Palace and later Hyeonjong's people.
Jang Soon-kook as Yoo-Jong, Mokjong and Hyeonjong's 5th rank military officer.
Yoo Jong-keun as Ahn-Pae, Seongjong's people who also served as Mokjong and Hyeonjong's 5th rank military officer.
Park Jin-hyung as No-Ui, Seongjong's 5th rank military officer and later Mokjong and Hyeonjong's 6th rank military officer.
January 1 (2009-01-01) – September 30, 2009 (2009-09-30)
Empress Cheonchu (
Korean: 천추태후;
Hanja: 千秋太后;
RR: Cheonchu Taehu;
MR: Ch'ŏnch'ŭ Ta'ehu; also known as The Iron Empress) is a 2009
South Koreanperiodtelevision series based on the title character, an
actual historical figure and her lifelong struggle to protect the country her ancestors built.[1][2] The granddaughter of
Goryeo Dynasty founder
Taejo Wanggeon, the empress ruled as the
regent for her son
Mokjong, the dynasty's seventh ruler. Determined to realize her ambitious goals for the kingdom of Goryeo, she dons armor, battles against foreign invaders, and tramples her lover, her son and brother in her rise to power.[3]
Synopsis
The drama is based on the historical
Dowager QueenEmpress Cheonchu of the
Goryeo, who fought against the
Liao Dynasty in order to achieve her Grandfather's personal dream of reclaiming old lands lost over the years to other associated tribes and countries such as the
Khitans and some
Jurchens.
The series largely revolves around her desire to influence and win back her son (later known as
Mokjong) from her brother
Seongjong when he decided to have his nephew succeed him as ruler. Seongjong deemed her unacceptable to raise the boy in preparation of his future as Emperor and has his barren wife raise the boy as their son.
This causes a lot of conflict between Seongjong and his sister despite their continual working together to maintain the country from external and internal threats such as
the Khitan invasion and various royal court intrigues and power struggles.
There are several liberties taken in the series the most obvious is that Mokjong is depicted as having
epilepsy which is part of the reason General
Gang Jo later removes him from ruling the country. There are no known records supporting the supposition that the historical Mokjong had epilepsy.
Taejo's 4th wife who represents the position of the Hwangju supporters and raised all of her grandchildren instead of her son and daughter-in-law who died early. However, she became angry and died suddenly when her grandson, Seongjong whom she trusted betrayed her.
Jang Hee-soo as Princess Chungju
One of Taejo's granddaughter who treated harshly and imprisoned during Empress Cheonchu's coup. She accepts Hyeonjong who went to Mongjin, but when the Khitan pursuers arrive, she tries to betray him but then shot with an arrow by Empress Cheonchu own.
Gwangjong's primary wife and formerly half sister who killed by his sword while trying to prevent the attempt to kill their son (the-young-Gyeongjong) during Gwangjong's slaughtering politics.
Gwangjong's daughter and Seongjong's 1st wife who always been coldly ignored by him although she already kind to him. Despite her position as the first queen, she later completely ill and dies alone.
Kim Won-sung's daughter whom originally about marry Gyeongjong, but later instead became Seongjong's concubine. With the restraint of the Hwangju's power who found out about her family, she was promoted to the queen position. She initially kind and care with her husband's family, but soon after he fell ill and she acted as deputy for a while, she then slowly shows her desire for power. When he died in anger because of stress, she harbors hostility to Empress Cheonchu and working with Kim Won-sung and Silla peoples to interfere with Empress Cheonchu. Although she applies that to Cheonchu almost every time, but she still survives under Mokjong's protection. After Kim Chi-yang's rebellion, she choose her own daughter as Hyeonjong's primary wife so she can entered the palace again. After preventing the second invasion of the Khitan, Hyeonjong who had a stronger voice, told her to not too meddle in politics which she then laughed by Empress Cheonchu when they meet again.
Kim Yoon-hee as
Lady Yeonchang (Seongjong's 3rd wife and Choi Haeng-eon's daughter)
Empress Mundeok's daughter who raised by Seongjong, her stepfather from child. She later married Mokjong, but since they two were grow up like a sibling from young, so Mokjong doesn't like or see her as a spouse. As she never has any children, so they are living in a cold state and suffer only from hardships here and there. Even so, she cares and always follow his mother, Empress Cheonchu until the end of the episode.
A woman who forget her real identity as Kim Won-Sung's subordinate and succeeded in gaining Mokjong's favor, but failed to have children. In the end, she later commits adultery with Kim Yung-dae, who is her biological older brother and have a child with him. She then caught by the guard and killed by an angry minister.
Seongjong and Princess Yeonheung's daughter who has a good personality and take good care of her parent. However, she only receives cold treatment from Hyeonjong, her husband.
Jung Han-bi as
Empress Wonseong (Hyeonjong's 2nd wife and Kim Eun-bu's 1st daughter)
Park Hye-bin as
Empress Wonhye (Hyeonjong's 3rd wife and Kim Eun-bu's 2nd daughter)
Actually the last
BalhaeCrown Prince,
Prince Dae Kwang-hyun's son. He become Seongjong and Mokjong's warrior, also served Hyeonjong as his General and later Great General.
Lee Won-bal as Yoo-Bang, Seongjong's warrior who served Mokjong and Hyeonjong's as their 6th rank General.
Park Chul-ho as Kim-Hoon, Seongjong's warrior who become Mokjong's 6th rank General and Hyeonjong's Great General.
Choi Wang-soon as Choi-Jil, Seongjong's warrior who become Mokjong's 6th rank General and Hyeonjong's Great General.
Jeon Byung-wook as Yoon Su-ahn, Seongjong's warrior who goes to war during the 1st Khitan-Liao invasion on Goryeo.
Hong Il-kwon as
Yang Kyu, Seongjong's warrior who become Mokjong's and Hyeonjong's Great General.
Hong Sung-ho as Kim Suk-heung, Seongjong's people, also Mokjong and Hyeonjong's 5th rank military officer.
Lee Byung-wook as Ha Kong-jin, Mokjong and Hyeonjong's 5th rank military officer.
Jeon Seung-bin as Ji Chae-moon, Mokjong and Hyeonjong's 5th rank military officer.
Kim Joo-ho as Kang Min-chum, Hyeonjong's Great General.
Lee Il-jae as Kim Jong-hyun, Hyeonjong's warrior in Chungju Palace.
Jung Ui-kap as Tak Sa-jung, Mokjong's General in Yongho Palace and later Hyeonjong's people.
Choi Oh-shik as Choi Sa-wi, Mokjong's General in Eungyang Palace and later Hyeonjong's people.
Jang Soon-kook as Yoo-Jong, Mokjong and Hyeonjong's 5th rank military officer.
Yoo Jong-keun as Ahn-Pae, Seongjong's people who also served as Mokjong and Hyeonjong's 5th rank military officer.
Park Jin-hyung as No-Ui, Seongjong's 5th rank military officer and later Mokjong and Hyeonjong's 6th rank military officer.