The King 2 Hearts
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''The King 2 Hearts'' () is a 2012
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
n television series, starring
Ha Ji-won Jeon Hae-rim (; born 28 June 1978), better known by her stage name Ha Ji-won () is a South Korean actress. She is best known for the historical dramas '' Damo'' (2003), ''Hwang Jini'' (2006), and '' Empress Ki'' (2013), as well as the melodra ...
and
Lee Seung-gi Lee Seung-gi (; born January 13, 1987) is a South Korean singer, actor, host, and entertainer. He has numerous hit songs as a singer such as "Because You're My Woman", "Will You Marry Me", "Return" and "The Ordinary Man". He has garnered furt ...
in the leading roles. It is about a South Korean crown prince who falls in love with a
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
n special agent. The series aired on MBC from March 21 to May 24, 2012 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 20 episodes.


Synopsis

Set in an alternate reality, modern-day South Korea is governed by a
constitutional monarchy A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...
descended from the
Joseon Dynasty Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
. Lee Jae-ha (
Lee Seung-gi Lee Seung-gi (; born January 13, 1987) is a South Korean singer, actor, host, and entertainer. He has numerous hit songs as a singer such as "Because You're My Woman", "Will You Marry Me", "Return" and "The Ordinary Man". He has garnered furt ...
) is a handsome yet materialistic crown prince who doesn't care about politics and feels total reluctance to being the second in line to the throne. Lee Jae-kang ( Lee Sung-min), the current king, tricks him into joining a joint military collaboration with
North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
as a means to help "make him grow up." Meanwhile, Kim Hang-ah (
Ha Ji-won Jeon Hae-rim (; born 28 June 1978), better known by her stage name Ha Ji-won () is a South Korean actress. She is best known for the historical dramas '' Damo'' (2003), ''Hwang Jini'' (2006), and '' Empress Ki'' (2013), as well as the melodra ...
) is a
North Korean Special Forces The Korean People's Army Special Operations Forces (KPASOF; Korean: 조선인민군 특수작전군; Hanja: 朝鮮人民軍 特殊作戰軍; Chosŏn-inmin'gun teugsujagjeongun) are the special forces of Korean People's Army. It consist of special ...
officer who is also the daughter of a high ranking North Korean military official. Both Jae-ha and Hang-ah meet at the joint military training, a crucial part in establishing friendly relations between the two separate countries. Although the two are initially antagonistic towards each other, Jae-ha unwittingly sparks a friendship with Hang-ah and he subsequently falls in love with her. Soon, an arranged marriage is set up between the two and they eventually become engaged. While they attempt to set their differences aside and build a growing relationship, things suddenly take a turn for the worse when King Jae-kang and his wife are assassinated by the devious and notorious terrorist group, Club M, led by John Mayer/Kim Bong-gu (
Yoon Je-moon Yoon Je-moon (born March 9, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He appears in theater, film and television, notably in the movies ''The Man Next Door'' (2010) and ''Dangerously Excited'' (2012), and the TV series '' The End of the World'' (2013). F ...
), a mysterious magician who is obsessed with eliminating the royal family and plans to rule in their stead. Now crowned the new King of South Korea, Jae-ha must learn to be responsible and protect the country before it is too late.


Cast


Main characters

*
Ha Ji-won Jeon Hae-rim (; born 28 June 1978), better known by her stage name Ha Ji-won () is a South Korean actress. She is best known for the historical dramas '' Damo'' (2003), ''Hwang Jini'' (2006), and '' Empress Ki'' (2013), as well as the melodra ...
as Captain Kim Hang-ah The female protagonist - A
North Korean Special Forces The Korean People's Army Special Operations Forces (KPASOF; Korean: 조선인민군 특수작전군; Hanja: 朝鮮人民軍 特殊作戰軍; Chosŏn-inmin'gun teugsujagjeongun) are the special forces of Korean People's Army. It consist of special ...
officer and instructor known in the military to be an "Iron Lady" with absolutely no femininity within her. She is the only daughter of the Deputy Minister of the North Korean Ministry of Unification. Although tough and fearsome on the surface, at heart she is a shy maiden who struggles to find her companion for life. After a few incidents involving her and the South Korean prince ("the archenemy of the socialist state and the people"), Jae-ha falls in love with her during the training mission. After Prince Jae-ha confesses his feelings for her on TV, Hang-ah goes to the South to punish him for playing with her feelings. *
Lee Seung-gi Lee Seung-gi (; born January 13, 1987) is a South Korean singer, actor, host, and entertainer. He has numerous hit songs as a singer such as "Because You're My Woman", "Will You Marry Me", "Return" and "The Ordinary Man". He has garnered furt ...
as Prince Lee Jae-ha (later King Jae-ha) **
Kang Han-byeol Kang Han-byeol (born June 3, 2002) is a South Korean former child actor and singer. He began his career as a child actor in 2008, and was given roles in television dramas such as the KBS2 adaptation to ''Boys Over Flowers'' (2009) ''The King 2 ...
as young Jae-ha The male protagonist - The Crown Prince of South Korea with an assumed IQ of 187. An arrogant and irresponsible individual who surprisingly displays a lot of charisma. Unknown to many, Jae-ha's arrogance and behavior was a front so that he could avoid having to meet and befriend people - he had difficulty finding "real friends" in school once his royal status became known. When his brother, King Jae-kang, ascended to the throne, he assumed that he could live an indulgent "playboy" lifestyle for the rest of his life. As his two years of conscripted service comes to a close, he is tricked by his brother into participating in a joint military exercise between North and South Korea, organized by the King and the North Korean Military Command. King Jae-kang also used this as an opportunity to teach his brother a lesson and "help him grow up". However, his personality does not sit well with his teammates, who eventually see him as a royal pain. As a means to whip him into shape, North Korean Representative and Captain Kim Hang-ah "threatens" him into submission right after their first encounter. *
Jo Jung-suk Jo Jung-suk (born December 26, 1980) is a South Korean actor. He began his career in theater, starring in '' Spring Awakening'', '' Hedwig and the Angry Inch'', and the stage adaptation of ''The Harmonium in My Memory'', among many other music ...
as Eun Shi-kyung The son of the king's chief adviser Eun Kyu-tae, he is a South Korean military officer who participates in the joint collaboration. Later promoted to the Royal Guard, he is absolutely loyal and strict by nature, initially detested by Prince Jae-ha due to his "old-fashioned"-ness resembling King Jae-kang. He is romantically interested in Princess Jae-shin. *
Yoon Je-moon Yoon Je-moon (born March 9, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He appears in theater, film and television, notably in the movies ''The Man Next Door'' (2010) and ''Dangerously Excited'' (2012), and the TV series '' The End of the World'' (2013). F ...
as Kim Bong-gu (John Mayer) The series antagonist, a magician by day, an arms dealer, a terrorist mastermind, and an assassin by night. He decides to assassinate the South Korean king after peace talks are established between both sides of 38th Parallel which compromised the interest of his weapons business. He also has an even darker agenda waiting to be revealed. *
Lee Yoon-ji Lee Yoon-ji (born March 15, 1984) is a South Korean actress. After making her acting debut in the sitcom '' Nonstop 4'', Lee has starred in the television series '' Pure 19'' (2004), ''Princess Hours'' (2006), ''Dream High'' (2011), ''The King 2 ...
as Princess Lee Jae-shin The Princess of South Korea. Prince Jae-ha and King Jae-kang's younger sister. A royal by day and an underground rock band singer by night. She has a somewhat naughty sense of humor, which once got her arrested by Eun Shi-kyung (not knowing her true identity) when she dressed down and made fun of her royal self. However, she is paralyzed after her brother Jae-kang's death and her kidnapping.


Supporting characters

* Lee Sung-min as Lee Jae-kang (the King) **
Park Gun-tae Park Gun-woo (born Park Gun-tae on February 5, 1996) is a South Korean actor. He began his career as a child actor in TV series such as ''I'm Sorry, I Love You'' (2004), ''Time Between Dog and Wolf'' (2007) and '' East of Eden'' (2008). The teena ...
as young Jae-kang Jae-ha's and Jae-shin's oldest brother is the King of South Korea, a caring and responsible man to both the Royal Family and the rest of the country. After witnessing the collapse of the
Berlin Wall The Berlin Wall (german: Berliner Mauer, ) was a guarded concrete barrier that encircled West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, separating it from East Berlin and East Germany (GDR). Construction of the Berlin Wall was commenced by the government ...
on TV during childhood, he was inspired and later organized a plan to join the North and South Korean militaries in a world-scale competition between military officers. He also sent Jae-ha into the team to be trained with the hope of transforming him into one who can be sufficiently responsible as a member of the Royal Family. He was assassinated along with his wife Queen Hyun-joo during their vacation. It was later revealed that one of his deepest desires in life is to retire from the throne and go work as a farmer in the countryside. *
Youn Yuh-jung Youn Yuh-jung (, ; born June 19, 1947) is a South Korean actress, whose career in film and television spans over five decades. Her accolades include an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a British Academy Film Award, an Independent Spir ...
as Bang Yang-seon (the Queen Mother) The Queen Mother, mother of King Jae-kang, Prince (later King) Jae-ha and Princess Jae-shin. She was the first commoner-born Queen of South Korea. She knows the secret recipe of an ancient Korean clam soup that the members of the Royal Family like; only Korean queens are entrusted with this recipe. Even though she initially disliked Hang-ah (who was a North Korean), she warmed up to Hang-ah after seeing her take care of Princess Jae-shin. *
Lee Soon-jae Lee Soon-jae (; born November 16, 1934) is a South Korean actor. He has had a prolific career on the small and big screen spanning over six decades, and was given a second-class Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit for his work as an actor. Early an ...
as Eun Kyu-tae The palace chief adviser who plays a key role in the scheme plotted against the South Korean royalty by John Meyer. *
Jung Man-sik Jung Man-sik (; born December 11, 1974) is a South Korean actor. His name is also romanized as ''Jeong Man-sik'' or ''Joung Man-sik''. Filmography Film Television series * ''Jungle Fish 2'' (KBS2, 2010) * '' Athena: Goddess of War'' (SBS, ...
as Rhee Kang-seok A North Korean military man who participates in the join collaboration. Though he publicly denounces South Korean pop groups like
Girls Generation Girls' Generation (), also known as SNSD, is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group is composed of eight members: Taeyeon, Sunny (singer), Sunny, Tiffany Young, Tiffany, Kim Hyo-yeon, Hyoyeon, Kwon Yu-ri, Yuri, Choi S ...
, he secretly admires their music and get outraged when someone discover this side of his character. Skilled in a variety of Asian martial arts, he is seen precisely throwing dart-knives and using a
Rocket-propelled grenade A rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) is a shoulder-fired missile weapon that launches rockets equipped with an explosive warhead. Most RPGs can be carried by an individual soldier, and are frequently used as anti-tank weapons. These warheads are a ...
as a spear. *
Kwon Hyun-sang Im Dong-jae (born July 2, 1981), better known professionally as Kwon Hyun-sang, is a South Korean actor. Career Kwon Hyun-Sang made his acting debut in the 2008 horror movie ''Death Bell'', which was followed by supporting roles in several film ...
as Yeom Dong-ha A South Korean military man who participates in the joint collaboration. Later he is promoted to the Royal Guard. He offers advice to Prince Jae-ha in several schemes involving the capture of Hang-ah's heart. *
Choi Kwon Choi Kwon is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles as an aspiring dancer in '' Over the Rainbow'' (2006), and a North Korean soldier in ''The King 2 Hearts ''The King 2 Hearts'' () is a 2012 South Korean television series, sta ...
as Kwon Young-bae A North Korean military man who participates in the joint collaboration. He suggested a group photo between North and South Korean officers during the farewell party after the training mission. It is later revealed that he is a skilled sniper and his marksmanship was proven useful in saving King Jae-ha when he was threatened by a North Korean terrorist. * Lee Do-kyung as Kim Nam-il Deputy Minister of the North Korean
Ministry of Unification The Ministry of Unification is an executive department of the South Korean government aimed at promoting Korean reunification. It was first established in 1969 as the ''National Unification Board'', under the rule of Park Chung-hee. It gained its ...
and Captain Kim Hang-ah's father. He is concerned about the fact that his daughter is having a hard time trying to get married. When Hang-ah becomes the target of public suspicion for King Jae-kang's death, he quickly revealed the North Korean investigation result to King Jae-ha. Although constantly upset by Jae-ha's attitude towards his daughter, he manages to cast his political influence within the North Korean command in order to save him from the radical faction within the Korean People's Army. * Jeon Gook-hwan as Hyun Myung-ho Chairman of the North Korean Supreme Commission of People (aka the Head of State). He had secretly met the South Korean ambassador concerning the fact that there was a black box of coal ashes and a "North Korean model" smart phone found at the death site of the late King Jae-kang. While he does not like King Jae-ha, he is reluctant to fight against him. * Yeom Dong-hyun as Park Ho-chul
Prime minister of South Korea The prime minister of the Republic of Korea (PMOTROK or PMOSK; ) is the deputy head of government and the second highest political office of South Korea who is appointed by the President of the Republic of Korea, with the National Assembly's app ...
. He was threatened by King Jae-ha that if he does not publicly reveal the investigation results for the late King Jae-kang's death, he would not only vote against passing the bill to raise the salary of government officials, but he would use his royal power to veto it instead. * Lee Yeon-kyung as Park Hyun-joo (the Queen) The wife of King Jae-kang and sister-in-law to Jae-ha and Jae-shin. She loves her husband deeply and dreams about having a lot of kids someday.


Soundtrack

''The King 2 Hearts''
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
was released in five parts every week starting from March 28, 2012 and concluding on May 10, 2012.


Ratings

In the table below, represent the lowest ratings and represent the highest ratings.


Awards and nominations


International broadcast

* - 8TV, TV9 - June 2015 * - Channel 7 - May 21, 2015


References


External links


''The King 2 Hearts'' official MBC website


at MBC Global Media * * {{DEFAULTSORT:King 2 Hearts, The 2012 South Korean television series debuts 2012 South Korean television series endings MBC TV television dramas Korean-language television shows Alternate history television series South Korean alternate history South Korean action television series South Korean romance television series Television series by Kim Jong-hak Production