The Most Regal Korean Actors As Emperors, Kings, And Princes In K-Dramas
They give justice to their roles as royals
Make way for Your Majesty (or shall we say, pyeha?)!
Many Korean series are historical dramas set in Joseon or Goryeo eras. Some depict these eras along with the modern day—like Legend of the Blue Sea, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo, and a bit in the recently-concluded Mr. Queen—where the characters are either reincarnated or transported back in time. Some feature characters as members of the royal family or as monarchs in more modern settings like the Princess Hours, The King 2 Hearts, and The King: Eternal Monarch.
More than the exciting and tension-filled plot lines of these historical dramas (or sageuk), what adds to their charm are the Korean actors who bring the characters of emperors, kings, crown princes, and princes to life. Taking on these regal roles is not the easiest thing to do—they need to make their characters look dignified and worthy of respect. And these actors manage to do just that, plus they look so majestic in traditional Korean clothing too!
Check out the gallery below to see the handsome Korean actors who played the roles of emperors, kings, crown princes, and princes:
Korean Actors As Royals
Korean Actors As Royals
Kim Jung-Hyun in "Mr. Queen"
In this recently-concluded drama that now holds the seventh spot in the list of the highest-rated dramas in Korean cable TV history, Kim Jung-hyun is King Cheoljong, the 25th king of the Joseon Dynasty who's perceived as a weak king—a puppet king controlled by the Grand Queen Dowager—but he is, in fact, strong and upright.
Photo Credit: tvN via @jhkim0405
Photo Credit: tvN
Jung Il-Woo in "Haechi"
Here, he's Lee Geum, Prince Yeoning who's later known as King Yeongjo. He's intelligent and passionate but he isn't respected in the beginning because his mother comes from the lowest class.
Photo Credit: SBS
Photo Credit: SBS
Song Geon-Hee in "Mystic Pop-Up Bar"
He's Crown Prince Yi Heon, who falls in love with the daughter of a shaman, Wol Joo (portrayed by Park Si-eun and later on Hwang Jung-eum). Wol Joo commits suicide and is punished to live for 500 years more while settling the grudges of 100,000 souls. Crown Prince Yi Heon is reincarnated, as portrayed by Choi Won-young, to keep his promise of protecting Wol Joo.
Photo Credit: JTBC
Photo Credit: JTBC
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Shim Chang-Min in "The Scholar Who Walks the Night"
He's Crown Prince Lee Yoon. He's the son of Crown Prince Sadong, and is looking to take revenge on the man who killed his father.
Photo Credit: MBC
Photo Credit: MBC
Ji Jin-Hee in "Dong Yi"
In the series based on real-life historical figure Choi Suk-bin, Ji Jin-hee is King Sukjong. He chooses Dong Yi/Choi Suk-bin(portrayed by Han Hyo-joo), a lowly water maid in the royal palace, to be his concubine.
Photo Credit: MBC
Photo Credit: MBC
Jang Hyuk in "Shine or Go Crazy"
He's Wang So (later King Gwangjong), who was born a prince of Goryeo but is exiled from the palace, with the members of the royal family turning their backs on him because of an ill-fated prophecy.
Photo Credit: MBC
Photo Credit: MBC
Yeon Woo-Jin in "Queen for Seven Days"
He's Lee Yeok, also known as Prince Jinseong-daegun and "Nak-chun." Later, he's known as King Jungjong. He falls in love with the daughter of a prominent politician (portrayed by Park Min-young) who is dethroned after being a queen for a week.
Photo Credit: KBS2
Photo Credit: KBS2
Do Kyung-Soo in "100 Days My Prince"
He's Lee Yul / Na Won-deuk, a crown prince who becomes a man of low status because of an accident.
Photo Credit: tvN
Photo Credit: tvN
Yeo Jin-Goo in "The Royal Gambler" and "The Crowned Clown"
In "The Royal Gambler," he's Yeon Ying-gun, later as King Yeongjo of the Joseon era, a man of conviction. In "The Crowned Clown," he plays two roles: as King Yi Heon and as Ha-seon as the clown; the King puts a clown who looks like him in his place for fear of being assassinated but then the clown later becomes worthy of the throne.
Photo Credit: SBS
Photo Credit: tvN
Im Si-Wan in "The King in Love"
He's Wang Won, the crown prince of Goryeo, an ambitious monarch who happens to be Korea's first royalty of mixed heritage.
Photo Credit: MBC
Photo Credit: MBC
Ju Ji-Hoon in "Kingdom" and "Princess Hours"
In "Kingdom," he's Crown Prince Lee Chang, the Crown Prince of Joseon and is the current heir to the throne who's challenged to face a plague. In "Princess Hours," he's Crown Prince Lee Shin, who gets into an arranged marriage with the female lead (portrayed by Yoon Eun-hye).
Photo Credit: Netflix
Photo Credit: MBC
Seo In-Guk in "The King's Face"
He's Prince Gwanghae, the child of a concubine, who becomes the crown prince of Joseon.
Photo Credit: KBS
Photo Credit: MBC
Yoo Seung-Ho in "The Emperor: Owner of the Mask," "Arang and the Magistrate," and "Queen Seondeok"
In "The Emperor: Owner of the Mask," he's Crown Prince Yi Sun of Joseon. In "Arang and the Magistrate," he's the Jade Emperor, King of Heaven. In "Queen Seondeok," he's Kim Chunchu (later King Taejong Muyeol), the ruler of the next age and ruler of the Three Kingdoms.
Photo Credit: MBC
Photo Credit: MBC
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Yoo Ah-In in "Six Flying Dragons" and "Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love"
"Six Flying Dragons" tells the story of six people with Lee Bang-won (Yoo Ah-in) as the central character. He's the third king of the Joseon Dynasty. In "Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love," he's Lee Soon (later King Sukjong), who struggles to gain power from the nobility.
Photo Credit: SBS
Photo Credit: SBS
Kang Ha-Neul in "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo"
He's 8th Prince Wang Wook. He's a gentle and warm-hearted guy who falls in love with a girl who's led a painful life (portrayed by IU).
Photo Credit: SBS
Photo Credit: SBS
Park Hyung-Sik in "Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth"
He's Sammaekjong / Kim Ji-dwi / King Jinheung, a young king who goes into hiding because of an assassination threat and later becomes a hwarang warrior.
Photo Credit: KBS2
Photo Credit: KBS2 via Twitter
Lee Seung-Gi in "The King 2 Hearts"
He plays the character of Prince Lee Jae-ha, the Crown Prince of South Korea who has a high IQ. He participates in a joint military exercise between North and South Korea, organized by the King and the North Korean Military Command. He goes on to become a king.
Photo Credit: MBC
Photo Credit: MBC
Lee Joon-Gi in "Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo"
He's 4th Prince Wang So, an aloof and often-misunderstood man who hides his face behind a mask.
Photo Credit: SBS
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Photo Credit: Namoo Actors
Lee Min-Ho in "The King: Eternal Monarch"
As Lee Gon, his role is the third king of the Kingdom of Corea (the parallel world of the Republic of Korea) who is out to stop his half-uncle from blurring the line separating these two worlds.
Photo Credit: Netflix
Photo Credit: Netflix
Ji Chang-Wook in "Empress Ki"
He's Toghon Temür / Ta Hwan, the Emperor of Yuan. He gets married to a Goryeo-born woman (portrayed by Ha Ji-won), making her the empress of Yuan dynasty.
Photo Credit: AsianWiki
Photo Credit: MBC
Park Bo-Gum in "Love in the Moonlight"
As Lee Yeong, he's the Crown Prince and the heir to the throne. He falls in love with a street-smart girl who becomes his eunuch (portrayed by Kim Yoo-jung).
Photo Credit: KBS2
Photo Credit: KBS2
Kim Soo-Hyun in "Moon Embracing the Sun"
He's Crown Prince / King Lee Hwon (or King Taejong). He falls in love with the appointed Crown Princess (portrayed by Kim Yoo-jung and later on Han Ga-in) but she mysteriously dies. King Lee Hwon later meets a shaman who looks like the Crown Princess.
Photo Credit: MBC
Photo Credit: Soompi
Who's your favorite actor who portrayed the role of an emperor, king, crown prince, or prince?
Lead photos from tvN, MBC, and SBS via Netflix
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