Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth

Synopsis

Jiso has ruled the Kingdom of Silla as regent since King Beopheung passed away, keeping her young son Sammaekjong hidden outside of the capital Seorabeol and safe from enemies and assassins. As Sammaekjong comes of age, nobles, citizens, officials and Sammaekjong himself have all grown impatient for her to cede power. However the powerful nobles that tried to usurp power in the Kingdom continue to eye the throne and Ji-so fears the consequences of her ceding it.

In order to break the power of the nobles, who have grown accustomed to their privileges under the bone rank system, Jiso plans to create a new elite, the Hwarang, that will cut across the existing power factions, and to bind them to Sammaekjong and the throne. As this new elite of male youths bond and grow they are unaware that within their number is their future king, Sammaekjong, and Kim Sun-woo, a commoner with a secret even he is not aware of.

Main

Park Seo-joon as Moo-myung / Kim Sun-woo / Kim Isabu / Dog-Bird

A young man of low birth who rises above his situation in life to become a legendary hwarang warrior. He assumes the identity of his best friend Kim Sun-woo, Ah-ro's biological brother, after he is killed by one of the Queen Dowager's men. It is revealed that he is the son of Prince Hwi-kyung, making him King Jinheung's cousin.

Park Hyung-sik as Sammaekjong / Kim Ji-dwi / King Jinheung

A young and distrustful king who goes into hiding due to assassination attempts and secretly becomes a hwarang warrior, gaining strength and leadership ability in the process. He joins the hwarang under the assumed identity Kim "Ji-dwi" as the Hwarang Chief Kim Wi-hwa's fake "nephew."

Go Ara as Kim Ah-ro

A "half-breed" (derogative term for aristocrat (jin-gol)—lower class offspring) with a cheerful and straightforward personality, whose father is of jin-gol birth while her mother a servant. She works multiple part-time jobs to support her family; in particular as physician to the Hwarang. She easily make friends. Later she fell in love with Sun-wu.

Royal Family

Kim Ji-soo as Queen Mother Jiso

Silla's acting Queen Regent for 10 years in the name of her son Sammaekjong, whom she has hidden ever since the death of her father the previous king 11 years ago. She is the founder of the Hwarang and has many dark secrets within.

Seo Ye-ji as Princess Sukmyeong

Sammaekjong's maternal half-sister, as well as future consort. She is interested in Sunwoo. Momentarily residing with the hwarang under the Queen Mother's orders.

Song Yeong-kyu as Lord Kim Hwi-kyung

The Queen Mother's elder brother and originally the Crown Prince of Silla, his name was removed from the royal family records due to polio. Sun-woo (Moo-myung)'s biological father.

Special appearance

Kim Min-joon as Crown Prince Chang (later, Wideok of Baekje) (Ep. 14, 15)

Production

The series reunited Sung Dong-il and Go Ara who previously worked together as father and daughter in tvN's Reply 1994 (2013) as well as Sung and Yoo Jae-myung who both starred in the hit series Reply 1988. It also serves as a reunion to Park Hyung-sik and Choi Won-young who worked together in the 2013 SBS hit drama The Heirs.

The first script reading took place on March 2016. Filming began on March 31 and finished in September 1, 2016.

Ratings

In the table below, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.

NR denotes that the drama did not rank in the top 20 daily programs on that date.

On January 30, 2017 at 12:35 (KST), KBS2 aired a 'Lunar New Year' two special episodes condensing the first 12 episodes of the drama into 150 mintues episode.