The series follows a group of rich, privileged, and elite high school students as they are about to take over their families' business empires, overcoming difficulties and growing every step of the way.
Kim Tan (Lee Min-ho) is a wealthy heir to a large Korean conglomerate. He was exiled to the U.S. by his brother Kim Won (Choi Jin-hyuk), who tries to take control of the family business. While in the States, he meets Cha Eun-sang (Park Shin-hye), who went there to look for her sister. Despite being engaged to Rachel Yoo (Kim Ji-won), a fellow heiress, Kim Tan soon falls in love with Eun-sang. When Kim Tan returns to Korea, his former best friend turned enemy Choi Young-do (Kim Woo-bin) begins picking on Eun-sang to irritate Tan. Tension ensues when Young-do also falls in love with Eun-sang, and Kim Tan is forced to choose between responsibility or love.
Lee Min-ho as Kim Tan (김탄)Jung Chan-woo as young Kim TanThe future heir to the Jeguk (meaning "Empire") Group. He is the son of his father's mistress, but is listed in the family registry as the son of the second wife in order to be a legitimate heir. Though hot-headed and at times immature, Kim Tan is warm-hearted and honest. Although he is engaged to Rachel Yoo, he is attracted to Cha Eun-sang at first sight and falls in love with her despite her poor background.
Park Shin-hye as Cha Eun-sang (차은상)Down-to-earth and somewhat cynical, Eun-sang diligently works part-time jobs to support herself and her mother after her sister leaves for the U.S. She lives in Kim Tan's home, since her mother is a live-in housekeeper of the Kim family. She is enrolled in Jeguk High School on a welfare scholarship given by President Kim.
Kim Woo-bin as Choi Young-do (최영도)Yang Hyun-mo as young Young-doThe heir to the Zeus Hotel Group. Known for his cunning intellect and volatile manners, he is feared by his classmates, whom he bullies. He is former best friends with Kim Tan, but a misunderstanding made them enemies. Young-do begins picking on Eun-sang to irritate Tan but he soon realizes that's not the only reason she's always on his mind.
Kim Ji-won as Rachel YooKim Tan's fiancée. The rich, chic and haughty heiress of clothing company RS International, she is also known as "Jeguk High School's "
Paris Hilton". She dislikes Cha Eun-sang, and attempts many times to split her and Kim Tan apart. She is also on close terms with Tan's half-brother, Kim Won.
Kang Min-hyuk as Yoon Chan-young (윤찬영)Son of the Jeguk Group's secretary. Kind, cool-headed, warm, and smart, Chan-young always sees the best in people. Despite being in the social care group, he doesn't get picked on by the "higher social status" students because he is the class president. He is also Eun-sang's best friend, and his friendship with her makes his girlfriend, Lee Bo-na jealous. Nonetheless, Chan-young thinks that everything Bo-na does is cute, especially when she is jealous.
Krystal Jung as Lee Bo-na (이보나)Daughter of the CEO of Mega Entertainment. Though somewhat spoiled, she is actually kind-hearted. She is Kim Tan's first love and ex-girlfriend, and now they are still on friendly terms. She is now dating Chan-young. She dislikes Eun-sang at first for being Chan-young's best friend, believing that "there is no way for a girl and a boy to simply be just friends", but as the time goes by she became friends with her.
Kang Ha-neul as Lee Hyo-shin (이효신)Son of the attorney general. Calm and laid back, he runs the school broadcasting system together with Bo-na and later Eun-sang. He is also close friends with Kim Tan. Hyo-shin is constantly pressurized by his family to get into law school, despite his dislike for the profession. To overcome his family's pressure, he joins the
army without telling anyone besides Tan and Rachel. Hyo-shin also has a one-sided crush on his his private tutor, Jeon Hyun-joo, but later falls for Rachel.
Park Hyung-sik as Jo Myeong-su (조명수)Son of the CEO of Victory Law Firm, the largest law firm in town. He is quick-witted, playful and often jokes around. He often hangs out at night clubs and take photos of his friends. He is best friends with Young-do and Bo-na (the three often hang out together in Myeong-su's studio, where there is a wall covered in pictures of his friends and family.).
Jeon Soo-jin as Kang Ye-sol (강예솔)The daughter of a former bar hostess who owns 10 large bars in
Gangnam,
Seoul. She is Lee Bo-na's best friend. Her existence in Jeguk High School was unremarkable until Rachel exposed her mother's profession, which temporarily halted her friendship with Bo-na. She has a crush on Choi Young-do.
Cho Yoon-woo as Moon Jun-yeong (문준영)A victim of Choi Young-do's bullying at Jeguk High School due to his "welfare status." He later leaves to another school.
Choi Tae-hwan as Lee Sang-wooYoung-do's lackey.
Choi Jin-hyuk as Kim Won (김원)Kim Tan's older half-brother. An accomplished and capable young executive who runs his family's giant conglomerate, Jeguk Group. At constant friction with his family, he attempts to rule the company himself, and fears that Tan will get in his way. Due to this, he had never had a real brotherly relationship with Tan, despite the latter trying everything he can to win his brother's heart. He is in a relationship with Hyun-joo, whom he later gives up on for the sake of the company.
Lim Ju-eun as Jeon Hyeon-joo (전현주)A teacher at Jeguk High School. Diligent and earnest, Hyun-joo gets Kim Won's attention for her sharp intelligence, and they enter into a relationship. But she eventually broke up with Won to allow him to concentrate on running the company. She is also the private tutor of Hyo-shin, who had a crush on her.
Kim Mi-kyung as Park Hui-nam (박희남)The mute housekeeper of the Kim family, and mother of Eun-sang. She lost her voice when she was three years old due to a severe fever. She often gives advice to Tan's mother. She is kind, and wants the best for her daughter.
Kim Sung-ryung as Han Ki-ae (한기애)Kim Tan's mother and the mistress of Kim Nam-yoon. Though somewhat vain and self-centered, she cares for her son deeply and only wants him to be happy.
Jung Dong-hwan as Kim Nam-yoon (김남윤)President of Jeguk Group, and father of Kim Tan and Kim Won.
Park Joon-geum as Jeong Ji-suk (정지숙)Chairwoman of Jeguk High School. Kim Nam-yoon's second wife, and Kim Tan's registered mother. Selfish and controlling, she attempts to take over Jeguk Group when her husband, the chairman falls ill.
Yoon Son-ha as Esther Lee (에스도 이)President of RS International and Rachel's mother, who is engaged to Choi Dong-uk, Young-do's father. However, she still appears to be in love with Yoon Jae-ho, whom she previously gave up on to marry someone who would help her business.
Choi Won-young as Yoon Jae-ho (윤재호)Jeguk Group's secretary and Chan-young's father, who is previously involved with Esther Lee.
Choi Jin-ho as Choi Dong-uk (최동욱)President of Zeus Hotel Group and father of Young-do. He is controlling and violent, and became a womanizer after his first wife, Young-do's mother, left their family. He is engaged to Esther Lee.
Baek Seung-hyeon as Secretary JungChoi Ji-na as Yoo Kyung-ran (유경란), Young-do's motherSeo Yi-sook as Hyo-shin's motherJung Won-joong as Lee Chan-hyuk, Hyo-shin's fatherLee Yeon-kyung as Bo-na's motherRa Mi-ran as Myung-soo's motherChoi Eun-kyung as Ye-sol's motherYoon Jin-seo as Cha Eun-seok / Stella, Eun-sang's sister (ep 1)Kim Heechul as music program MC (ep 4)2EYES as themselves (ep 4)VIXX as themselves (ep 4)BTOB as themselves (ep 4)Jung Joo-hee as announcer (ep 15–16)Wang Ji-won as Yang Da-kyung, Kim Won's blind date (ep 17, 19–20)Lee Hyun-jin as Lee Hyun-jin, Bo-na's older brother (ep 19)Due to its star-studded cast and writer Kim Eun-sook (who previously wrote Lovers in Paris, Secret Garden and A Gentleman's Dignity), international broadcasting rights were sold to 13 countries. It had the highest selling price in Japan among all the 2013 Korean dramas at US$30,000 for each episode. And as of January 26, 2014, the series has garnered more than one billion views on Youku, China's biggest video streaming site.
China – Sohu and Youku Hongkong – TVB J2 Indonesia – RCTI, Iflix Israel – Viva Japan – KNTV Malaysia – ONE TV ASIA, 8TV (Malaysia), Iflix Middle East and North Africa – MBC 4 Mongolia – Mongol TV Philippines – ABS-CBN, Jeepney TV, Iflix Romania – Euforia TV Singapore – ONE TV ASIA, MediaCorp Channel U Sri Lanka – Derana TV, Iflix India – Puthuyugam TV Thailand – Workpoint TV, Iflix Vietnam – HTV3 (September 15, 2014) Myanmar – MRTV-4A 2014 Chinese television drama titled Billion Dollar Heir (亿万继承人) starring Yu Xiao Tong, Kan Qing Zi and Korean singer-actor Choi Siwon was originally reported to be a remake of The Heirs, but this was later denied by Choi and director Li Shao Hong, citing the completely different story and characters. In 2016, it was announced that a Korea-Chinese film based on The Heirs is in the works.
