| The Princess' Man | |
|---|---|
| Format | Drama Period |
| Starring | Moon Chae Won Park Shi Hoo Lee Sun Jae Kim Young Chul |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| No. of episodes | 24 |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | Wednesday & Thursday, 9:55 PM (KST) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | KBS 2 KBS World (Worldwide) |
| Original airing | July 20,2011 (Korea) |
| External links | |
| Website | |
| The Princess’ Man | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 공주의 남자 |
| Revised Romanization | Gongjooeui Namja |
The Princess' Man is a romance drama set during the Joseon Dynasty.It tells about a tragic love story between the daughter of Grand Prince Suyang (later as King Sejo) and Kim Jongseo's son.
The Grand Prince SuYang attempts to build an alliance with his brother King MunJong's trusted prime Minister, Kim Jeong Soo's family. He proposes a marriage between his eldest daughter SeRyung and Jeong Soo's son, Kim Seung Yoo. Learning of this, SeRyung's curiosity regarding her prospective husband is piqued. On hearing that Kim Seung Yoo is going to take over as her cousin Princess Kyung Hee's new tutor, she persuades her to swap places with her so that she can catch a glimpse of her intended. Her first impression is not favourable and she is convinced that he is an arrogant womanizer. Later, as she attempts to master her current obsession with riding a horse, her horse runs away with her and Seung Yoo arrives in the nick of time to rescue her from being thrown off a precipice.
Meanwhile, Kim Jeong Soo rejects SuYang's proposal because he knows the Prince's aspirations regarding the throne and allies himself firmly with the King MunJong. King MunJong is impressed with Seung Yoo as a capable teacher and sees merit in having him on his side as a son-in-law, who is strong enough to protect the Crown Prince. He announces that Seung Yoo has been chosen as the Prince Consort. Seung Yoo is glad of the decision because of his growing feelings for SeRyung. Beginning to understand her passion to escape the confines of her cloistered life, he offers to teach her how to ride. Their blissful time together is cut short, by an unexpected attack by bandits sent by SuYang to assassinate Seung Yoo as revenge against Kim Jeong Soo. Seung Yoo is injured and as SeRyung risks her life to save him, the Chief Magistrate of the Capital's Police Bureau, Shin Myeon, chances to pass by and saves them. Shin Myeon also happens to be Seung Yoo's best friend, along with Jung Jong, whose noble family has fallen on harsh straits. Meanwhile, Seung Yoo and SeRyung meet outside the palace again.Even though Shin Myeon senses his friend's growing admiration for SeRyung, he too finds himself drawn to the brave and beautiful girl. His dilemma grows when Grand Prince SuYang offers SeRyung's hand in marriage to him in the hope of building an alliance with his politician father.
SeRyung learns that Seung Yoo is chosen as the candidate for Prince Consort and is devastated. Her cousin, Princess Kyung Hee understands the political import of marrying Seung Yoo and orders her not to meet Seung Yoo again, suspecting that the two are falling in love. Meanwhile, Seung Yoo and SeRyung meet outside the palace again. However, they are tailed by SuYang's spies. Following their time together, Seung Yoo writes a letter to SeRyung and sends it to the real Princess. Kyung Hee understanding that they met despite her orders, is furious. At the next lesson, she locks up SeRyung and takes her place, thereby revealing the deception to Seung Yoo. However she hides SeRyung's identity from him by calling her a palace maid who took her place.
The letter discarded by Princess Kyung Hee falls into the hands of SuYang. Using the letter, he demands that Seung Yoo be disqualified as a candidate for Prince Consort, insinuating that he dishonoured the Princess by meeting her outside the palace. When interrogated, Seung Yoo says he did not meet the Princess outside but hides SeRyung's part in it to spare her danger. Learning of the danger to Seung Yoo's life, SeRyung begs Princess Kyung Hee to intercede for Seung Yoo. Despite her intercession, the penalty for Seung Yoo's transgression is death. SuYang discovers SeRyung when she secretly visits Seung Yoo in prison and is horrified to learn of their dalliance. Relieved that Seung Yoo does not know who she is, he agrees to save Seung Yoo if she never meets him again and never reveals her identity to him. Kim Jeong Seo, desperate to save his son, approaches SuYang for help and agrees to pay the humiliating price of resigning his Vice Premiership. Seung Yoo's sentence is commuted to temporary exile. In place of Seung Yoo, Jung Jong is chosen as Prince Consort, bringing a drastic change in his fortunes. He is smitten with the Princess from the beginning; however, she detests him. SeRyung's relationship with Kyung Hee is also strained, with the Princess blaming her cousin for all the misfortunes she has undergone.
King MunJong collapses on the day of his daughter's wedding and his health takes a turn for the worse. Seung Yoo is summoned back by his brother, in order to assist their father in safeguarding the interests of the king. Seung Yoo runs into SeRyung on his return but coldly severes all ties with her. However, SeRyung's concern for her cousin coupled with the fact Jung Jong is Seung Yoo's friend, force the two to meet again. Both find it hard to repress their feelings and finally Seung Yoo declares his love for her. However, at exactly the same time, King MunJong expires. SuYang and his cronies arrive at the palace, jubilant that they can now control the Crown Prince. However, their plans are thwarted by Kim Jeong Seo, who was reinstated by the dead king to protect his son from SuYang's machinations. Furious, SuYang vows to kill Kim Jeong Seo.
As SeRyung and Seung Yoo blissfully revel in their love, SuYang prepares to stage a coup against Kim Seung Yoo. SeRyung stumbles on the plot too late and is foiled by her parents in her attempts to warn Seung Yoo and his family by her parents. Supported by Shin Myeon, SuYang ruthlessly murders his opponents, including Seung Yoo's father and brother. Seung Yoo barely escapes with his life. Reeling from his best friend's betrayal, he tries to kill SuYang, only to be shocked to discover that SeRyung is his daughter. Seung Yoo is sentenced to be killed. However, a last minute intercession by the Crown Prince saves his life and he is exiled to Kang Hwa island, along with the rest of SuYang's enemies. When SeRyung visits him in prison on the eve of his exile, his fury gets the better of him and he nearly chokes her to death. SeRyung admits her identity and begs him to survive, even if it is just so that he can kill her.
En route Kang Hwa island, the ship is sunk to ensure that none of SuYang's enemies survive. However, aided by a fellow prisoner, Ju Seok Ju, Seung Yoo manages to escape and return. Taking refuge at the gisaeng house Bing Og Gwan, owned by Seuk Ju, Seung Yoo plots his revenge. Meanwhile, SeRyung learns that Seung Yoo's ship sank. Despite her mourning, her parents fix the date of her wedding with Shin Myeon.
In an attempt to bait SuYang, he kidnaps SeRyung on the day of her wedding. He is mercilessly cruel to her, and reveals her father's part in the sinking of the ship. SuYang shows up to claim his beloved daughter but he survives Seung Yoo's arrow because of his armour. Meanwhile, Shin Myeon shoots an arrow at Seung Yoo, which is intercepted by SeRyung who takes the brunt of it. Shaken by her sacrifice on his behalf, Seung Yoo is shell shocked and he escapes only because Seuk Ju and his friend NohGul save him by forcibly dragging him away from her prone body.
SeRyung is taken home by her father and Shin Myeon is suspicious because she took the arrow on behalf of her kidnapper. However, the encounter with Seung Yoo and the kidnapping changes SeRyung's attitude to her father and Shin Myeon, now that she is aware of the extent to which they will go for power. Seung Yoo reveals that he is alive to Jung Jong and he is relieved to have an ally in the fight against SuYang. Foiled in his attempt to kill SuYang, Seung Yoo starts assassinating those who were privy to his family's murder. He leaves behind the alias of his deceased general father, Great Tiger, at each site to stir fear among his enemies.Se Ryung's attempts to atone for her father's atrocities gradually melts Seung Yoo's anger, especially when he learns that she saved his sister-in-law and niece's lives in the reprisal against the members of the rebel nobles' families. Grand Prince SuYang forces King Danjong to abdicate, and becomes crowned King Sejo of Joseon. SeRyung refuses to be crowned Princess and continues to bravely defy her father.
Seung Yoo gives up his vigilante assassinations at the behest of his old teacher, who urges him to join the larger cause of de-throning SuYang and restoring Dan Jong. SeRyung inadvertently learns of the plot and is caught in a terrible dilemma. Saving her father comes at the cost of her love and vice versa. However, the rebellion which was led by Six Scholars of the Hall of Worthies, including Seung Yoo's teacher fails, leading to their deaths and the exile of Princess Kyung Hee and her husband Jung Jong.
Seung Yoo manages to escape, but Shin Myeon discovers his identity. King Sejo (SuYang) learns that Seung Yoo is alive and that SeRyung may have had knowledge of the plot. The rift between father and daughter grows. SeRyung in a symbolic move, cuts her hair and renounces her tie to her father. When she takes refuge in a temple after leaving the palace, Seung Yoo takes her with him to Bing Og Gwan. However, Shin Myeon and his guards nearly tear apart the place searching for her, she surrenders herself up to them. In his rage, King Sejo sentences her to become a slave of ShinMyeon. However, Seung Yoo and his friends rescue her in the nick of time. Shin Myeon refuses to give up his quest to possess SeRyung and follows the pair to Princess Kyung Hee and Jung Jong's place of exile. In the course of Jung Jong protecting the pair, Shin Myeon comes to learn that Jung Jong is plotting yet another rebellion. He is arrested and executed, leaving behind a devastated and pregnant Kyung Hee.
Meanwhile, in addition to their grief over the loss of Jung Jong, the lovers face more obstacles. The rebel leaders with whom Seung Yoo continues the plan for the attack refuse to accept her, because of her link to King Sejo. Seung Yoo and SeRyung pledge their love as husband and wife and agree to separate till the battle is over. However, when Shin Myeon plans to use SeRyung as bait to lure Seung Yoo, she escapes and warns her husband. In the battle that follows, Shin Myeon is killed and Seung Yoo's side wins. Seung Yoo moves forward with his plan to assassinate the king and nearly succeeds, but for a momentary distraction caused by learning of SeRyung's pregnancy. Both SeRyung and Seung yoo are sent to jail. Seung Yoo nearly dies and SeRyung accepts her fate. However, SeRyung's mother orchestrates their escape.
Years later, we see that Seung Yoo has become blind after his brush with death. However, both of them now have a lovely daughter and are happy, even if they are poor. In the backdrop of their bliss, we see an aged King Sejo who has let go of his bitterness and who watches his daughter's happiness in secret.