Splendid Politics () is a 2015 South Korean television series starring Cha Seung-won, Lee Yeon-hee, Kim Jaewon, Seo Kang-joon, Han Joo-wan and Jo Sung-ha. It aired on MBC from April 13 to September 29, 2015 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 22:00 for 50 episodes.
The Korean title Hwajeong is a shortened version of Hwaryeohan Jeongchi (literally "Splendid Politics").
Plot Prince Gwanghae (portrayed by Cha Seung-won), son of a concubine, usurps the Joseon throne from the direct bloodline of his father, King Seonjo (portrayed by Park Yeong-gyu).
After her younger brother, Grand Prince Yeongchang (portrayed by Jeon Jin-seo), is executed, Princess Jeongmyeong (portrayed by Lee Yeon-hee), who managed to flee the palace during the massacre, starts living as a commoner disguised as a man while plotting her revenge.
Cast Main Cha Seung-won as Yi Hon, Prince Gwanghae Lee Tae-hwan as young Yi Hon Lee Yeon-hee as Princess Jeongmyeong Jung Chan-bi as young Princess Jeongmyeong Heo Jung-eun as child Princess Jeongmyeong Kim Jae-won as Prince Neungyang, later King Injo Seo Kang-joon as Hong Joo-won Yoon Chan-young as young Hong Joo-won Choi Kwon-soo as child Hong Joo-won Han Joo-wan as Kang In-woo Ahn Do-gyu as young Kang In-woo Lee Tae-woo as child Kang In-woo Jo Sung-ha as Kang Joo-sun, Kang In-woo's father
Supporting Royal Household Park Yeong-gyu as King Seonjo Shin Eun-jung as Queen Inmok Choi Jong-hwan as Prince Imhae Jang Seung-jo as Prince Jeongwon, Prince Neungyang's father Kim Gyu-sun as Princess Jeonghye Jeon Jin-seo as Grand Prince Yeongchang Lee Seung-ah as Queen Inryeol Baek Sung-hyun as Crown Prince Sohyeon Kim Hee-jung as Crown Princess Minhoe Lee Tae-ri as Grand Prince Bongrim, later King Hyojong Song Jun-hee as child Grand Prince Bongrim Kim Min-seo as Jo Yeo-jeong / Royal Consort So-yong of the Okcheon Jo clan Choi Woo-jin as Yi Jing, Prince Sungseon
Northern Faction (Gwanghae Group) Jung Woong-in as Lee Yi-cheom Kim Yeo-jin as Court Lady Kim Gae-shi Jo Jung-eun as young Kim Gae-shi Shin Rin-ah as child Kim Gae-shi Han Myung-koo as Chung In-hong Yoo Seung-mok as Yoo Hee-boon Jung Kyu-soo as Lee Choong Lee Jae-gu as the Chief Eunuch
Western Faction (Injo Group) Jo Min-ki as Kim Ja-jeom Park Jun-gyu as Kim Ryu Jang Gwang as Yi Gwi Kim Hyung-beom as Kim Kyung-jing, Kim Ryu's son Lee Seung-hyo as Lee Si-baek Kim Seo-kyung as Lee Si-bang Jung Wook as a State Ceremony Eunuch
People around Princess Jeongmyeong Im Ho as Choi Myung-gil Lee Jae-yong as Kim Sang-hun Kim Chang-wan as Lee Won-ik Kim Seung-wook as Lee Hang-bok Um Hyo-sup as Hong Yeong, Hong Joo-won's father Kim Young-im as Court Lady Jung Gong Myung as Ja-gyung Kang Chan-hee as young Ja-gyung
Other subordinates Ahn Nae-sang as Heo Gyun Lee Sung-min as Lee Duk-hyung Nam Da-reum as young Duk-hyung Park Ji-il as Kim Je-nam, Queen Inmok's father Jung Hae-kyun as Kang Hong-rib
Cameo Park Won-sang as Jang Bong-soo Kim Kwang-kyu as Yi Yeong-bu Kwak Dong-yeon as Yi Ui-rip Jo Jae-ryong as Bang-Geun Lee Seung-hyung as Yi-seo Kim Hyun as Court Lady Inspector Hwang Young-hee as Ok-joo Baek Su-ryeon as Soo Ryun-gae Lee Jae-gu Kim Ki-bang as Gu-bok Kim Kyu-chul Kang Shin-il Jung Ji-so as Eun-seol Kang Dae-hyun as Su-Deok Kang Moon-young as Lady Yoon, Kang Joo-sun's wife Kim So-yi as Court Lady Choi Baek Soo-ryun as Soo Ryun-gae Jang Hyuk-jin as Maruno Jung Sung-woon as Hong Taiji Kim Joon-bae as Yong Gol-dae
Ratings In the table below, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings. Episode #Original broadcast date Average audience shareTNmS RatingsAGB NielsenNationwideSeoul National Capital AreaNationwideSeoul National Capital Area12015-04-1310.0%12.3%10.5%12.0%22015-04-1410.5%12.4%12.8%32015-04-209.0%11.6%10.9%12.6%42015-04-2110.4%12.6%10.8%12.1%52015-04-279.7%12.1%9.9%11.2%62015-04-2810.0%12.0%10.9%11.6%72015-05-049.2%10.9%9.4%10.2%82015-05-059.9%12.0%10.3%11.7%92015-05-118.3%9.8%9.5%10.8%102015-05-129.3%10.6%10.1%11.4%112015-05-188.2%9.9%10.6%12.4%122015-05-199.2%11.2%11.4%13.0%132015-05-258.3%10.2%10.4%11.5%142015-05-268.9%11.0%12.2%152015-06-018.4%9.9%10.6%12.5%162015-06-029.1%11.2%10.2%11.6%172015-06-088.8%11.1%11.9%182015-06-0911.0%12.7%192015-06-1510.3%12.1%10.7%12.4%202015-06-169.3%11.1%11.0%12.5%212015-06-2210.1%11.8%11.6%222015-06-239.9%12.1%10.7%12.2%232015-06-299.2%10.8%10.0%10.8%242015-06-309.7%12.0%9.8%252015-07-068.0%9.8%8.9%9.8%262015-07-078.4%10.3%8.8%272015-07-138.3%10.6%9.1%10.2%282015-07-147.6%9.2%9.8%10.8%292015-07-207.8%9.8%9.9%10.9%302015-07-219.4%10.9%11.4%12.3%312015-07-277.5%9.2%10.3%11.5%322015-07-289.2%10.4%332015-08-037.9%9.3%9.1%10.7%342015-08-049.2%9.9%9.8%11.0%352015-08-108.0%9.5%9.0%10.5%362015-08-118.6%9.6%10.7%12.4%372015-08-178.1%9.6%10.4%382015-08-188.8%10.7%9.7%10.6%392015-08-247.9%8.7%8.8%10.5%402015-08-258.2%9.0%9.9%412015-08-317.3%8.5%9.5%422015-09-018.5%10.1%8.9%9.6%432015-09-077.3%7.6%8.1%9.3%442015-09-087.8%8.3%9.1%452015-09-147.1%8.5%8.1%8.7%462015-09-158.7%10.3%10.8%12.2%472015-09-217.4%7.7%9.7%10.9%482015-09-228.3%9.3%10.5%12.1%492015-09-28502015-09-296.2%7.2%7.8%8.8%Average
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Recipient Result 2015 8th Korea Drama Awards Grand Prize (Daesang) Excellence Award, Actor Seo Kang-joon Hot Star Award 4th APAN Star Awards Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Serial Drama 23rd Korea Cultural Entertainment Awards Best Actor Award, Drama 34th MBC Drama Awards Grand Prize (Daesang) Cha Seung-won Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Special Project Drama Excellence Award, Actor in a Special Project Drama Excellence Award, Actress in a Special Project Drama Best Supporting Actor in a Special Project Drama Best New Actor in a Special Project Drama Top 10 Stars Award
Notes
References
External links Splendid Politics official MBC website
Hwajung, Princess of Light at MBC Global Media