The Dawn of the Empire () is a South Korean historical television series which aired on KBS1 from March 2, 2002 to January 26, 2003 for 94 episodes every weekend at 21:45 (KST). It was KBS' second historical series set in Goryeo after Taejo Wang Geon and revolved around the reigns of the second, third and fourth kings of Goryeo, particularly the fourth one, Gwangjong's.
Written by Lee Hwan-kyung, it was the first South Korean drama to be filmed in North Korea, particularly in Pyongyang and Mount Baekdu. Open sets built in Andong, Mungyeong and Jecheon for Taejo Wang Geon were also used.
The drama debuted with a viewership of 31.9%, which later fell to an average of 19.6%, lower than had been expected. Eventually, the broadcaster decided to shorten the series.
Cast Main Kim Sang-joong as King Gwangjong 4th ruler of Goryeo Jun Hye-jin as Queen Daemok Gwangjong's primary wife, formerly half-sister Choi Jae-sung as King Jeongjong 3rd ruler of Goryeo Hong Ri-na as Queen Mungong Jeongjong's 1st wife Kim Min-woo as Crown Prince Wang Ju Gwangjong and Daemok's son
Supporting Royal household Around Taejo Choi Soo-jong and Lee Moon-soo as King Taejo (cameo) Ban Hyo-jung as Lady Oh, Queen Janghwa Taejo's 2nd wife and Hyejong's mother Jung Young-sook as Lady Yoo, Queen Sinmyeong Taejo's 3rd wife, Jeongjong and Gwangjong's mother Ahn Hae-sook as Lady Hwangbo, Queen Sinjeong Taejo's 4th wife, Daejong and Daemok's mother Han Bok-hee as Lady Dongyangwon Seo Mi-ae as Lady Sogwangwon Jung Gook-jin as King Daejong Daemok's older brother Lee Kan-hee as Princess Naknang Kim Bu's 2nd wife and Taejo's oldest daughter Go Dong-hyun as Prince Hyoeun Park Jin-hyung as young Prince Hyoeun Kim Gwang-young as Prince Wonnyeong Choi Sung-min as Prince Hyoseong
Around Hyejong Noh Young-gook as King Hyejong 2nd ruler of Goryeo Kim Hyun-joo as Queen Uihwa Hyejong's primary wife Kang Kyung-hun as Lady Hugwangjuwon Oh Ji-young as Lady Cheongjuwon Kim Min-kyung as Lady Gyeonghwa Jang Han-na as young Lady Gyeonghwa Hyejong and Uihwa's daughter who become Gwangjong's 2nd wife. Kim Gyu-min as Prince Heunghwa Seo Hyun-suk as young Prince Heunghwa Hyejong and Uihwa's son
Around Jeongjong Kim Hyo-joo as Queen Munseong Mungong's younger sister Do Ji-young as Lady Cheongjunamwon Cheongjuwon's younger sister Kim Min-woo as Prince Gyeongchunwon Sung Nak-man as young Prince Gyeongchunwon Jeongjong and Munseong's only son
People in Silla Lee Do-ryun as Kim Bu, Duke Jungsung The last ruler of Silla
Officials and nobles Kim Heung-ki as Wang Sik-ryeom, Taejo's cousin and Jeongjong's supporter Min-Wook as Wang Yuk Jo Kyung-hwan as Park Sul-hee, Hyejong's supporter Kim Mu-saeng as Ham Gyu, later Wang Gyu Baek In-chul as Yeom Sang Kim Sang-soon as Park Yeong-gyu, Mungong and Munseong's father Jung Dong-hwan as Choi Ji-mong Jung Sang-chul as Park Su-gyeong Kim Young-in as Park Su-mun Lee Hyo-jung as Shuang Ji (Ssang Gi) Lee Ji-hyung as Choi Seung-ro Jung Woon-yong as Wang Yung Park Seung-gyoo as Shin Gang Kwon Hyuk-ho as Kwon Shin Han Bum-hee as Seo Hui Lee Dae-ro as Seo Pil, Seo Hui's father Lee Jae-yun as Lee Mong-yu Byun Hee-bong as Kim Geung-ryul Kim Soo-il as Yu Cheon-gung Heo Hyun-ho as Yu Geung-dal, Queen Sinmyeong's father Kim Gi-bok as Hwangbo Sung Heo Gi-ho as Kim Yeong Choi Hun-chul as Shin Jil Jang Gi-yong as Jang Yu Choi Sung-joon as Wang Ham-yun Park Gyung-deuk as Kang Gi-ju Jung-Wook as Ham Soon Maeng Bong-hak as So Mu-gae Yang Jae-sung as Ssang Cheol Yoo Byung-han as Wang Seung Kim Sung-ok as Kwon Jik Park Jung-woong as Mister Hwangbo Park Young-tae as Hwangbo Gwang-gyeom Kim Joo-young as Kim Gyeon-sul Lee Han-seung as Im Hui Park Jin-sung as Yu Shin-sung Song Geum-shik as Jang Dan-seol Shin Dong-hoon as Hwangbo Wi-gwang Im Byung-gi as Choi Haeng-gwi Lee Dae-gun as Choi Seom Nam Il-woo as Kim Ak Won Suk-yun as Wang Ham-min Nam Young-jin as Han Hyeon-gyu Lee Yong-jin as Park Seung-wi Park Yoo-seung as Park Seung-gyeong Shin Dong-il as Park Seung-rye Lee Gye-young as Son So Na Jae-gyoon as Seol Mun-u Cha Gi-hwan as Shik Hoi Oh Seung-myung as Myeong Cheon-gong Lee Jong-man as Ju Sul-sa Im Gyung-ok as Cho Seon
People in Goguryeo Kim Dae-hwan as Yang Man-choon Im Sun-taek as Yeon Gaesomoon
Buddhist monk Jung Wook as Tanmun, Gyunyeo's teacher Jung Seung-ho as Gyunyeo
People in Huju Kim Gi-jin as Yeo Gye-bin Lee Hyo-jung as Ssang-gi Yang Jae-sung as Ssang-chul
People in Eastern Jurchen Gook Jung-hwan as Yoonsun Maeng Bong-hak as So Moo-gae Park Hee-jin as Ma Si-jeo Kim Kang-il as Mo Il-la Jo Jung-gook as Sa Ga-moon
People in Tang dynasty Kim Hong-soo as Emperor Taizong (Korean: Taejong) Jung Jong-joon as Lee Se-jeok Jang Soon-gook as Qibi Heli (Korean: Seolpil Haryeok)
Extended cast Lee Dong-joon as a left general Lee Won-bal as a right general Oh Seung-myung as a fortune teller Shin Won-gyoon as a military officer Hwang Duk-jae as a military officer Oh Hyun-soo as Gwangjong's general Lee Il-woong as Cho-Seon's head assistant Seo Young-jin as Cho-Seon's people Kang Shin-jo as a rebel commander Kim Chang-bong as Taejo's eunuch Min Gyung-jin as Gwangjong's eunuch Park Joon-ah as Queen Janghwa's court lady Park Jong-sul as the people Han Choon-il as the people Lee Chul-min as a flat shooter
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryRecipientResult2002KBS Drama AwardsTop Excellence in Acting Awards, Best ActorKim Sang-joong
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