Meet the cast of the new historical K-drama, ‘Captivating the King’

Netflix has released a brand-new trailer for its upcoming K-drama series, Captivating the King. Here’s everything we know about the show’s cast and upcoming premiere.

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What is the plot of Captivating the King?

Captivating the King will chronicle the complex love story between King Yi In, a mistrusting and paranoid monarch of Joseon, and Kang Hee-soo, who seeks revenge against the king but ends up falling in love with him.

Who is in the cast of the new K-drama?

King Yi In will be played by Jo Jung-suk, who is known for his roles in K-dramas such as Hospital Playlist and Don’t Dare to Dream. Notably, this will be his first TV role in nearly three years, since season two of Hospital Playlist.

Meanwhile, Kang Hee-soo will be portrayed by Run On actress Shin Se-kyung. She’s also know for her roles in season two of Arthdal Chronicles, Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung and more.

Joining the duo in supporting roles are actors such as Lee Shin-young (Rookie Cops), Yang Kyung-won (Welcome to Samdal-ri), Jo Sung-ha (Lovers of the Red Sky), Son Hyun-joo (The Good Detective) and more.

In addition, Captivating the King is written by Kim Sung-deok, best know for penning the popular 2019 K-drama The Crowned Clown. Meanwhile, the show is directed by Jo Nam-gook of The Good Detective fame.

Is there a trailer for Captivating the King?

The new trailer for Captivating the King opens with Hee-soo meeting Yi In before his ascension to the throne. The duo forge a close friendship over their shared love of the board game Go, with Yi In describing Hee-soo as a friend “regardless of status”.

However, political games and intrigue soon tear their friendship apart, with King Yi disregarding Hee-soo after becoming King. “I am no longer a common man. Our friendship is irrelevant now,” he says.

This leads Hee-soo down a path of revenge, with her swearing that she “will see to it that he feels this same humilation himself”, over a montage of her training for battle.

How to watch Captivating the King?

Captivating the King will premiere January 21 on South Korean television network tvN, and air every Saturday and Sunday at 9:20pm KST thereafter. The series will also be available to stream on Netflix internationally in select regions.