Splendid Politics

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.

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

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
 * Shin Ki-joon as child 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.