The 2012 K-drama Moon Embracing The Sun told the *tragic* love story of Prince Lee Hwon and noble lady Yeon Woo, who are ~torn apart~ after Yeon Woo becomes the victim of an evil political scheme. While everyone believes she's dead, Yeon Woo is actually saved by a shaman! Years later, the two are reunited but Yeon Woo has no memories of the prince at all.
One thing that makes Moon Embracing The Sun so special is that there were more episodes that showed the characters during their teenage years. We got to see more of their backstories and we only met their adult counterparts in Episode 6. Here, let's take a look at the drama's cast and what they're up to these days:
The Younger Cast:
Yeo Jin Goo (Young Crown Prince Lee Hwon)
In Moon Embracing The Sun, Yeo Jin Goo's character Lee Hwon falls in love with Yeon Woo, and is later utterly devastated when she *dies*. Since then, Jin Goo has starred in various dramas such as My Absolute Boyfriend (2019), The Crowned Clown (2019), and Hotel Del Luna (2019)! At present, Yeo Jin Goo is starring in the variety show House On Wheels and it's reported that his HDL co-star IU will be making a guest appearance. He is also a student at Chung-Ang University's Department of Theater.
Kim Yoo Jung (Young Yeon Woo)
Kind 13-year-old Yeon Woo, who belongs to an affluent family, is appointed the Crown Princess but later becomes the victim of an evil scheme and mysteriously dies before her wedding to Lee Hwon! She doesn't really die, and later comes back as a shaman named Wol, but all her memories have been erased.
Kim Yoo Jung gained praise for her acting in the 2012 show and has since starred in the shows Love In The Moonlight (2016) and Clean With Passion For Now (2018). Yoo Jung is currently starring in Backstreet Rookie opposite Ji Chang Wook. In 2017, Kim Yoo Jung announced that she would not be taking the college entrance exams (yet) and will be focusing on acting projects.
Lee Tae Ri (Young Prince Yang Myung)
Prince Yang Myung, although older than his half-brother Lee Hwon, is not the rightful heir to the throne because he's the son of a concubine. He feels attracted to Yeon Woo from the start, but she's in love with his brother.
Most recently, we saw Tae Ri in the fantasy drama Extraordinary You, where he played "Dried Squid Fairy," a mysterious cafeteria cook who knows secrets about the comic book world they're in. Tae Ri will soon play a supporting role in the upcoming drama Tale Of Gumiho.
Kim So Hyun (Young Yoon Bo Kyung)
Bo Kyung, the Prime Minister's daughter, becomes the crown princess and queen after Yeon Woo dies. She loves Lee Hwon with all her heart, but he doesn't feel the same way about her. Kim So Hyun actually won a Best Young Actress at the MBC Drama Awards for her role!
Now a leading lady herself, So Hyun has starred in the dramas Who Are You: School 2015 (2015), Love Alarm (2019), and The Tale Of Nokdu (2019). She's currently working on Love Alarm Season 2, which will reportedly be released later this year. Kim So Hyun is also a college student at Hanyang University.
The ~Adult~ Cast:
Kim Soo Hyun (King Lee Hwon)
Hello, King Of Cameos! After starring in Moon Embracing The Sun, Kim Soo Hyun worked on My Love From The Star (2013) and The Producers (2015). At present, he is starring in the drama It's Okay To Not Be Okay, where he plays the role of a health worker who falls for a storybook writer with an antisocial personality disorder (Seo Ye Ji).
Han Ga In (Yeon Woo/Shaman Wol)
She's a mom now! Han Ga In and her husband Yeon Jung Hoon welcomed their first daughter in April 2016. In May 2019, Ga In gave birth to their second child, a boy. After working on Moon Embracing The Sun, Ga In starred in the drama Mistress (2018).
Jung Il Woo (Prince Yang Myung)
In 2016, he was cast opposite Park So Dam in the drama Cinderella And The Four Knights. Jung Il Woo recently starred in Sweet Munchies as chef Park Jin Sung, who gets caught in an *unusual* love triangle. According to Soompi, he is also set to work on a historical drama called Bossam: Stealing Fate, which will tell the story of "a person who accidentally kidnaps a princess."
In June 2020, Jung Il Woo also showed support for the Black Lives Matter movement and Blackout Tuesday on Instagram.
Kim Min Seo (Yoon Bo Kyung)
Kim Min Seo married her non-showbiz partner in May 2018! Soompi reported that after the wedding, Kim Min Seo started her newlywed life in the United States, where her husband works for a sports agency. Prior to her marriage, Min Seo starred in Good Doctor (2013) and I'm Sorry Kang Nam Goo (2016).
You can binge-watch all episodes of Moon Embracing The Sun on Netflix.
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