Edited by Seo Hayne
Translated by Kim Hoyeun
tvN’s Under the Queen’s Umbrella depicts the struggles of mothers who jump into the fierce war over education for the princes. In the drama, sons with different desires and personalities appear as much as mothers with various parenting philosophies. After the death of the sick crown prince, everyone took it their mission to become the next to become new crown prince, and amid this fierce competition reminiscent of a survival game, each character’s charms stand out. Today, this article introduces the actors who play the charming sons in Under the Queen’s Umbrella.
Grand Prince Seongnam (Moon Sang Min)
Grand Prince Seongnam, Hwaryeong’s (Kim Hye Soo) second son, is the only one from outside the palace unlike her other children. He cherishes the conversation he had with the late crown prince, and when his older brother grew ill, he willingly walked among the commoners who were suffering from plague to find the herb needed for medicine. Moon Sang Min, the actor playing the role, is thought of as the actor who benefited the most from the drama. He recently became a hot topic when he was seen wearing gonryongpo (dragon robe that the king/crown prince wore). As a former model, he started his acting career in 2019 in the web drama 4 Reasons why I hate Christmas and drew attention for his handsome looks. Prior to Under the Queen’s Umbrella, the actor appeared in Netflix’s My Name as the youngest member of the narcotics team and got swept up in dating rumors with Han So Hee.
Grand Prince Muan (Yoon Sang Hyun)
As the third son of Queen Hwanryeong, Grand Prince Muan took part in the competition but had no interest in becoming the crown prince. While the other sons were pushed by their mother’s constant nagging, he uses that time to visit the lady he fancies and confesses his feelings. He is honest about his feelings and a troublemaker who’s often scolded by his mother. Yoon Sang Hyun, who plays Grand Prince Muan, is a rookie actor. Under the Queen’s Umbrella is his debut project. With his big eyes and bright smile, he radiates a unique energy of a rookie just starting out in this business, raising expectations for his future activities.
Grand Prince Gyeseong (Yoo Seon Ho)
Grand Prince Gyeseong, the fourth son of Hwaryeong, left a strong impression on viewers, unraveling his own narrative from the start. This man, the least troublemaking and the most loving son, has a secret – he’s been dressing up as a woman in his own secret space inside the palace. When Hwaryeong finds out about his secret, she embraces him just the way he is, saying, “No matter how you look, you are my child.” Yoo Seon Ho received favorable reviews for portraying Gyeseong’s identity crisis through delicate emotional performance. The actor debuted in the entertainment industry through Produce 101 Season 2 and appeared in Undercover and The Great Shaman Ga Doo-Shim. He showed off his presence as an actor in Undercover, playing an autistic man.
Prince Bogum (Kim Min Gi)
He’s the son of Royal Consort Tae Soyong (Kim Ga Eun) and the smartest, most exemplary prince. Even when his mother tries various tricks for her greed, he’s not swayed. He wants to become the crown prince because he dreams of becoming a king who takes good care of his people. So in the competition, he willingly joins hands with his rival Grand Prince Seongnam to solve a problem. Kim Min Gi left a deep impression when he played a picky model student in his previous project, Racket Boys.
Prince Uiseong (Cha Ni or Kang Chanhee)
Prince Uiseong, Royal Consort Hwang Gwi-in’s (Ok Ja Yeon) eldest son, is a heartless, ambitious man. He believes that he was born to become the crown prince, hence his decision to commit various evil acts when he gets the chance. Though he lost in the race for the crown prince, he won’t be giving up so easily. Cha Ni challenged his first-ever villain role and is showing an impressive performance as the hateful prince. Actually, Cha Ni started his acting career at a young age in the 2009 drama Queen Seondeok and has since appeared in various projects including SKY Castle, Imitation, JINX, and The Labyrinth.
Prince Simso (Moon Seong Hyun)
Prince Simso, the eldest son of Royal Consort Go Gwi-in (Woo Jung Won), is a kind-hearted, upright boy who has no greed. After the competition begins, he puts up with his mother’s study-till-you-drop method, but conflicts arise when he fails to meet her expectations. In the end, he even tries to take his own life, but he slowly overcomes his troubles with the help of the people around him. Moon Seong Hyun has played the younger days of many actors in various projects: Ok Taecyeon’s in Vincenzo; Kim Seon Ho’s in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha; Hwang Min Hyun’s in Alchemy of Souls; and Kim Nam Hee’s in currently-airing series Reborn Rich.
Editor Seo Hayne: I like actors as they faithfully lead through their long running-time. I also like idols who accomplish everything on stage within 3 minutes.
