Tree With Deep Roots is a 24-episode television series currently airing on SBS. It is based on the novel by Lee Jeong-myeong (another Lee novel Painter of the Wind was also adapted by SBS in 2008). The drama stars Jang Hyuk

Jang Hyuk

- Career :As a child, Jang Hyuk spent most of his life in his birthplace Busan, before making his drama debut in the SBS drama Model in 1997. Besides the TV drama School and a minor role in the little-seen film Zzang, Jang appeared in g.o.d.'s music video of their 1999 debut single To My Mother...

, Shin Se-kyung and Han Suk-kyu

Han Suk-kyu

Han Suk-kyu is a South Korean actor.-Biography:Han is known as a family man, avid golfer, fisherman and voracious reader. He collects animation by Studio Ghibli and hopes to join Ghibli voice cast one day as a Korean-speaking character. While a student at the Film and Theater department of...

. This is Han's TV comeback after 16 years of solely film work; he plays King Sejong the Great, whose younger version is played by Song Joong-Ki

Song Joong-Ki

Song Joong-ki is South Korean actor and MC. He made his acting debut in 2008 with a role in Frozen Flower and went on to become a regular host on the KBS music show Music Bank. He is best known for his role as Goo Yong-ha in the 2010 KBS drama Sungkyunkwan Scandal, for which he won two awards at...

.

Synopsis

A tree with deep roots takes its name from a poem(Yongbieocheonga) that says that trees with deep roots do not sway. It takes place in a prosperous time - the era of King Sejong, who invented the modern Korean writing system

Hangul

Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...

 in the 15th century. The book deals with a series of murders that occur in Gyeongbok Palace (or Gyeongbokgung) that targeted scholars of the Hall of Worthies

Hall of Worthies

The Hall of Worthies or Jiphyeonjeon ' was set up by Sejong the Great of the Korean Joseon Dynasty in 1420. It consisted of scholars selected by the king....

 (an institute set up by King Sejong for scholarly research). As Kang Chae-yoon investigates these cases and gets closer to the truth, he finds himself embroiled in a massive conspiracy behind the killings. Because of his father's death as child, Chae-yoon has grudge against the King and his childhood sweetheart, who became mute, was taken as a court lady.

Cast

Jang Hyuk

Jang Hyuk

- Career :As a child, Jang Hyuk spent most of his life in his birthplace Busan, before making his drama debut in the SBS drama Model in 1997. Besides the TV drama School and a minor role in the little-seen film Zzang, Jang appeared in g.o.d.'s music video of their 1999 debut single To My Mother...

 as Kang Chae-yoon/Ddol-Bok

• • Chae Sang-woo as young Ddol-Bok

A Fomrer Slave turned royal guard and detective of King Sejong (whom he held a grudge against). As a child, Ddol-Bok protected his mentally retarded father from the teasing of other servants of the Queen's family. Later, Ddol-Bok 's father was arrested then beaten near death, dying in front of him and his childhood friend So-yi was taken by Court Ladies. He was saved by Lee Do and swore to avenge his father's death before he became a soldier by a changed name. Chae-yoon later became a low-level guard along with his friends. He doesn't know that So-yi and Dam-yi are same person who he thought had died and reunited after discvoring each other

Han Suk-kyu

Han Suk-kyu

Han Suk-kyu is a South Korean actor.-Biography:Han is known as a family man, avid golfer, fisherman and voracious reader. He collects animation by Studio Ghibli and hopes to join Ghibli voice cast one day as a Korean-speaking character. While a student at the Film and Theater department of...

 as King Sejong

• • Song Joong-Ki
    Song Joong-Ki
    Song Joong-ki is South Korean actor and MC. He made his acting debut in 2008 with a role in Frozen Flower and went on to become a regular host on the KBS music show Music Bank. He is best known for his role as Goo Yong-ha in the 2010 KBS drama Sungkyunkwan Scandal, for which he won two awards at...
    
     as teen Yi Do
  • Kang San as child Yi Do

The King who Ddol-Bok held a grudge against, and the creator of Hangul. During his early years as king , Lee Do had a strained relationship with his father and harbored guilt for seeing people's suffering (including his wife's family) by his father's tyrannic rule. He was the one who saved Ddol-Bok 's life. After the death of his father and his wife Seoeun, Lee Do (Sejong) sends Kang Chae-yoon as investigator (unaware he is the same boy whom he spared) and is helped by So-yi in the creation of Hangul. He later finds out that Chae-yoon is the same boy who tried to kill him.

Shin Se-kyung as So-yi/Dam-yi

• • Kim Hyun-soo as young Dam-yi

Chae-yoon's friend who was saved as a child by Sejong's wife and became a court lady. During her early years as court lady, Lee Do apologized to her for what he did about her family's death.in episode 13 she found Chae-yoon is actually Ddok-bok

• Jeon No-min as Jeong Do-Kwang, Sambong Jeong Do-jeon's brother
• Yoon Je-moon
  Yoon Je-moon
  Yoon Je-moon is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his role in the 2009 television series Iris.-References:...
  
   as Ga Ri-on
• Ahn Suk-hwan
  Ahn Suk-hwan
  Ahn Suk-hwan or An Seok-hwan is a South Korean actor.He appeared in the Korean adaptation of Boys Over Flowers.- TV Series :* Paradise Ranch * Personal Preference * Cinderella Man...
  
   as Lee Shin-juk
• Lee Jae-yong as Jo Mal-saeng
• Kwon Taewon as Choe Manri
  Choe Manri
  Choe Manri was a deputy minister for education in the Hall of Worthies who spoke against the creation of hangul together with other Confucian scholars in 1444. He made the following submission that year to King Sejong against hangul:-His protest against Hangul:-References:...
  
  
• Jeon Seonghwan as Hwang Hui
  Hwang Hui
  Hwang Hui was Goryeo dynasty and Joseon Dynastys Politician. prime minister of the Joseon Dynasty.- Biography :...
  
  
• Jo Jin-woong as Moo-hyool
• Park Hyuk-kwon as Jeong In-ji
• Jang Ji-Eun as Queen Sohun
• Kim Ki-bang as Cho Tak
• Shin Seung-hwan as Park Po
• Song Ok-sook
• Suh Joon-young as Prince Gwangpyeong
• Lee Soo-hyuk as Yoon Pyeong
• Kim Ki Bum as Pak Paengnyeon
• Hyun Woo as Seong Sam-mun
• Jo Hee-bong as Han Ga-nom
• Jun Young-bin as Mak-soo
• Yoo Hyun-soo as Lee Soon-ji
• Shin So-yool as Mok-yi
• Shim So-hun as Duk-geum
• Baek Yoon-sik
  Baek Yoon-sik
  Baek Yoon-sik is a South Korean actor known for his characteristic acting with his near expressionless facial expression. Baek's son, Baek Do-bin is also an actor. Baek Yoon-sik was born in Seoul in 1947...
  
   as King Taejong, Lee Bangwon (cameo)
• Han insoo as Sim On
  Sim On
  Sim On was a Prime Minister of the Korean Joseon Dynasty, and the father of a Queen and father-in-law to King Sejong. He is most famously known for his unfortunate treason charges, which eventually led to his death and further strengthening of the royal power.-Background:Born of the Cheongsong Sim...
  
  (cameo)