New character stills have been released for JTBC action sageuk My Country featuring lead actors Yang Se-jong (Thirty But Seventeen), Woo Do-hwan (The Great Seducer), and Seolhyun (Orange Marmalade).
The drama is set against the backdrop of a crumbling Goryeo and the beginnings of a new kingdom of Joseon where the three leads find themselves torn between clashing factions, each fighting for their version of what the country should be.
In this upheaval, Yang Se-jong plays warrior Seo Hwi. The son of General Seo Geom, his father was once a commander under Yi Seong-gye (the first king of Joseon, played by Kim Young-chul). But in one fateful moment, Yang’s life is turned upside down and he goes from having everything to nothing. Surviving, though, becomes even more crucial in order to protect his younger sister and he stakes his life on an all-or-nothing gamble in order to change the country and restore his family.
Woo Do-hwan takes on the role of Nam Sun-ho. Although the second son of government official Nam Jeon (played by Ahn Nae-sang, Designated Survivor: 60 Days ), he is not registered under the family genealogy records due to his mother being from the servant caste. Having struggled with social prejudices all his life, he becomes fueled by the desire to rise above his station and create a new nation where he can be a powerful figure in his own right. But the journey down this path has consequences, and he becomes estranged from both Seolhyun and Yang Se-jong, his best friend since childhood.
Seolhyun plays the character of strong-willed and opinionated Han Hee-jae. As the daughter of a gisaeng, she was raised at a gibang (a gisaeng house) where she learned the trade of using information to wield power. Rather than becoming a gisaeng herself, though, she uses her skills in observation and deduction to become a female general of sorts in the business of gathering, spreading, and using information. Having witnessed the tragic murder of her mother at a young age, and almost dying herself, she is disillusioned by life in Goryeo and works towards making a better world.
Directing for My Country is being helmed by PD Kim Jin-won (Just Between Lovers) and penning the scripts is writer Chae Seung-dae.
JTBC’s upcoming Friday-Saturday drama My Country is currently set to premiere next week on October 4.
