Grand Prince Jinhan, the younger brother of the King of Joseon, finds himself in the middle of a power struggle. In Captivating the King, Jo Jung-suk plays Grand Prince Jinhan.
Grand Prince Jinhan, also known as Yi In, is the half-brother of the King of Joseon. The two of them were born to different mothers.
Due to that, there is a power struggle between the families of Queen Dowager, who wants Jinhan to be the king’s heir, and the Queen, who wants her son to inherit the throne from her husband.
However, Jinhan has no desire to ascend the throne. Time and time again, he proves his unwavering loyalty to his brother, desiring nothing more than to serve him.
Distrusting a loyal and kind prince
When the Qing invade Joseon, they demand that the King’s heir be sent to Qing, where he would be kept as a hostage.
Although his brother’s lack of insight and failure to deny the court’s request that he stay loyal to the Ming leads to this situation, Jinhan, who is taken hostage by the Qing, does not hold his brother responsible.
He understands his brother’s actions and willingly goes to Qing, despite not knowing whether he will return alive.
There, he impresses the Qing Emperor’s favorite brother, Prince Rui, by playing baduk with him, as Jinhan excels at the game.
By forming a close relationship with Prince Rui, Jinhan negotiates on behalf of his people. Thanks to him, the Qing do not take the King’s newborn son hostage
As Jinhan is a benevolent prince who cares about his people, he refuses the gifts that Prince Rui gives him and instead requests freedom for his people who were taken hostage.
However, this decision works against Jinhan. Back home, the Queen’s faction spreads rumors about Jinhan being Prince Rui’s spy.
The Qing allow Jinhan to return home, but he is not welcomed by his brother as he had expected. His brother, too, suspects him of being a spy and is cold toward him.
Despite his brother’s distrust, Jinhan remains loyal to him. He refuses the support of his mother’s faction because he wishes to see his brother’s son succeed him.
During this challenging time, when Jinhan cannot trust anyone and everyone questions his loyalty, he meets Kang Hee-soo, who disguises herself as a man to play baduk.
On a day when he is feeling particularly low, he hears Hee-soo defending him. Jinhan gets to play a game of baduk with Hee-soo, whom he comes to know as Mongwoo.
With time, the two grow close, and Mongwoo becomes the friend Jinhan needs. However, their friendship does not last long.
Upon his brother’s death, Jinhan ascends to the throne, which leads to his entanglement in various political deceits.
The measures that he takes to become King change his relationship with those he holds dear, including Mongwoo, who decides to take revenge on Jinhan for Hongjang’s death.
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