The Empire (South Korean Television Series)
The Empire (Korean: 디 엠파이어: 법의 제국; RR: Di Empaieo: Beobui Jeguk) is a South Korean television drama series that aired on JTBC from September 24 to November 13, 2022. The series, directed by Yoo Hyun-Ki and written by Oh Ga-Gyu, explores the lives of a family that has leveraged the legal system to accumulate significant wealth and societal influence, only to face potential ruin due to internal scandals.
Plot
The narrative centers on Han Hye-Ryool, played by Kim Sun-A, a prosecutor who serves as the chief of a special investigation team at the Central District Prosecutors’ Office. Despite her professional success, her career is often overshadowed by her family's prestigious background. Her husband, Na Geun-Woo (Ahn Jae-Wook), is a law school professor and a prospective presidential candidate, while her mother, Ham Gwang-Jeon (Lee Mi-Sook), and father, Han Gun-Do (Song Young-Chang), are deeply entrenched in the legal and academic elite. The series examines the family's efforts to maintain their status and the moral compromises they make while utilizing the law as a tool for their own interests.
Production and Broadcast
The Empire was broadcast on JTBC in the Saturday and Sunday 22:30 time slot. It followed the conclusion of The Good Detective 2 and was succeeded by Reborn Rich, which premiered on November 18, 2022.
Cast
The series features an ensemble cast portraying the central family and their associates:
- Kim Sun-A as Han Hye-Ryool
- Ahn Jae-Wook as Na Geun-Woo
- Lee Mi-Sook as Ham Gwang-Jeon
- Song Young-Chang as Han Gun-Do
- Shin Goo as Ham Min-Heon
- Oh Hyun-Kyung as Lee Ae-Heon
