"Only those with the strong heart can enter..."

Mijoo's life in itself is a good one. Being born from a rich family, she's contented just to become a ceramic pot maker just like her father. Everything seems perfect, but not until the day her father suddenly passed away. Her stepmother abruptly changed her attitude towards her and forced her to marry an old man as his concubine.

To escape her cruel stepmother, Lee Mijoo enters the palace as an attendant. During this time, she captures the heart of crown prince Oh Sehun, who was supposed to be the one inheriting the throne, but because of some political maneuvering, settles as the next in line and gave way for his older brother Kim Suho. 

With all the sufferings, conspiracy and evil palace schemes around her, will she be able to survive?

Lee Mijoo

The daughter of a wealthy ceramic maker. She’s the oldest of two daughters, her sister is by another mother. Her mom died very early and she was raised by her father like a boy. She’s very smart and has a lot of business savvy. An intuitive learner with a lot of ambition, she enters the palace under less than happy circumstances but does her best with every challenge she encountered. Her strongest assets is her quick wit, intuition, and an ability to see the bigger picture. She’s smart but she doesn’t play the palace games by rules. She forges her own roads bucks traditions. Her weakness is her pride and temper. 

Crown Prince Oh Sehun

He is the youngest son of the deceased emperor. He was originally the heir to the throne but due to political maneuvering, he settles in becoming the next in line and a royal duke.  He and Suho (the Emperor) share a deep bond of brotherhood, regardless of the bitter war between their mothers, Dowager Empress Miyeon. He is brave and understands the political atmosphere very well. He is always on his guard in terms of the Dowager Empress and shares a complicated past with the current Royal Concubine. Sehun and Mijoo has met several times outside the palace and he develops feelings for her. Initially, he doesn’t tell her who he is, or that he is the next heir to the throne. Sehun, like Mijoo, is very stubborn and prideful, but as they fall deeper in love he realizes that he can sacrifice anything for the only woman he needs in his life.

Royal Concubine Kim Yura

She is the last princess of her old country, sent to live in with the royal brothers and to become the future queen. She grew up with Sehun and Suho, who both loved her very much. When she married Suho, she was deeply in love with Sehun, but due to circumstances, she was forced into it. She deeply, deeply hates the Dowager Empress, thus thwarting her with every chance she gets. In terms of power, the Royal Concubine has as much power as the Dowager because of the Empress Seal. She still holds a torch for Suho and does everything in her power to make sure that Sehun will inherit the throne once Suho dies. She is ruthless and cunning with very little show of mercy. But she is a passionate woman who, once decides to do something, sees it towards the very end.

Empress Dowager Miyeon

She stole the empress title of Sehun's mother, is ruthless and can be very vindictive. Her plan to put her son on the throne began years before he was born. She killed Sehun’s mother, and then her own husband to secure the future of her and her son. She is the daughter of a very high ranking minister and has power in her own right because of the wealth of her family. She harbors intense hatred when it comes to Sehun and his sister, the Princess. Her philosophy is to that even if she has to kill a thousand innocent people to achieve her goal, then it’s very much justified.

Emperor Kim Junmyeon/ Suho 

While he is the oldest, he is also very weak and sick. He loves Sehun more than anything in the world, except for his Royal Concubine Yura. While he has taken many wives due to his status as Emperor, he only has his eyes on the Royal Concubine. He is a kind man who was not actually interested with the throne.  He is often lonely, stuck in the battle of succession between his mother, the royal concubine and his brother. Suho knows that Sehun loves Mijoo and does everything in his power to keep them together. 

Bae Joohyun

She is the wealthy daughter sent to become a palace maid (which only the smartest, prettiest, etc were allowed to become) She is haughty, proud, and is constantly at odds with Mijoo.