''Shine or Go Crazy'' () is a 2015 South Korean television series based on the novel of the same name by Hyun Go-woon about the romance between a

Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...

prince and a

Balhae Balhae,, , ) also rendered as Bohai or Bohea, and called Jin (; ) early on, was a multiethnic kingdom established in 698 by Dae Joyeong (Da Zuorong). It was originally known as the Kingdom of Jin (震, Zhen) until 713 when its name was changed ...

princess. Starring

Jang Hyuk Jeong Yong-jun (; born December 20, 1976), better known as Jang Hyuk, is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his leading roles in the films '' Volcano High'' (2001), '' Windstruck'' (2004), '' The Flu'' (2013), as well as the television s ...

, Oh Yeon-seo, Lee Hanee and

Lim Ju-hwan Lim Ju-hwan (; born May 18, 1982) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his leading roles in the television dramas '' Tamra, the Island'' (2009), '' Ugly Alert'' (2013), ''Uncontrollably Fond'' (2016) and ''The Bride of Habaek'' (2017) ...

, it aired on MBC from January 19 to April 7, 2015 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 22:00 for 24 episodes.

Plot

Wang So was born a prince of

, but because a prophecy foretells that he will turn the country into a river of blood, he is exiled from the palace and shunned by the royal family. Having lost his place as the rightful heir to the throne, he lives an isolated life, and in Wang So's absence, his illegitimate half-brother Wang Uk makes an ambitious play for power. Shin Yool is the princess of Later Balhae, and she narrowly escaped death as a child at the hands of her own people because of a prophecy that she is fated to become "the light of another nation". She and Wang So have a whirlwind marriage, and as husband and wife, begin to grow closer and fall in love.

Cast

Main

as Wang So, King Gwangjong (So-so) **Choi Han as young Wang So * Oh Yeon-seo as Shin Yool / Gaebong **Jung Won as young Shin Yool * Lee Hanee as Hwangbo Yeo-won **Choo Ye-jin as young Hwangbo Yeo-won *

as Wang Wook, Hwangbo Yeo-won's brother **Lee Hyun-bin as young Wang Wook *

Lee Deok-hwa Lee Deok-hwa (; born May 8, 1952) is a South Korean actor. Career Lee Deok-hwa studied theater and film at Dongguk University, and made his acting debut in 1972. He and his father, movie star Lee Ye-chun starred together in the 1975 horror fil ...

as Wang Shik-ryum *

Ryu Seung-soo Ryu Seung-soo (born August 12, 1971) is a South Korean actor. Ryu made his acting debut in 1997 with a minor role in Park Chan-wook's film ''Trio'', and has been active as a supporting actor on film and television since. Among his notable films ...

as Wang Yo, King Jeongjong **Lee Joon-seo as young Wang Yo *

Na In-woo Na Jong-chan (; born September 17, 1994), better known by his stage name Na In-woo (), is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in ''Mr. Queen'' (2020–2021), ''River Where the Moon Rises'' (2021), and ''Marry My Husband'' (2024 ...

as Se Won / Ho Yool **Jo Yong-jin as young Se Won

Supporting

People around Wang So

* Kim Roi-ha as Eun Chun, Wang So's advisor and Goryeo's best warrior *

Shin Seung-hwan Shin Seung-hwan is a South Korean actor. Filmography Film Television series Web series Television show Web shows References External links * * * Shin Seung-hwanat Daum Shin Seung-hwanat Naver Naver (; stylized as NAVER) ...

as Gil Bok **Park Min-soo as young Gil Bok *Ji Soo-won as Empress Dowager Yoo, Wang So and Wang Yo's mother

People around Shin Yool

Heo Jung-min Heo Jung-min (; born November 11, 1982) is a South Korean actor and musician. He was a member of the rock band Moon Child (now known as MC the Max) from 2000 to 2001. As an actor, he had a lead role in the 2014 South Korean television series '' ...

as Yang Gyoo-dal, Shin Yool's adopted big brother * Kim Sun-young as Baek Myo *

Ahn Gil-kang Ahn Gil-kang (; born August 24, 1966) is a South Korean actor. He frequently appears as a supporting actor in director Ryoo Seung-wan's films, such as '' Die Bad'' (2000), '' Crying Fist'' (2005), ''The City of Violence'' (2006), and ''Dachimawa ...

as Kang Myung *Jung Woo-shik as Kyung, Shin Yool's bodyguard *Lee Eun-soo as Choon Ah *Jung Jae-hyung as Na Moo, Choon Ah's son

People around Hwangbo Yeo-won

* Kim Young-sun as Yum Shil, Hwangbo Yeo-won's bodyguard

People around Wang Shik-ryum

Kang Ki-young Kang Ki-young (; born October 14, 1983) is a South Korean actor. He is well-known for his supporting roles in a number of popular Korean drama Korean drama (), also known as K-drama or Koreanovela, refers to Korean language, Korean-language ...

as Wang Poong, Wang Shik-ryum's son *Park Hyun-woo as Park Sool, Wang Shik-ryum's loyal right-handman

Warriors and officials

Kim Byeong-ok Kim Byeong-ok (born October 11, 1960) is a South Korean actor. A veteran supporting actor, he is best known for his role as Mr. Han in '' Oldboy''. Career In 2015, he was featured in a controversial Maxim Maxim or Maksim may refer to: En ...

as Choi Ji-mong *Woo Sang-jeon as Hwangbo Je-gong, Hwangbo Yeo-won's maternal grandfather *Seo Bum-suk as Wang Gyo / Dae Choong-gwang, Balhae's last prince and Shin Yool's half big brother *Kim Jin-ho as Park Soo-kyung *Lee Jung-hoon as Yoo Kwon-yool *Song Young-jae as Yoo Mok-won *

Ahn Suk-hwan Ahn Suk-hwan (; born November 1, 1959) is a South Korean actor. Ahn has been active in theater, film and television since 1986. His onscreen roles include both comedic and villainous supporting turns, among them a ruthless but humane prison war ...

as Kim Jong-shik (''cameo'') *Choi Jae-ho as Hwang Gyoo-ee *Kim Kwang-shik as Baek Choong-hyun

Royal Princes

*Oh Eun-chan as Wang Tae, Wang So and Wang Yo's oldest brother * Ji Eun-sung as Wang Won *Shin Jung-yoon as Wang Rim *Ha Dae-ro as Wang Moon *Yoon Dae-yong as Wang Jik * Park Sun-ho as Wang Wi * Yeo Eui-joo as Wang Jong

People in Wolhyangru

* Jin Seo-yeon as Geum Soon, a head ''

gisaeng ''Kisaeng'' (), also called ''ginyeo'' (), were enslaved women from outcast or enslaved families who were trained to be courtesans, providing artistic entertainment and conversation to men of upper class. First emerging in Goryeo dynasty. were ...

'' *Na Hye-jin as Chung Ok, a ''

'' *Lee Seo-yeon as Ryung Hwa, a ''

Other

*Nam Kyung-eup as Wang Geon, King Taejo *Kim Boop-rae as General Kwak * Lee Si-hoo as Si-hoo *Seo Eun as Shin Yool's mother, Balhae's royal consort *Jo Jae-ryung as a snake-eye man *Wi Yang-ho as a Bettor *Choi Gwi-hwa as a Manager *Im Kang-heon as a young servant *Kim Moon-jin as Dan Joo *Kim Han-sup as a nobleman from ''Gyeongsan'' *Lee Myung-shik as Lee Jung-joo as noblemen from ''Geumju'' *Maeng Bong-hak as a servant

Ratings

Awards and nominations

International broadcasts

* - Joy Prime

References

External links

* * *{{IMDb title, 4412610, Shine or Go Crazy
''Shine or Be Mad''
at MBC Global Media 2015 South Korean television series debuts 2015 South Korean television series endings MBC TV television dramas Television series set in the 10th century Television series set in Goryeo South Korean historical television series Television shows based on South Korean novels Cultural depictions of Taejo of Goryeo