This 100-episode epic drama vividly depicts the life of King Dae Jo-yeong and other heroes of the Balhae Kingdom, which dates back 1300 years ago. The role of Dae Jo-yeong is portrayed by actor Choi Su-jong, while the role of Yi Hae-go, Dae Jo-yeong’s rival for the supremacy in the northern territories, is portrayed by actor Chung Bo-seok. The two also face off over the love of Cho-rin, a woman from the Georan tribe, and King Bojang’s niece, Suk-yeong. The role of Cho-rin is played by Park Ye-jin, while Suk-yeong is portrayed by Hong Su-hyun. Several key historic figures in the drama are played by seasoned middle-aged actors, whose masterful acting underscores the drama’s well-knit plot. The drama drew the spotlight even before its premiere for efforts to produce a perfect picture, as even a special KBS video team was set up to create true-to-life fighting scenes, such as a massive siege warfare between Goguryeo and the Tang Dynasty created using 3D digital characters and the scene showing the collapse of a mountain during the Ansi Fortress battle
