The Red Sleeve

The Red Sleeve

The Red Sleeve (Korean: 옷소매 붉은 끝동) is a South Korean television series starring Lee Jun-ho, Lee Se-young, and Kang Hoon. It is a fictionalised account of the lives of King Jeongjo and his royal consort Ui-bin Seong. It aired on MBC TV from November 12, 2021, to January 1, 2022, every Friday and Saturday at 22:00 (KST).

Synopsis

The Red Sleeve

Based on a novel of the same name, The Red Sleeve tells the record of a royal court romance between the King of Joseon who places his duty to his country above love, and a court lady who wants to protect the life she has chosen. The story is told from the viewpoint of the court lady.

Cast

Main

• Lee Jun-ho as Yi San, later King Jeongjo • Lee Joo-won as young San

The arrogant and perfectionist grandson of King Yeongjo. He constantly strives to become a benevolent King, but his father's death has left an emotional trauma in his heart.

• Lee Se-young as Seong Deok-im, later Royal Noble Consort Ui-bin Seong • Lee Seol-ah as young Deok-im

A court lady who wants to live the life of her choice, rather than just be one of the numerous court ladies called "the King's women".

• Kang Hoon as Hong Deok-ro • Choi Jeong-hoo as young Deok-ro

The Crown Prince's teacher who hides a cold personality beneath his warm-hearted appearance.

Royal family

• Lee Deok-hwa as King Yeongjo

• Jang Hee-jin as Queen Kim

• Kang Mal-geum as Hong Hye-bin

• Kim I-on as Princess Cheongyeon

• Go Ha as Royal Consort Suk-ui Moon • Park Seo-kyung as Hong Dan, later Royal Noble Consort Won-bin Hong

Deok-ro's younger sister who became one of San's concubines

Court ladies

• Kim Ja-young as Court Lady Kwon • Park Jung-eon as Yeongbin Lee's court lady • Jeon Yeo-jin as the queen's court lady • Gil Sung-joo as Mi Yook, Hwabin Yoon's maid • Park Seung-ah as Yang Soon, Hwabin Yoon's maid • Park Ji-young as Head Court Lady Jo • Ji Eun as Kang Wol-hye • Cha Mi-kyung as Court Lady Park

People around Yi San

• Oh Dae-hwan as Kang Tae-ho • Moon Jeong-dae as Seo Gye-jung • Bae Je-ki as Jung Jae-hwa • Kim Kang-min as Kim Du-seong • Yoon Hyo-sik as Yi San's head eunuch

People around Seong Deok-im

• Jang Hye-jin as Court Lady Seo • Lee Min-ji as Kim Bok-yeon • Yoon Hae-bin as young Bok-yeon • Ha Yul-ri as Bae Kyung-hee • Lee Seo-hyun as young Kyung-hee • Lee Eun-saem as Son Young-hee • Jo Si-yeon as young Young-hee • Yang Byung-yeol as Seong Sik • Lee Seung-Woo as young Sik

Yi San's political opponents

• Jo Hee-bong as Hong Jung-yeo • Seo Hyo-rim as Princess Hwawan, San's aunt. • Kwon Hyun-bin as Jeong Baek-ik, Hwawan's adoptive son.

Extended

• Jo Chan-hyung as Yi San's guard warrior • Kim Ja-young as Court Lady Kwon • Kim Byung-chun as Shim Hwi-won • Yi Seo as Royal Noble Consort Hwa-bin Yun

Special appearances

• Ha Seok-jin as a magistrate • Do Sang-woo as Crown Prince Sado, San's father • Nam Gi-ae as Royal Noble Consort Yeong-bin Yi, San's biological grandmother and Yeongjo's beloved wife. • Lee Soon-jae as an elderly citizen

Production and release

The Red Sleeve

The lead roles were initially offered to Kim Kyung-nam and Park Hye-su. The first script reading of the cast was held in May 2021.

The series was originally scheduled to premiere on November 5, 2021, but it was delayed by a week due to program adjustment for the broadcast of a professional baseball game.

On December 9, 2021, it was announced that the series would be extended by one episode due to its popularity and would end with 17 episodes. Due to the extension, episode 13 aired on December 24, while episodes 14 and 15 aired on December 25.

It was reported that filming started in May 2021 and continued filming for about seven months until December 21. It was mainly conducted at Mungyeong Saejae Open Set, Jeonju Hanok Village, Gwanghallu Garden in Namwon, Naganeupseong Folk Village, Yeokrin Set in Damyang County, and Yeolhwajeong Pavilion—located in Ganggol Village, Deungnyang-myeon, Boseong County.

Viewership

The Red Sleeve

Ep.	Original broadcast date	Average audience share
Nielsen Korea	TNmS
Nationwide	Seoul	Nationwide
1	November 12, 2021	5.7% (12th)	5.7% (10th)	N/A
2	November 13, 2021	5.6% (11th)	5.2% (8th)	4.8% (15th)
3	November 19, 2021	7.0% (9th)	6.3% (10th)	6.6% (9th)
4	November 20, 2021	7.5% (4th)	7.6% (3rd)	6.3% (9th)
5	November 26, 2021	8.8% (4th)	8.1% (4th)	6.7% (11th)
6	November 27, 2021	9.4% (2nd)	8.5% (2nd)	N/A
7	December 3, 2021	10.7% (2nd)	10.5% (2nd)
8	December 4, 2021	10.5% (2nd)	10.3% (2nd)	7.8% (2nd)
9	December 10, 2021	10.9% (3rd)	10.9% (3rd)	8.9% (7th)
10	December 11, 2021	10.2% (2nd)	10.2% (2nd)	9.1% (2nd)
11	December 17, 2021	12.8% (2nd)	12.7% (2nd)	10.8% (3rd)
12	December 18, 2021	13.3% (2nd)	13.6% (2nd)	10.2% (2nd)
13	December 24, 2021	12.8% (2nd)	12.8% (2nd)	10.8% (4th)
14	December 25, 2021	13.0% (3rd)	12.7% (3rd)	N/A
15	14.3% (2nd)	13.8% (2nd)
16	January 1, 2022	17.0% (3rd)	16.4% (3rd)	12.3% (2nd)
17	17.4% (2nd)	16.8% (2nd)	11.8% (3rd)
Average	11%	10.7%	8.8%

Awards and nominations

The Red Sleeve

<table><thead><tr><th>Award ceremony</th><th>Year</th><th>Category</th><th>Nominee(s) / Work</th><th>Result</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>APAN Star Awards</td><td>2022</td><td>Best Director</td><td>Jung Ji-in and Song Yeon-hwa</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Drama of the Year</td><td>The Red Sleeve</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries</td><td>Lee Jun-ho</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Writer</td><td>Jung Hae-ri</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries</td><td>Lee Se-young</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Asia Artist Awards</td><td>2022</td><td>Grand Prize (Daesang) – Actor of the Year</td><td>Lee Jun-ho</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Baeksang Arts Awards</td><td>2022</td><td>Best Actor</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Actress</td><td>Lee Se-young</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Director</td><td>Jung Ji-in</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Drama</td><td>The Red Sleeve</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Supporting Actor</td><td>Lee Deok-hwa</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Supporting Actress</td><td>Jang Hye-jin</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Technical Award</td><td>Kim Hwa-young (Cinematography)</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Bechdel Day</td><td>2022</td><td>Bechdel's Choice 5</td><td>The Red Sleeve</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Director</td><td>Jung Ji-in</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Korea Broadcasting Awards</td><td>Best TV Drama</td><td>The Red Sleeve</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Korea Communications Commission Broadcasting Awards</td><td>Grand Prize</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Korea Communications Standards Commission</td><td>Terrestrial TV Division – Good Program of the Month (January)</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Korea Drama Awards</td><td>Top Excellence Award, Actor</td><td>Lee Jun-ho</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Korea PD Awards</td><td>Best Actor</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best TV Drama</td><td>The Red Sleeve</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>MBC Drama Awards</td><td>2021</td><td>Best Couple</td><td>Lee Jun-ho and Lee Se-young</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best New Actor</td><td>Kang Hoon</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Supporting Actress</td><td>Jang Hye-jin</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Writer Award</td><td>Jung Hae-ri</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Drama of the Year</td><td>The Red Sleeve</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Lifetime Achievement Award</td><td>Lee Deok-hwa</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries</td><td>Lee Jun-ho</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries</td><td>Lee Se-young</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Best New Actress</td><td>Ha Yul-ri</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Supporting Actor</td><td>Oh Dae-hwan</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries</td><td>Kang Hoon</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries</td><td>Park Ji-young</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Popular Culture and Art Production Staff Award</td><td>2022</td><td>Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Awards</td><td>Kim Eun-young</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Seoul International Drama Awards</td><td>Outstanding Korean Drama</td><td>The Red Sleeve</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>