A new Korean drama mixing history and fantasy is capturing viewers’ attention. Moon River, which began airing in November 2025, tells the story of a crown prince and a commoner whose lives become magically intertwined. The show features a popular cast, including Kang Tae Oh and Kim Se Jeong, in a tale of swapped souls, lost memories, and palace politics.
The Main Story And Characters
The story centers on two people from completely different worlds. Crown Prince Lee Kang is played by Kang Tae Oh. While he appears to be a carefree and rebellious royal, he is secretly burdened by grief and a desire for revenge after losing someone he loved in a palace power struggle.
The female lead, Park Dal-i, is played by Kim Se Jeong. She is a clever and resourceful merchant who makes a living by selling goods in the streets. Her life is complicated by the fact that she has no memory of the last five years. The two characters cross paths, and one day, they mysteriously wake up to find their souls have swapped bodies. This event throws them into each other’s lives, forcing them to navigate royal conspiracies and hidden dangers while in the wrong bodies.
The Complete Main Cast
The drama’s success hinges on its strong lead actors, who bring these complex characters to life.
- Kang Tae Oh as Lee Kang: The Crown Prince of Joseon, who uses a playful exterior to hide his inner pain and plans for vengeance.
- Kim Se Jeong as Park Dal-i: A sharp-witted peddler who uses her intelligence to survive, only to have her life turned upside down by the body swap.
- Lee Shin Young as Lee Un: A prince who is a cousin to the Crown Prince. His presence adds another layer of tension and intrigue within the royal court.
- Hong Su-zu as Kim Woo-hee: A noblewoman who understands the power games of high society. She is graceful but also ambitious, creating conflict between her family’s duties and her own desires.
- Jin Goo as Kim Han-cheol: A powerful and ambitious advisor to the king. He is a central villain in the story, scheming from the shadows to control the throne and threatening the main characters.
Key Supporting Characters
A wide array of supporting actors fills out the world of the drama, representing both the royal palace and the common world of the merchant.
- Kim Nam-hee as a royal court figure involved in palace politics.
- Park Ah-in as Park Hong-nan, who acts as a guardian figure for Dal-i.
- Im Ki-hong and Park Bo-kyung play Dal-i’s father and mother.
- Nam Gi-ae plays Queen Dowager Han.
- Kwon Joo-seok plays Oh Sin-won, a left commander.
- Han Sang-jo plays Yoon Se-dol, a personal eunuch to the lead character.
Release Schedule And How To Watch
Moon River premiered on November 7, 2025, on the South Korean network MBC. The drama airs with new episodes every Friday and Saturday. The series is planned for a total of 14 episodes, with the final episode scheduled for December 20, 2025.
For international viewers, the drama is available to stream with English subtitles on the platform Rakuten Viki. In some regions, it is also available on Viu.
The show’s ratings have shown a positive trend, starting at 3.8% for its first episode and climbing to over 5% for more recent episodes, indicating a growing audience.
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