Love Song for Illusion

Love Song for Illusion (Korean: 환상연가; RR: Hwansangyeonga) is a South Korean television series that aired on KBS2 from January 2 to February 27, 2024. The drama is a historical fantasy based on the webcomic of the same name by author Ban Ji-Woon, which was serialized on Naver from 2021 to 2023.

Plot

The story follows Crown Prince Sajo Hyun, portrayed by Park Ji-Hoon, who struggles with two distinct personalities. One is the crown prince himself, who maintains a secret life as a fashion designer to escape the trauma inflicted by his father, the king. The other personality, Ak-Hee, is a charismatic figure who suffers from a curse that causes him physical pain whenever he makes contact with others. The two personalities reach an agreement to alternate control of their body every three days.

The narrative intersects with Yeon Wol, played by Hong Ye-Ji, the sole survivor of a noble family executed for treason. After adopting the alias Gye-Ra and joining an assassin group, she attempts to infiltrate the royal palace to avenge her family. Her mission fails, and she awakens in the palace as the crown prince's concubine with no memory of her past, becoming entangled with both Sajo Hyun and Ak-Hee.

Production and Release

The series was directed by Lee Jung-Sub with a screenplay by Yoon Kyung-Ah. It occupied the Monday and Tuesday 21:50 time slot on KBS2, succeeding The Matchmakers and preceding Nothing Uncovered.

Promotional image for Love Song for Illusion

Cast

Park Ji-Hoon as Sajo Hyun and Ak-Hee
Hong Ye-Ji as Yeon Wol
Hwang Hee as Sajo Yoong
Ji-Woo as Geum-Hwa
Kim Tae-Woo as Sajo Seung
Woo Hee-Jin as Consort Cheong Myeong
Kang Shin-Il as Jin Moo-Dal
Hwang Suk-Jung as Choong-Ta