Chae Jong-hyeop and Won Ji-an in Talks to Lead KBS Historical Drama 'Unnamed Lamp'

Chae Jong-hyeop (채종협) and Won Ji-an (원지안) are both in talks to lead KBS2's upcoming historical drama Unnamed Lamp (무명등), according to a report from Soompi on March 20, 2026. Both actors' agencies confirmed they are positively reviewing the offers, per the Soompi report citing direct agency responses. Chae Jong-hyeop, currently mid-run on the MBC romance series In Your Radiant Season, is in discussions to play Grand Prince Okryun, a warrior second son defined by battlefield instinct and a secondary position he never asked for. Won Ji-an, whose 2024 appearance in Squid Game Season 2 gave her global visibility, is being considered for a dual lead role as twin sisters at the drama's supernatural center. If confirmed, this would mark the first sageuk lead for either actor, stepping into period drama territory for the first time in careers built almost entirely on contemporary storytelling.

A Joseon Story Built on Restless Spirits

Unnamed Lamp is based on a webtoon of the same name. The drama is set during a turbulent period of the Joseon dynasty and layers supernatural elements into its royal political intrigue. The central premise: twin sisters who carry the weight of both a king's fate and a traitor's legacy, their destinies shaped by the lingering grudges of restless spirits. It is the kind of high-concept premise that works precisely because the emotional stakes are grounded in something deeply personal, not just the court politics surrounding it.

KBS2 has a strong track record with historical productions. This project combines a period setting with supernatural elements, fitting a growing appetite for genre-bending sageuk content that has performed well with Korean and international streaming audiences alike.

The Characters: A Dual Role and a Warrior Prince

Won Ji-an is being considered for the role of the twin sisters at the drama's emotional center. Playing dual roles is one of the more technically demanding assignments in Korean television. The actor has to differentiate two characters in manner, body language, and relationship dynamics while keeping both believable within the same story. That the production is approaching Won Ji-an for this role signals real confidence in her range.

Chae Jong-hyeop is in talks to play Grand Prince Okryun, Lee Hyo, the second son of the king. The character is described as bold and combative, someone who genuinely loves martial arts and who, while still in his late teens, killed an enemy general in battle. He is not the crown prince. He is not destined for the throne. That tension between exceptional ability and a secondary position in the line of succession is classic dramatic territory, and it is the kind of layered role that suits where Chae Jong-hyeop is in his career right now.

Why This Casting Would Matter

Neither Chae Jong-hyeop nor Won Ji-an has taken on a sageuk before, and that alone makes this casting genuinely interesting. Period dramas demand an entirely different physical vocabulary from performers than contemporary settings do. The formal speech patterns of classical Joseon-era Korean, the rigid hierarchy of court protocol, the controlled physicality required for traditional combat sequences: all of it runs counter to the emotionally naturalistic, modern-casual approach that works in the romance and thriller roles both actors have refined across their careers. Actors who are naturals in contemporary settings often struggle to calibrate to the formality that period productions require, and the adjustment can take multiple roles to feel authentic. That Chae Jong-hyeop is being asked to make this leap while actively mid-run on an MBC romance series, and that Won Ji-an is taking on a dual role in her first period drama simultaneously, makes the developmental step even more notable. Watching either of them navigate that shift for the first time is worth the anticipation.

Chae Jong-hyeop is currently starring in In Your Radiant Season on MBC alongside Lee Sung Kyung, a modern romance drama that premiered February 20, 2026, confirmed by MBC's official broadcast schedule. His trajectory over the past few years has been a steady build: from The Witch's Diner (2021) to Castaway Diva (2023) to Serendipity's Embrace (2024). Each role has pushed him into more complex emotional territory. A Joseon warrior prince would be a genuine left turn, and probably a necessary one at this stage.

Won Ji-an has been moving fast. After breaking out with D.P. in 2021, she has kept a consistent presence across genres: If You Wish Upon Me (2022), Heartbeat (2023), Squid Game Season 2 (2024), and her 2025 JTBC drama Surely Tomorrow opposite Park Seo-joon. She is not a performer who plays it safe, and a dual-role sageuk lead is exactly the kind of challenge that could meaningfully shift how the industry sees her ceiling.

What We Know Right Now

As of March 20, 2026, this is still at the discussion stage. Both agencies confirmed they are positively reviewing offers, which in Korean entertainment language means negotiations are serious but not finalized. No broadcast date has been set. No production company has been publicly credited. This is a project taking shape in real time.

The combination of a well-sourced webtoon property, a major public broadcaster, and two actors at inflection points in their careers is a compelling starting position. Whether the confirmed cast ends up matching what is in discussion now, Unnamed Lamp is a drama to track in 2026. The premise is strong enough to carry significant interest on its own. With the right leads, it becomes something to mark on a calendar.