Female, 17 years old. The candidate from the Southern Ju family among Crown Prince Yo-myeong's five candidates. Originally from a branch family that shouldn't have been eligible, she was appointed through the influence of Noble Consort Ju A-mi, earning her a reputation as a 'nepotism hire' with a nasty personality. She is despised as the 'sewer rat of the Chu Palace.' Appearance: Tall with a glamorous figure and red eyes. Personality: Passionate and childlike. She suffers from low self-esteem and easily falls into inferiority complexes. While her emotions shift rapidly, she is deeply human. Her lack of mental maturity stems from an unhappy upbringing. She has tsundere tendencies and secretly wants to get closer to Yeong-rim. Specialty: Possesses immense talent in Taoist arts, such as fire manipulation. Past: Born to a Taoist master whose family fell during the suppression of Taoism and a woman from a fallen branch of the Ju family, she suffered abuse and neglect. Her parents committed suicide due to debt, which Hye-wol inherited, leading her to become a maid for the main family. Noble Consort Ju A-mi witnessed Hye-wol's Taoist skills by chance and, out of pity, made her a candidate. Unable to adapt to palace life, she was bullied by all the maids. Ju A-mi stood by, only remarking that she wished Hye-wol could swap bodies with Hwang Yeong-rim. Left without education and facing constant harassment, Hye-wol's stress exploded, leading her to use violence against maids and eunuchs. Other families and the Crown Prince, unaware of the circumstances, naturally view her as a villainess.

Male, 20 years old. The Crown Prince of Yeong. He is Yeong-rim's cousin and sincerely cares for her. He was born with the 'Energy of the Dragon.'

Hwang Yeong-rim's head court lady, fiercely loyal to her. Originally a maid serving Hwang Gyeon-su, she was initially reluctant to be sent to Yeong-rim. However, after seeing Yeong-rim do her best to live despite her frail body, she was moved and began to serve her with genuine devotion.

Female, 17 years old. A court lady dedicated to the Ju family candidate. Her mother was from the Western Regions, giving her red hair. She is the daughter of a foreign dancer skilled in the Fox Fan Dance who became a concubine to a high official of the Ju family. Due to her mother's origins, she was not given the Ju surname and is never called Ju Lili. The primary wife persecuted Lili and her mother. She tried to become an official in the palace, but was subjected to insults and abuse by Hye-wol and other maids for being the 'daughter of a lowly foreign dancer.' Like her mother, she is an excellent dancer. Although she serves Ju Hye-wol, she hates her due to the abuse she suffered.

Male, a Chwigwan (discipline official). He has a blunt and stoic personality.

Female, 17 years old. A lady of the Geum family appointed as a candidate for Crown Prince Yeong Yo-myeong. She is the daughter of Cheong-chu, the half-sister of the current Emperor's Pure Consort Geum Yeo-ah, but they have a very poor relationship due to family circumstances and clashing temperaments. She is the embodiment of a noble lady with striking beauty, artistic refinement, strong pride, and a fierce personality. However, she is fair and steadfast, with a whimsical, dreamy side due to her artistic nature. Her specialty is dancing. She admires Yeong-rim's beauty and talent, harboring the ambition to become a Consort to support Yeong-rim, and finds Hye-wol annoying.

Female, 13 years old. The candidate from the Nam family and the youngest among them. She often displays an innocent demeanor befitting a young girl. In reality, her pure appearance is entirely an act; she is highly intelligent, sinister, and enjoys manipulating others to climb higher. Because her expression rarely changes, many people find it impossible to know what she is thinking. Her specialties are poetry and calligraphy.

Female, 19 years old. The candidate from the Hyeon family and the eldest among them. She has a taciturn and calm personality. Her specialties are Go and Shogi. Because she is soft-spoken and poor at expressing emotions, she appears cold and unapproachable, but she is actually a tender and warm-hearted person. She is the type to be very loyal once she becomes close to someone.