Tae-mu, after killing his lost cousin in the United States, returns to Korea, claiming that his cousin, Tae-yong, could not be found in New York City. Meanwhile, Tae-mu has been having a secret affair with Se-na, his secretary, who, in turn, runs into her long-lost stepsister Park-ha. Park-ha has been missing for a prolonged period of time and it is revealed that she was in the US after Se-na abandoned her in a truck driving away when she was nine. Two years after Tae-yong's disappearance, four men dressed in Joseon era garments, fall onto Park-ha's rooftop house. Hungry, homeless and having nowhere to go, the four men decide to stick with Park-ha. Their leader, Lee-gak claims to be the Crown Prince of Joseon, along with his entourage - scholar Song Man-bo, personal bodyguard Woo Yong-sool, and palace eunuch Do Chi-san. One day, Crown Prince Lee Gak sees Se-na who is the spitting image of his beloved wife, who was found drowned in the 18th century. He is convinced she is his wife's reincarnation. Meanwhile, company president Yeo mistakes Lee Gak for her grandson, Yong Tae-yong, because of their exact same appearance, and believes that her long lost grandson has finally returned. Lee Gak realizes that he has time traveled 300 years to 2012, Seoul, to search for the truth behind the mysterious death of the late Crown Princess. In order to approach Se-na, who is also President Yeo's personal assistant, Lee Gak pretends that he is Tae-yong. Tae-mu, believing that he already killed his cousin in New York, lives in constant fear of his devious act being discovered by the family and "Tae-yong" who claims not to have remembered the event. Tae-mu has always been jealous of Tae-yong's favored position in the family. On the other hand, Park-ha is shocked by the news that her new friend who calls himself the Crown Prince is, in fact, the grandson of the CEO. But before long, her feelings for Lee Gak blossom and she is hurt when she finds out that Lee Gak, who still holds very tender memories of his dead wife, is courting Se-na. Lee Gak also believes that marrying Se-na in Seoul in the year 2012 would bring him closer to solving the mystery of the Crown Princess' murder in the Joseon era.
Kil Yong-woo as Lord Hong Man-pil, Bu-yong and Hwa-yong's father and Left State Minister of Joseon.
Kyeon Mi-ri as Lady Jeong, Bu-yong and Hwa-yong's mother.
Song Ok-sook as Gong Man-ok, Se-na's mother and Park-ha's stepmother.
Maeng Sang-hoon as Park In-cheol, Park-ha's father
Na Young-hee as President Jang, Park-ha's mother
Kim Hyung-bum as Officer Hong Nak-hyeon, Bu-yong and Hwa-yong's brother and head of the royal police
Kang Byul as Lady Mimi
Guzal Tursunova as Becky
Ban Hyo-jung as Chairman Yeo, chairman of the Home & Shopping Network, and Tae-yong's grandmother
Ahn Suk-hwan as Yong Dong-man, Tae-mu's father
Park Joon-geum as Yong Seol-hee, Dong-man's aunt
Lee Moon-sik as Pyo Taek-soo
Production
Prior to the script reading, the main actors were required to undertake a camera test dressed in traditional costumes. The first script reading occurred at the SBS Ilsan Production Center on February 1, 2012. Filming for Rooftop Prince began on February 4, 2012. On February 7, 2012, a traditional wedding scene was filmed at Gyeonghui Palace in Seoul, involving the young Crown Prince Lee Gak and Hwa Yong. Filming was temporarily rescheduled due to the passing of Park Yoochun's father on March 13, however Park resumed work on March 17 as the pilot episode was scheduled to air on the 21st.
Original soundtrack
To date, three EPs and one album have been released.
Rooftop Prince OST Part 1
Rooftop Prince OST Part 2
Rooftop Prince OST Vol. 1
Rooftop Prince OST Part 3
Ratings
Despite average ratings in South Korea, the drama was popular overseas, especially in China and Japan. Fans from 35 different countries have visited the filming set.
