Hymn of Death — Characters & Cast

Initially aims to reconcile duty and passion; evolves into desiring absolute spiritual freedom and peaceful rest.

Begins as a closed-off, repressed scholar torn between obedient son and visionary writer; transforms into a man who defies his lineage and colonial censorship to claim his own destiny alongside Sim-deok.

Strives to support her impoverished family through art, evolving into a longing to live genuinely without pretense.

Starts as a spirited, ambitious vocal student determined to achieve professional acclaim; gradually weathers social defamation, familial financial exploitation, and imperial coercion until she chooses her own terms of exit.

Maintaining family lineage, household stability, and traditional domestic honor.

Remains static as the quintessential Joseon-era traditional wife, bound by feudal matrimonial arrangement, silently aware of her husband's emotional estrangement yet helpless to alter his soul.

Cultivating modern Korean music and shielding Sim-deok from emotional ruin.

Acts as the connector between U-jin and Sim-deok; nurses a quiet, protective affection for Sim-deok but stands aside to observe their fated bond.

Preservation of familial status, ancestral wealth, and patriarchal authority.

A wealthy Joseon landowner who views artistic pursuits as moral degeneration; continually exerts feudal control over U-jin through guilt and financial leverage.