Late Joseon Kings and Historical Drama (1649-1910)
updated April 2020
In this third post, I’ll look at the late Joseon kings and historical drama. There were 11 kings (two became emperors) in the late Joseon period:
King Hyojong (r.1649-1659), King Hyeonjong (r.1659-1674), King Sukjong (r.1674-1720), King Gyeongjong (r.1720-1724), King Yeongjo (r.1724-1776), King Jeongjo (r.1776-1800), King Sunjo (r.1800-1834), King Heonjong (r.1834-1849), King Cheoljong (r.1849-1863), King Gojong (then Emperor) (r.1863-1907), Emperor Sunjong (r.1907-1910)
Here’s a quick overview of the period.
In the late 17th century the country was trying to recover after the Manchu invasions. Stability came with the long and successful reigns of Sukjong, Yeongjo, and Jeongjo when the country entered a golden age. (There are lots of dramas featuring these kings!)
But in the 19th century things began to go pear-shaped. The kings lost power to their in-laws and corruption became rife. Consequently, there was more poverty and peasant revolts.
Meanwhile, the influence of the West was pouring in to East Asia bringing new technology and religion. But many scholars in Joseon wanted to preserve traditional Confucian values and class structure. So they turned away from outsiders. As a result, the country became known as the ‘hermit Country‘.
By the end of the 19th century the Japanese government had more and more power in Korea. Empress Myeongseong was murdered by Japanese agents in 1895 and then in 1910 Korea became a colony of Japan.
(17) 효종 King Hyojong, Yi Ho (r.1649-1659)
So the late Joseon period beings with King Hyojong. He had to pick up the pieces after his father, King Injo, lost to the Qing Dynasty in the Manchu wars.
The future King Hyojong (Grand Prince Bong Rim) and his brother (Crown Prince So Hyeon) were held as hostages in Qing for 8 years after the defeat.
But it seems that the two brothers felt differently about their experiences there. The Crown Prince took a positive approach towards the Qing and wanted to learn with a view to modernising Joseon. On the other hand, the younger brother (future king Hyojong) felt resentment and wanted revenge for his father’s humiliating defeat.
Rumour has it that King Injo (who was obviously also anti-Qing) had the Crown Prince poisoned to death when he returned to Joseon. And then chose the younger anti-Qing son to become king!
Suspicious Death
The suspicious death of Crown Prince Sohyeon appears in the first episode of Horse Doctor (MBC 2012). This is about the life of a vet who becomes a royal doctor. Crown Prince Sohyeon also appears in The Slave Hunters (Chuno, KBS 2010) who catch runaway slaves!
During King Hyojong’s reign, Dutchman Hendrick Hamel arrived in Joseon after his ship was shipwrecked off Jeju island. Hamel was taken with the other sailors to the palace in the capital Hanyang (Seoul). later he became the first westerner to write books about Joseon.
Since the country was closed to the outside world, the sailors weren’t allowed to leave. So they spent 13 years here before 8 of them escaped to Nagasaki, Japan. In A Walk Through the Land of Miracles Simon Winchester walks the same route as the sailors did and he writes about his experiences.
(18) 현종 King Hyeonjong, Yi Yeon (r. 1659-1674)
King Hyeongjong had his hands full dealing with power struggles at home between the Westerners (Seoin faction) and Southerners (Namin faction). On top of this, the Qing Dynasty had become more powerful and Joseon was now a tributary state of the Qing dynasty.
Conflict between conservatives and progressives continued. In the medical drama Horse Doctor (also known as The King’s Doctor MBC, 2012) we see how Confucian values would be in conflict with the changing times:
For instance, operations were not allowed as the body was considered to be sacred. So the Confucian scholars are outraged to hear that a doctor intends to go directly AGAINST Confucian teachings and carry out an operation.
Life of the king in Horse Doctor
In Horse Doctor we can also peek into the everyday life of the king: He brushes his teach with salt and a leaf. And gets on his horse via mini stepladder!
As the father of King Sukjong (the one with the famous concubines), King Hyeongjong also appears in the drama Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love.
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(19) 숙종 King Sukjong, Yi Sun (r.1674-1720)
King Sukjong is one of the most frequently portrayed kings in historical drama.
In the book The annals of the Joseon Dynasty by min seok seol (Korean) King Sukjong is described as the king born with a silver spoon.
(Actually, in Korean it’s referred to as a gold spoon 순금수저 as opposed to a dirt spoon 흙수저 for those born without advantages!)
This is because he was SO legitimate that there were no struggles, scandals, or objections for him to take the throne. Oldest son of the King? Check. Son of the Queen? (not lowly concubine) Check. Became Crown Prince as a child with no problem? Check.
Yes, he ticked all the boxes which can’t be said for many of the other kings! (If it could, there’d be hardly any historical dramas, right?)
King Sukjong’s controversial love life
His rise to the throne may not have been controversial, but his love life certainly was and makes for great drama…
Let’s start with his infamous concubine Jang Hee Bin who is THE femme fatale and the perfect baddie for historical dramas! Jang Ok Jung, Living by Love (SBS 2013) is one drama about the life of Jang Hee Bin.
The fact that another one of his concubines, Suk Bin, was from the SERVANT class was also unconventional. And it made for great drama in Dong Yi (MBC 2010) a romance based on the relationship between King Sukjong and Suk Bin. She was the mother of future King Yeongjo – the longest ruling monarch of the Joseon period!
He had two sons by concubines (and none by a Queen) which caused the supporting factions to fight over who should be king. And there were purges during his reign as the factions squabbled over power as well as the controversial dethronement of Queen Inhyeon (who was later reinstated).
Perhaps all this stress was why he was said to have a short temper, which doesn’t sound at all like the comical and congenial charmer portrayed by Ji Jin Hee in Dong Yi! 💕
Related posts:
How King Sukjong is portrayed in Dong Yi
King Sukjong and Jang Hee Bin’s tombs
Are there any original portraits of King Sukjong or other kings?
The Story of Chunhyang, a Korean literary classic romance from the reign of King Sukjong
(20) 경종 King Gyeongjong, Yi Yun (r.1720-1724)
Let’s move on to King Gyeongjong who is one of the lesser known kings. He’s wedged between the big names of Sukjong and Yeongjo. Still, he has a claim to fame: he was the son of the infamous concubine Jang Hee Bin.
(Jang Hee Bin was famous for her ambition to become Queen and was caught trying to kill Queen Inhyeon with the help of a shaman)
So the prince was adopted by Queen Inhyeon to make his position more stable. But his political supporters – the westerners – turned away from him when his mother was pronounced a criminal and put to death by poison.
King Gyeongjong was physically weak and only reigned for a short time. He had an unfortunate life really…
First, he experienced his mother Jang Hee Bin drink poison when he was just 14 years old. (See Dong Yi MBC 2010) And after that his position was never safe. When his father took another Queen (his third one), who was only a year older than the Crown Prince himself, he had to face the possibility of a more legitimate son usurping his place.
Luckily for him, the queen never had any sons and so he became King.
A physically weak king
But still, he was weak and sick. And so for the final blow: one day his half brother (future king Yeongjo) offered him some marinated crab and persimmon. After eating it, he took a turn for the worse. Concerned for his health, the prince brought him ginseng and traditional medicine.
After drinking this, the King died…
Rumours spread that his half-brother had poisoned him. But it was never proved and King Yeongjo was put on the throne.
Poor old King Gyeongjong. I feel bad for him.
(21) 영조 King Yeongjo, Yi Geum (r. 1724-1776)
King Yeongjo was the half-brother of the previous king – the one rumours said he poisoned! And he was son of King Sukjong and his concubine Suk Bin.
He ruled for 52 years and was the longest ruling monarch of Joseon. But there was controversy around King Yeongjo: first, there was the suspicious death of his half-brother. And second, his mother came from the servant class.
So Yeongjo realised he had to establish his moral credentials and chose to do this by branding himself as a sage king. He worked diligently at this hoping for a sign from above that proved he had received the Mandate of Heaven.
For more on this read my book review about The Confucian Kingship of Korea: Yongjo and the Politics of Sagacity. This book covers not only King Yongjo’s reign but also a detailed explanation of what was expected of a Confucian King in general.
Prince Sado and the Rice Chest
But the most controversial and saddest part of his reign must be when he ordered his own son Crown Prince Sado to get in a rice chest where he remained for 8 days until he died.
Unfortunately, Crown Prince Sado had begun to show signs of mental illness and violent behaviour. So as a last resort King Yeongjo decided to end his life. And since Yeongjo had no other heir, his grandson (Crown Prince Sado’s son) became the next king.
The Throne (2015) is a moving film about the death of Crown Prince Sado in the rice chest. Original portraits of Yeongjo as a prince and as King have survived today. See the Chart of Joseon Kings and related dramas for more dramas set in this period.
Related posts:
The Confucian Kingship of Korea: Yongjo and the politics of Sagacity
The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyeong – wife of Prince Sado who died in the rice chest.
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(22) 정조 King Jeongjo, Yi San (r.1776-1800)
King Jeongjo is considered to be one of the most successful rulers of Joseon.
His title was originally Jeongjong but was changed to Jeongjo at a later date. Read about why some Joseon kings have the title JO and others JONG
The drama Yi San (MBC 2007) is the MARATHON drama (77 episodes) that covers his reign from the traumatic experience of seeing his father put to death in a rice chest to his own death in 1800 after ruling for 24 years.
Most of the plot is based around a series of assassination attempts and instances by the Noron officials to sabotage the king’s work and ruin his reputation.
The Noron party officials have become too powerful and with it greedy and corrupt. Yi San has progressive views and wants to rid the government of corruption which means shaking up the balance of power. Over the course of his reign we see Yi San battle with his government over trading laws, slavery, and the general structure of government – he even moves the capital to nearby Suwon to try to weaken the hold the Noron officials have.
Some of the most famous Joseon artists lived during this time.
The drama Painter of the Wind (SBS 2008) – about two famous painters (Shin Yun-bok and Kim Hong Do) is set during his reign. Here’s my post on some of Shin Yun Bok’s portraits of gisaengs.
See the Chart of Joseon Kings and related dramas for more dramas set in the reign of King Jeongjo.
Actually, King Jeongjo was a noted calligrapher and there is an example of his calligraphy writing in the permanent exhibition at the National Museum of Korea.
Jeongjo spent time trying to clear his father’s name. He built Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon (now a UNESCO Word Heritage site just outside Seoul) to honour his father and moved his father Prince Sado’s grave there. Every year in October there is a reenactment of King Jeongjo’s Royal Parade – a march from Seoul to Suwon that the royal party took for the ceremony.
King Jeongjo’s mother, Lady Hyegyeong, was never given the title of Queen Mother because her son was adopted by his uncle to separate him from his father Sado’s ‘crime.’
In her memoirs she gives shocking accounts of her husband Prince Sado’s violence. For example she recounts one time when he killed a eunuch for no reason and cut off his head. Here’s Prince Sado portrayed by Yoo Ah In in the film The Throne.
Related posts:
What can we learn about Joseon society through the paintings of Shin Yun Bok?
(23) 순조 King Sunjo, Yi Gong (r.1800-1834)
King Jeongjo died suddenly in his 40s in mysterious circumstances leaving his 10 year-old son to become King. So Yeongjo’s Queen, Jeongsun, ruled as regent instead.
Her family, the Andong clan, took over politics and a period known as sedo politics began – where real power is held by the King’s in-laws, and of course there’s loads of corruption.
Persecution of Catholics
In 1801 a persecution of catholics began and people became afraid to acknowledge catholicism or western learning. (The persecution of Catholics appears in the drama Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung – although it’s not stated exactly when this fusion drama is set.)
Western influence was challenging Confucian values and education. For instance, it was revealed that the earth was round, but Confucianism stated that heaven was round and earth was square.
While Sunjo isn’t too memorable, the Queen Dowager has been portrayed in lots of drama. Take a look at the Chart of Joseon Kings and related dramas for more dramas where Queen Jeongsun appears.
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(24) 헌종 King Heonjong, Yi Hwan (r. 1834-1849)
King Heonjong was the grandson of King Sunjo and only 7 years old when he came to the throne.
But he never actually ruled himself. His grandmother Queen Sunwon (also known as Queen Dowager Myeonggyeong) ruled as regent until he died young without an heir. She was a member of the powerful Andong clan and Sedo politics continued. (where real power was held by the King’s in-laws)
Meanwhile, the Opium War (1840-42) was the beginning of the destruction of the Qing dynasty which would also affect Joseon.
Queen Sunwon makes an appearance in Love in the Moonlight (KBS2 2016) a coming-of-age romantic comedy.
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(25) 철종 King Cheoljong, Yi Byeon (r.1849-1863)
King Cheoljong is called the ‘Cinderella’ king in the history book The annals of the Joseon Dynasty by min seok seol (Korean).
Cheoljong was a member of the Yi family, but he wasn’t in direct line for the throne – in fact he was illiterate and living in Ganghwa Island in poverty when he was chosen to be king!
So he was the perfect candidate as he could easily be controlled by the Andong Clan. He was king in name only and died without an heir. An original portrait of King Cheoljong remains.
Times were difficult for the ordinary people. Kundo: Age of the Rampant is an action film with a Robin Hood-esque story as a band of outlaws steal from the rich to give to the poor.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Japan opened its ports in 1854 for the Kanagawa Treaty with the US. And treaties with European countries came soon after.
Related Posts:
(26) 고종 King Gojong, Yi Myeong-bok (r.1863-1897)
King Gojong (r.1863-1907) was 12 when he came to the throne. So his father Yi-Ha-eung ruled as regent in his place (Heungseon Daewongun, 1820–1898)
Daewongun was a strong leader and got rid of Sedo politics overthrowing the Andong Kim clan’s power. But there were many domestic problems: famine, poverty, high taxes and corruption. And there were peasant revolts.
On top of this, external pressure heated up too: In 1866 the French invaded Ganghwa island as retaliation for the persecution of French missionaries. In 1871 America invaded Ganghwa Island in protest of the burning of their ship The General Sherman. They also wanted the port to be opened. This was refused.
Then Japan went to war with Qing in the first Sino-Japanese war (1894-1895) and forced Joseon to allow Japan to use its land and natural resources.
The Korean Empire
In 1895, Empress Myeongseong was assassinated by Japanese agents. Soon after, King Gojong cut ties with Qing China and became the first emperor of the Korean Empire. But it wouldn’t last much longer.
See the Chart of Joseon Kings and related dramas for more dramas set in this period.
(27) 순종 Emperor Sunjong, Yi Cheok (r.1907-1910)
He was the last Emperor of the Joseon period, but by this point the Japanese government was in control of the politics in Korea. Then in 1910 Korea was colonised by Japan.
And so this was the end of the Joseon period as well as the end of the Monarchy in Korea.
A couple of recent dramas cover this period of history:
Mr. Sunshine (TvN 2018) is set in the early 1900s and stars Lee Byung-hun. A young boy travels to the United States during the 1871 US expedition to Korea. Mung Bean Flower (a.k.a Nokdu Flower) (SBS 2019) is set during this time too.
Related Posts:
Early Joseon Kings and Sageuk Drama
Mid Joseon Kings and Sageuk Drama (1494 – 1649) YEONSANGUN to KING INJO
Questions that come up watching Korean historical dramas!
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