Gwanghaegun of Joseon

King of Joseon from 1608 to 1623

Gwanghaegun
광해군
光海君

King of Joseon
Reign| March 1608 – 12 April 1623
Predecessor| Seonjo
Successor| Injo
Regent of Joseon
Regency| 1592–1608
Monarch| Seonjo

Born| 4 June 1575
Hanseong, Joseon
Died| 7 August 1641 (1641-08-08) (aged 66)
Jeju-mok, Jeolla Province, Joseon
Burial|

Gwanghaegunmyo Mausoleum, Namyangju, South Korea

Spouse(s)|

Queen Yu

(m. 1587⁠–⁠1623)​

Issue| 4 sons, 1 daughter
| Names

Yi Hon (이혼; 李琿)
Clan| Jeonju Yi
Dynasty| Yi
Father| Seonjo of Joseon
Mother| Royal Noble Consort Gong
Religion| Korean Confucianism (Neo-Confucianism)
Korean name

Hangul|

광해군

Hanja|

光海君

Revised Romanization| Gwanghae
McCune–Reischauer| Kwanghae
Birth name
Hangul|

Hanja|

Revised Romanization| I Hon
McCune–Reischauer| I Hon

Gwanghaegun or Prince Gwanghae (Korean: 광해군; Hanja: 光海君; 4 June 1575 – 7 August 1641), personal name Yi Hon (이혼; 李琿), was the 15th monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. As he was deposed in a coup d'état, he did not receive a temple name.

## Biography

[edit]

### Birth and background

[edit]

Gwanghaegun was the second son of King Seonjo; born to Royal Noble Consort Gong, a concubine, who died a year after his birth. He had one older brother.

When Japan invaded Joseon to attack the Ming Empire, he was installed as Crown Prince. When the king fled north to the border of Ming, he set up a branch court and fought defensive battles. During and after the Imjin Wars (1592–1598), despite being Crown Prince, he acted as the de facto ruler of the Joseon Dynasty in 1592, commanding battles and taking care of the reconstruction of the nation after the devastating wars, in the place of old and weak King Seonjo.[1]

Although it brought prestige to him, his position was still unstable. He had an elder but incompetent full-brother Prince Imhae (임해군; 臨海君) and a younger but legitimate half-brother Grand Prince Yeongchang (영창대군; 永昌大君), who was supported by the Lesser Northerners faction. Fortunately for Gwanghae, King Seonjo's abrupt death made it impossible for his favorite son Yeongchang to succeed to the throne.[citation needed]

### Violence of Greater Northerner faction

[edit]

Before King Seonjo died in 1608, he named Prince Gwanghae as his official successor to the throne and ordered his advisers to make a royal document. However, Lyu Young-gyong of the Lesser Northerners faction hid the document and plotted to install Grand Prince Yeongchang as king, only to be found out by the head of the Great Northerners faction (대북; 大北), Jeong In-hong. Lyu was executed immediately.

After the incident, Gwanghae tried to bring officials from various political and regional background to his court, but his plan was interrupted by Greater Northerners including Yi I-cheom and Jeong In-hong. Then, Greater Northerners began to take members of other political factions out of the government, especially Lesser Northerners. In 1613, the Greater Northerners moved against Grand Prince Yeongchang; his maternal grandfather, Kim Je-nam, along with his maternal uncles, was found guilty of treason and executed, while Yeongchang was sent into exile, where he too was executed in 1614. At the same time, Greater Northerners suppressed the Lesser Northerners. In 1618, with the help of Court Lady Kim, Grand Prince Yeongchang's mother, Queen Inmok, was stripped of her title and imprisoned along with his younger half-sister, Princess Jeongmyeong. Gwanghae had no power to stop this even though he was the official head of the government.[citation needed]

Monarchs of Korea

Joseon monarchs
|  Taejo|  1392–1398

|

Jeongjong|  1398–1400
Taejong|  1400–1418
Sejong|  1418–1450
Munjong|  1450–1452
Danjong|  1452–1455
Sejo|  1455–1468
Yejong|  1468–1469
Seongjong|  1469–1494
Yeonsangun|  1494–1506
Jungjong|  1506–1544
Injong|  1544–1545
Myeongjong|  1545–1567
Seonjo|  1567–1608
Gwanghaegun|  1608–1623
Injo|  1623–1649
Hyojong|  1649–1659
Hyeonjong|  1659–1674
Sukjong|  1674–1720
Gyeongjong|  1720–1724
Yeongjo|  1724–1776
Jeongjo|  1776–1800
Sunjo|  1800–1834
Heonjong|  1834–1849
Cheoljong|  1849–1864
Gojong|  1864–1897

* v
* t
* e

### Achievements

[edit]

Despite his poor reputation after his death, he was a talented and pragmatic politician. He endeavored to restore the country and sponsored the restoration of documents. As a part of reconstruction, he revised land ordinance and redistributed land to the people; he also ordered the rebuilding of Changdeokgung along with several other palaces. Additionally, he was responsible for the reintroduction of the hopae identification system after a long period of disuse.[2]

In foreign affairs he sought a balance between the Ming Empire and the Manchus. Since he realized Joseon was unable to compete with Manchu military power, he tried to maintain friendly relationship with the Manchus while the kingdom was still under the suzerainty of Ming, which angered the Ming and dogmatic Confucian Koreans. The critically worsened Manchu-Ming relationship forced him to send ten thousand soldiers to aid Ming in 1619.[3] However, the Battle of Sarhū ended in Manchu's overwhelming victory. The Korean General Gang Hong-rip lost two-thirds of his troops and surrendered to Nurhaci. Gwanghaegun negotiated independently for peace with the Manchus and managed to avoid another war. He also restored diplomatic relationship with Japan in 1609 when he reopened trade with Japan through Treaty of Giyu, and sent his ambassadors to Japan in 1617.

In the domestic sphere, Gwanghaegun implemented the Daedong law, which let his subjects pay their taxes more easily. However, this law was activated only in Gyeonggi Province, which was the largest granary zone at that time, and it took a century for the law to be extended across the whole kingdom. He encouraged publishing in order to accelerate reconstruction and to restore the kingdom's former prosperity. Many books were written during his reign, including the medical book Dongui Bogam, and several historical records were rewritten in this period. In 1616, tobacco was first introduced to Korea and it soon became popular amongst the Korean aristocracy.

### Dethronement and later life

[edit]

Gwanghaegun's diary

On April 11, 1623, Gwanghaegun was deposed in a coup by the Westerners faction that was crucially justified by Queen Inmok who was freed from prison during the coup.[4] The coup directed by Kim Yu took place at night, Gwanghaegun fled but was captured later.[5] He was confined first on Ganghwa Island and then on Jeju Island, where he died in 1641.[6] He does not have a royal mausoleum like the other Joseon rulers. His and Lady Ryu's remains were buried at a comparatively humble site in Namyangju in Gyeonggi Province. The Westerners faction installed Neungyanggun as the sixteenth king Injo who promulgated pro-Ming and anti-Manchu policies, which resulted in two subsequent Manchu invasions.

## Legacy

[edit]

Gwanghaegun's tomb

Gwanghaegun is one of only two deposed kings who were not restored and given a temple name (the other one being Yeonsangun).

He remains a polarizing figure among historians. Historian Oh Hang-nyeong strongly criticized the king, writing that he "practically used up the country's entire budget solely for the construction of palaces, his policies were flawed and moreover, he was absent in many of the cabinet meetings. Gwanghaegun failed to communicate with his servants and with his people." However, historian Lee Duk-il praised the king, did that he "indeed made some political errors, but during his reign, the famous oriental medical book 'Donguibogam' was published and he created the tax system 'Daedong law' that was enforced for the benefit of the people." Despite the controversy over the king's handling of domestic policies, most historians have a positive assessment of Gwanghae's acts regarding foreign affairs.[7]

## Family

[edit]

* Father: King Seonjo of Joseon (조선 선조; 26 November 1552 – 16 March 1608)
* Grandfather: Grand Internal Prince Deokheung (덕흥대원군; 2 April 1530 – 14 June 1559)
* Grandmother: Grand Internal Princess Consort Hadong of the Hadong Jeong clan (하동부대부인 정씨; 23 September 1522 – 24 June 1567)
* Mother: Royal Noble Consort Gong of the Gimhae Kim clan (공빈 김씨; 16 November 1553 – 13 June 1577)
* Grandfather: Kim Hui-cheol (김희철; 15 July 1519 – 14 August 1596)
* Grandmother: Lady Gwon of the Andong Gwon clan (정경부인 안동 권씨; 1525–?)

Consort(s) and their respective issue

1. Deposed Queen Yu of the Munhwa Yu clan (폐비 유씨; 15 August 1576 – 31 October 1623)
1. First son (1592)
2. Second son (1596)
3. Deposed Crown Prince Yi Ji (폐세자 이지; 31 December 1598 – 22 July 1623), third son
4. Fourth son (1605–1610)
2. Royal Noble Consort Su of the Yangcheon Heo clan (수빈 허씨; 1595–1623)[a]
3. Royal Consort Gwi-in of the Papyeong Yun clan (귀인 윤씨; 1602 – 14 March 1623)
1. Princess Hwain (화인옹주; 1619–1664), first daughter
4. Royal Consort So-ui of the Pungsan Hong clan (소의 홍씨; 1584–1623)
5. Royal Consort So-ui of the Andong Gwon clan (숙의 권씨; 1586–1624)
6. Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Wonju Won clan (숙의 원씨; 1588–?)
7. Royal Consort So-yong of the Dongnae Jeong clan (소용 정씨; 1592–1623)
8. Royal Consort So-yong of the Pungcheon Im clan (소용 임씨; 1598–1628)
9. Royal Consort So-won of the Yeongsan Shin clan (소원 신씨; 1594–?)
10. Royal Consort Suk-won of the Han clan (숙원 한씨; 1585–?)
11. Court Lady Kim (상궁 김씨; 1584–1623)
12. Court Lady Yi (상궁 이씨; 1585–?)
13. Court Lady Choe (상궁 최씨; 1585–?)
14. Court Lady Jo of the Hanyang Jo clan (궁인 조씨; 1596–?)
15. Court Lady Byeon of the Wonju Byeon clan (궁인 변씨; 1585–?)

## In popular culture

[edit]

### Film and television

[edit]

* Portrayed by Kim Kyu-chul in the 1995 TV Series West Palace.
* Portrayed by Lee Ho-seong in the 2008 TV series Tamra, the Island.
* Portrayed by Kim Seung-soo in the 1999–2000 TV series Hur Jun.
* Portrayed by Ji Sung in the 2003 TV series The King's Woman.
* Portrayed by Lee In in the 2004–2005 TV series Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin.
* Portrayed by Jo Hee-bong in the 2008 TV series Hong Gil-dong.
* Portrayed by Lee Byung-hun in the 2012 film Masquerade.
* Portrayed by Lee Sang-yoon in the 2013 TV series Goddess of Fire.
* Portrayed by In Gyo-jin in the MBC TV series Hur Jun, The Original Story.
* Portrayed by Seo In-guk in the 2014 TV series The King's Face.
* Portrayed by Cha Seung-won and Lee Tae-hwan in the 2015 MBC TV series Splendid Politics.
* Portrayed by Noh Young-hak in the 2013 TV series Goddess of Fire (young version) and 2015 TV series The Jingbirok: A Memoir of Imjin War.
* Portrayed by Yeo Jin-goo in the 2017 film Warriors of the Dawn and the 2019 tv series The Crowned Clown.
* Portrayed by Jung Joon-ho in the 2019 TV series The Tale of Nokdu.
* Portrayed by Jang Hyun-sung in the 2020 film The Swordsman.
* Portrayed by Kim Tae-woo in the 2021 MBN TV Series Bossam: Steal the Fate.
* Portrayed by Choi Won-myeong in the 2025 TV series Heo's Diner.

### Music

[edit]

* Referenced in rapper Agust D's 2020 regnal march inspired Daechwita.[8][9] Both the song's lyrics and accompanying Lumpens music video draw further from the 2012 film Masquerade with Agust D portraying a scarred tyrant threatened by the arrival of his modern era doppelganger.[10][11]

### Literature

[edit]

* Gwanghae's Lover, a 2013 novel written by Euodia. Originally posted on web portal Naver, it is a love story about Gwanghae and a time traveling high school girl.[12]

## See also

[edit]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Gwanghae-gun of Joseon.

* List of monarchs of Korea

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Her personal name was Heo Jeong-sun (허정순)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Quartermain, Thomas (December 2019). "State Symbols, Group Identity, and Communal Memory in Jeong Gyeong-un's Godae illok, 1592-1598" (PDF). The Review of Korean Studies. 22 (2): 77. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
2. ^ Rutt, Richard; Pratt, Keith L.; Hoare, James (1999). Korea: A Historical and Cultural Dictionary. United Kingdom: Routledge. ISBN 0-7007-0463-9. (p252)
3. ^ "The lament of Prince Gwanghae". Dong A Ilbo. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
4. ^ Schmid, Alban. The Institutional Power of Chosŏn Korea’s Queen Dowagers. Leeds: Arc Humanities Press, 2024.
5. ^ 승정원일기 1책(탈초본 1책) 인조 1년 3월 12일 임인. 승정원일기. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
6. ^ Woo, Jiwon. "[Jeju Playbook] Banished to the Island!". Korea Foundation. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
7. ^ "Controversy reignited over King Gwanghae". Korea JoongAng Daily. 16 September 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
8. ^ Agust D (22 May 2020). "D-2" (in Korean). Big Hit Music. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2021.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
9. ^ Agust D (22 May 2020). "'D-2'" (in Korean). Big Hit Music. Archived from the original on 22 May 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
10. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Agust D '대취타' MV, 22 May 2020, retrieved 11 April 2021
11. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Agust D 'D-2' Mixtape Interview, 27 May 2020, retrieved 11 April 2021
12. ^ Baek, Byung-yeul (31 May 2013). "Recent Book: Gwanghae's Lover". The Korea Times. Retrieved 24 January 2014.

* 광해군 (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia.

Gwanghaegun of Joseon

House of Yi

Born: 1575 Died: 1641

Regnal titles
Preceded by

Seonjo

|  King of Joseon
1608–1623  | Succeeded by

Injo

* v
* t
* e

House of Yi

* List of Monarchs
* Kings of Joseon
* Emperor of Korea
* King Yi
* Genealogy
* Jeonju Yi clan
* Royal Family Association

* Kingdom of Joseon and Korean Empire (1392–1910)

Posthumous[note 1]|

* Mokjo (1392)
* Ikjo (1392)
* Dojo (1392)
* Hwanjo (1392)
* Deokjong (1475)
* Wonjong (1634)
* Jinjong (1776)
* Jangjo (1899)
* Munjo (1834)

King of Joseon
(1392–1897)|

* Taejo (1392–1398)
* Jeongjong (1398–1400)
* Taejong (1400–1418)
* Sejong (1418–1450)
* Munjong (1450–1452)
* Danjong (1452–1455)
* Sejo (1455–1468)
* Yejong (1468–1469)
* Seongjong (1469–1494)
* Yeonsan# (1494–1506)
* Jungjong (1506–1544)
* Injong (1544–1545)
* Myeongjong (1545–1569)
* Seonjo (1569–1608)
* Gwanghae# (1608–1623)
* Injo (1623–1649)
* Hyojong (1649–1659)
* Hyeonjong (1659–1674)
* Sukjong (1674–1720)
* Gyeongjong (1720–1724)
* Yeongjo (1724–1776)
* Jeongjo (1776–1800)
* Sunjo (1800–1834)
* Heonjong (1834–1849)
* Cheoljong (1849–1864)
* Gojong (1864–1897)

Emperor of Korea
(1897–1910)|

* Gojong (1897–1907)
* Sunjong (1907–1910)

Crown Prince[note 2]|

* Yi Bang-seok (1392–1398)
* Grand Prince Yangnyeong (1404–1418)
* Uigyeong (1455–1457)
* Yi Hwang (1502–1506)
* Sunhoe (1557–1563)
* Yi Ji (1608–1623)
* Sohyeon (1625–1645)
* Hyojang (1725–1728)
* Sado (1736–1762)
* Uiso (1751–1752)
* Munhyo (1784–1786)
* Hyomyeong (1812–1830)
* Uimin (1907–1910)

Daewongun[note 3]|

* Deokheung (1569)
* Jeongye (1849)
* Heungseon (1864)

Rival king|

* Heungan (1624)

* Korea under Japanese rule (1910–1945)

King Yi[note 4]
(1910–1947)|

| King Emeritus
(Deoksugung)|

* Yi Hui (1910–1919)

|

King
(Changdeokgung)|

* Yi Cheok (1910–1926)
* Yi Un (1926–1947)

Crown Prince|

* Yi Un (1910)
* Yi Ku (1931)

* Post-World War II (1945–present)

Director of the
Royal Family Association
(1957–)|

| In office|

* Yi Un (1966)
* Yi Ku (1973)
* Yi Won (2007)

|

Posthumous
recognition|

* Yi Kang

Pretenders|

* Yi Seok (2005–2021/2022)
* Andrew Lee (entrepreneur) (2021/2022-present)
* Yi Hae-won (2006–2020)

* # denotes that the king was deposed and never received a temple name.

1. ^ Those who were listed were not reigning monarchs but posthumously recognized; the year following means the year of recognition.
2. ^ Only the crown princes that did not become the king were listed; the former year indicates when one officially became the heir and the latter one is that when one died/deposed. Those who ascended to the throne were excluded in the list for simplification.
3. ^ The title given to the biological father, who never reigned, of the kings who were adopted as the heir to a precedent king.
4. ^ The de jure monarch of Korea during the era was the Emperor of Japan, while the former Korean emperors were given nobility title "King Yi" instead.

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