Queen Sunwon (; 8 June 1789 – 21 September 1857), of the

Andong Kim clan The Andong Kim clan () refers to two bon-gwan, Korean clans of Elder Andong Kim Clan (구 안동 김씨) and the New Andong Kim Clan (신 안동 김씨), respectively. They were prominent yangban, yangban families during Korea's Joseon, Joseon Dy ...

was the queen consort and wife of

Sunjo of Joseon Sunjo (; 29 July 1790 – 13 December 1834), personal name Yi Gong (), was a Korean royal who was the 23rd monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of King Jeongjo by his concubine, Royal Noble Consort Su of the Bannam P ...

. She was known as Queen Dowager Myeonggyeong () after her husband's death in 1834. She served as regent between 1834 and 1841 during her grandson,

Heonjong of Joseon Heonjong (; 8 September 1827 – 25 July 1849), personal name Yi Hwan (), was the 24th monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. His father was Crown Prince Hyomyeong, who died at the age of 20 before becoming king, and his mother was Queen Sinj ...

's reign, and in 1849–1852 during her adoptive son,

Cheoljong of Joseon Cheoljong (; 25 July 1831 – 16 January 1864), personal name Yi Won-beom (), later Yi Byeon (), was the 25th monarch of the Joseon, Joseon dynasty of Korea. After Heonjong of Joseon, King Heonjong died without any descendants in 1849, Queen Sun ...

's reign. She was posthumously called as Sunwon, the Respectful Empress ().

Biography

Early life

The future Queen Consort was born into the

on 8 June 1789. She was the eldest daughter and third child of Kim Jo-sun and his wife, Lady Sim of the Cheongsong Sim clan. Through her father, Lady Kim was a 5th great-grandniece of

Queen Inmok Queen Inmok (; 5 December 1584 – 3 August 1632), of the Yonan Kim clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and second queen consort of Yi Yeon, King Seonjo, the 14th Joseon monarch. She was queen consort of Joseon from 1602 until her ...

, the second wife of

King Seonjo Seonjo (; 6 December 1552 – 6 March 1608), personal name Yi Yeon (), was the 14th monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was known for promoting Confucianism and attempting reforms at the beginning of his reign. However, he later gained ...

and mother of

Princess Jeongmyeong Princess Jeongmyeong (; 27 June 1603 – 8 September 1685) was a Joseon Royal Princess as the tenth daughter of King Seonjo from Queen Inmok. During her older half-brother's reign, she suffered hardships, and her title was revoked, but later it ...

. She was also a first cousin twice removed of Princess Jeongmyeong through her paternal grandmother, Lady Shin. Through her mother, Lady Kim was a maternal descendant of

Sim Ui-gyeom Shim Ui-gyeom (; 1535–1587) was a Korean philosopher and politician during the Joseon period. A Neo-Confucian scholar, he was the head of the Westerners political faction. Shim was also the younger brother of Queen Insun and a member of the ...

Queen Insun Queen Insun (; 27 June 1532 – 12 February 1575), of the Cheongsong Sim clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and queen consort of Yi Hwan, King Myeongjong. She was queen consort of Joseon from 1545 until her husband's death in 1567, ...

's younger brother, and

Sim On Sim On (; 1375 – 18 January 1419) was a Korean politician. He was the Chief State Councillor of the Korean Joseon from September 1418 to December 1418 and the father of Queen Soheon and father-in-law to King Sejong. His treason charges eventu ...

Queen Soheon Queen Soheon (; 20 October 1395 – 28 April 1446), of the Cheongsong Sim clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and queen consort of Sejong the Great, Yi Do (King Sejong) and the mother of Munjong of Joseon, Yi Hyang (King Munjong) and ...

's father. Her mother's side was already connected to the royal family since her maternal grandfather, Sim Geon-ji, was a 5th cousin of Sim Neung-geon (심능건, 沈能建; 1752 – 7 July 1817); who was the son-in-law of

Yeongjo of Joseon Yeongjo (; 31 October 1694 – 22 April 1776), personal name Yi Geum (), was the 21st monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of King Sukjong by his concubine, Royal Noble Consort Suk of the Haeju Choe clan. Before asc ...

as he was married to his daughter, Princess Hwaryeong. Sim Geon-ji was also close to Sim Hwan-ji (심환지, 沈煥之; 1730 – 18 October 1802); who was a member of the Noron Byeokpa faction. Because of this, Sim Hwan-ji was able to interfere with the final selection of who could become Queen Consort. As Lady Kim was from the Andong Kim clan, which was under the leadership of her father Kim Jo-sun, who was also a member of the Noron faction and served as

Jeongjo of Joseon Jeongjo (; 28 October 1752 – 18 August 1800), personal name Yi San (), sometimes called Jeongjo the Great (), was the 22nd monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was the second son of Crown Prince Sado and Lady Hyegyŏng, and succeede ...

's closest aide, Lady Kim emerged as a powerful soon-to-be queen when she was selected among the young girls.

Queen consort

In 1802 at the age of 13, Lady Kim married King Sunjo and became the Queen of Joseon. The Queen eventually bore 5 children; Hyomyeong in 1809, Princess Myeongon in 1810, Princess Bokon in 1818, and Princess Deokon in 1828—with only one son dying in infancy in 1820.

Regent

When her husband died in 1834, she became regent for her eight-year-old grandson, King Heonjong and the political power remained in the hands of her family, the

until 1840, when it passed to the family of Heonjong's mother,

Queen Sinjeong Queen Sinjeong (; 9 January 1809 – 23 May 1890), of the Pungyang Jo clan, was the only wife of Crown Prince Hyomyeong and mother of Heonjong of Joseon. She was never formally a Queen but was known as Queen Dowager Jo () during the reign of her ...

, the

Pungyang Jo clan The Pungyang Cho clan () is a Korean clan that traces its origin to Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province. According to the 2015 Korean census, the clan has 124,262 members. Origin Cho Maeng (), who was originally known by the name of Pa-u (), was born ...

, following the Catholic persecution of 1839. Prior to the death of her grandson in 1849 and becoming regent once again, the Queen had outlived her children as one of her remaining daughters, Princess Deokon, died in 1844. The Queen eventually became regent again during King Cheoljong's reign in 1849. With her influence, she had the king marry a daughter from her clan in 1851, who was known as Queen Cheorin, and ruled as regent until his fourth year of reign in 1852.

Death

Queen Sunwon later died in

Changdeokgung Changdeokgung () is a former royal palace in Seoul, South Korea. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Historic Sites (South Korea), Historic Site of South Korea, it is among the best preserved of all Korean palaces. It and its neighboring palace Cha ...

, on 21 September 1857. The Queen's clan power later diminished when Queen Shinjeong adopted Grand Internal Prince Heungseon's son,

Yi Myeong-bok Gojong (; 8 September 1852 – 21 January 1919), personal name Yi Myeongbok (), later Yi Hui (), also known as the Gwangmu Emperor (), was the penultimate Korean monarch. He ruled Korea for 43 years, from 1864 to 1907, first as the last king ...

, as her own to become the next king. The Queen Dowager stepped down and gave all power to the Grand Internal Prince Heungseon to help his son as regent; thus removing all power of the

's influence as well as the

in the end. Queen Sunwon is buried with her husband in Inreung located in

Naegok-dong Naegok-dong () is a '' dong'' (neighbourhood) of Seocho District, Seoul, South Korea. Overview Naegok-dong, formerly part of the historical Eonju district, was initially situated within the central village, known in Chinese characters as 'Angol' ...

Seocho District Seocho District () is one of the 25 districts which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. Seocho is a part of the Gangnam region, along with the Gangnam district of Seoul. Seocho District ranks as one of the richest neighborhoods in South K ...

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

Family

* Father ** Kim Jo-sun (; 1765–1832) * Mother ** Internal Princess Consort Cheongyang of the Cheongsong Sim clan (; 1766–1828) * Siblings ** Older brother - Kim Yu-geun (; March 1785 – July 1840); became the adopted son of Kim Yong-sun () and Lady Hong of the Pungsan Hong clan () ** Older brother - Kim Won-geun (; 1786–1832) ** Younger sister - Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (; 1792–?) ** Younger sister - Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (; 1794–?) ** Younger sister - Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (; 1795–?) ** Younger brother - Kim Jwa-geun (; 1797–1869) ** Younger brother - Kim Son-geun () * Husband ** Yi Gong, King Sunjo (; 29 July 1790 – 13 December 1834) * Issue ** Son -

Crown Prince Hyomyeong Crown Prince Hyomyeong (18 September 1809 – 25 June 1830), personal name Yi Yeong, and posthumously honored as King Munjo, was a member of the Joseon dynasty. Life and death The prince was the eldest son of King Sunjo, husband of Queen Sin ...

(; 18 September 1809 – 25 June 1830) ** Daughter - Princess Myeongon (; 1810–1832) ** Daughter - Princess Bokon (; 1818–1832) ** Unnamed son (1820–1820) ** Daughter - Princess Deokon (; 1822–1844) ** Adoptive son -

King Cheoljong of Joseon Cheoljong (; 25 July 1831 – 16 January 1864), personal name Yi Won-beom (), later Yi Byeon (), was the 25th monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. After King Heonjong died without any descendants in 1849, Queen Sunwon chose Cheoljong, aged ...

(; 25 July 1831 – 16 January 1864)

In popular culture

* Portrayed by

Han Soo-yeon Han Soo-yeon (; born April 24, 1983) is a South Korean actress best known for her roles in Korean dramas, ''Pure Love (2013 TV series), Pure Love'' (2013) and ''Love in the Moonlight'' (2016). Early life and education Han was born in Cheongju, ...

in the 2016

KBS2 KBS 2TV is a South Korean free-to-air Free-to-air (FTA) services are television (TV) and radio services broadcast in unencrypted form, allowing any person with the appropriate receiving equipment to receive the signal and view or listen ...

TV series '' Moonlight Drawn by Clouds''. * Portrayed by

Bae Jong-ok Bae Jong-ok (; born May 13, 1964) is a South Korean actress. She debuted as a TV actress after she was recruited by KBS, and has since been active in theater, film and television. While concurrently maintaining an acting career, Bae completed ...

in the 2020–2021 tvN TV series ''

Mr. Queen ''Mr. Queen'' () is a 2020 South Korean television series based on the Chinese web series '' Go Princess Go''. Directed by Yoon Sung-sik, it stars Shin Hye-sun as Queen Cheorin and Kim Jung-hyun as King Cheoljong. The drama is about Queen ...

''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sunwon, Queen 19th-century Korean people 1789 births 19th-century women regents 19th-century regents 1857 deaths Regents of Korea Andong Kim clan Royal consorts of Joseon Queens consort of Korea 19th-century Korean women Korean posthumous empresses