A Record of True Love with the Woman the King Cherished
A bittersweet love story between a court lady who continued to reject the king’s propose for 15 years and the king himself.
A long-awaited hit from MBC, once known as the kingdom of dramas, won various awards at the 2021 MBC Acting Awards. The final episode’s viewership rating exceeded 17%. While the Acting Award went to Nam Goong-min for “Black Sun,” this drama swept up most of the other awards, with leads Lee Jun-ho and Lee Se-young winning the Best Actor Award in the mini-series category and the Best Couple Award.
The performances of Lee Se-young as Deok-im and idol group 2PM’s Lee Jun-ho were both outstanding, exuding a sense of ease without any intimidation. The visual beauty and costumes were also stunning, crafted with a strong sense of aesthetics.
Since the story is told from Deok-im’s perspective, some elements, like the presence of the historical figure Queen In-hyeon, who existed since childhood, are omitted, and the number of Deok-im’s childbirths is slightly reduced. However, the drama is generally faithful to the original material and is praised for its rich depiction of the Chosun era.
The romance between the tsundere king and the proud court lady is incredibly romantic and entertaining! Be warned that the final episode is so sad that it might make you cry a lot. It’s advisable to prepare extra tissues for the tears. This long-awaited pride of MBC is a must-watch.
King Jeong-jo, the 22nd monarch of Chosun, who lived a tumultuous life as a crown prince, is often regarded as the second King Se-jong the Great (the genius king who created Hangul) due to his various reforms and achievements. If Jeong-jo had lived longer than 47 years, the history of Chosun might have changed. A bookworm from a young age, he excelled in scholarship, medicine, and archery, with an immense and profound knowledge that surpassed all his subjects. Unlike previous kings who regularly held discussions with their officials about academic matters, Jeong-jo abolished those meetings and instead took it upon himself to educate his subjects. Historical records indicate that he often reprimanded his officials with the phrase, “Study harder.”
Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, King Yeong-jo, Jeong-jo created a peaceful era and had one woman he loved above all others. Among the numerous concubines in the royal court, the only one who received the king’s affections for 15 years and became part of the inner court was Sung Deok-im, a former court lady. Jeong-jo’s special affection for her has been documented in various historical texts from the Chosun era.
Recommend for who
– Fans of historical romance
– For those who enjoy stories based on true events
– Lovers of heartwarming and sweet romance
– Who loved the Korean drama ‘Lee-san’
Synopsis
A court lady who is determined to protect her chosen way of life and a king who prioritizes the nation over love—this is a poignant tale of romance within the palace.
There was a king said to be scarier than a demon. He was a man, yet he was also a sovereign. The fate of the nation took precedence over the woman he loved, and the comfort of the people came first. Love was relegated to a distant last place. Even the purest and most passionate first love was suppressed by cold reason and political calculation.
There were also court ladies who longed to live long lives. These ladies wore sleeves dyed red, a symbol of being the king’s women. So, what kind of existence did they have? Were they merely obedient puppets serving the king and the royal family?
In the Chosun era, these remarkable court ladies managed the overall life within the palace, and it is assumed that they had their own solid dreams and simple happiness. This is where the story begins.
The dam of emotions has crumbled, turning into a flood that shakes fate. The king, who chose to be a sovereign before being a man, sees love as just another piece on a chessboard. He is indifferent to the hearts of the women who are hurt by this.
One court lady, irritated, rudely rejects the king’s advances. Nevertheless, they find themselves unable to do anything but care for each other in the end. They tried to be ordinary but could never truly be so. This is the story of the love between a king and a court lady.
Story
In the East Palace, the young palace maid, Sung Deok-im, possessed a special talent for storytelling and earned money by reading books to the other maids. When the head lady-in-waiting, Lady Jo, discovered the girls, they lied, claiming it was their first time, but Lady Jo threatened them into confessing. Impressed by Deok-im’s clever responses, Lady Jo assigned her a challenging task: to visit the late consort’s resting place alone at midnight.
At the same time, the young prince, Lee-san, secretly set out to bid farewell to his deceased grandmother, following the king’s orders. On his way to the consort’s quarters, he encountered Deok-im. Together, they decided to walk the dark path for the first time.
Though Lee-san spoke arrogantly, hiding his identity as the prince, Deok-im maintained a confident demeanor, believing she could one day become a distinguished lady-in-waiting. She gently comforted Lee-san, who regretted having criticized his grandmother after his father’s death. When the king unexpectedly arrived, Lee-san couldn’t even learn Deok-im’s name, but with her help, he managed to escape safely.
Once alone with the king, Deok-im expressed her desire to write beautifully. The king gifted her a book directly written by the late consort. After successfully completing her task, Lady Jo advised Deok-im that life as a lady-in-waiting could be lonely, suggesting she aim to catch the king’s eye and become a royal consort.
Deok-im, belonging to the prince’s household, became increasingly worried about the possibility of all the ladies-in-waiting being suddenly expelled from the palace due to the prince’s comfort.
The king, Lee-san’s grandfather, viewed his mother’s humble origins as a weakness in his reign and strictly prohibited reading any books that mentioned her status. Those who discovered that Lee-san was secretly reading the banned books plotted to expose him to the king and strip him of his title. By chance, Deok-im overheard this plot and sneaked into the prince’s library, where she found the book and tore out the problematic pages. When the king discovered the banned book in Lee-san’s private library, he was furious, but Lee-san’s explanation, which included the torn pages, moved the king, and the incident was resolved peacefully. Lee-san mistakenly believed that his friend, Hong Deok-ro, had helped him tear the pages, while the ambitious Deok-ro continued to act as if he were responsible.
On the night of the consort’s memorial, Lee-san sought Deok-im, but was told she had already left the palace, prompting him to give up the search, thinking it would only put her in danger to be near him.
Years passed, and Deok-im, now a young woman, contemplated using the torn pages of the forbidden book she had once destroyed to find a way to advance. One peaceful day, while running through the forest, she slipped and fell, only to be caught by Lee-san, who happened to be nearby. It was their long-awaited reunion after many years.
Characters
Lee-san (Jeong-jo)
(Lee Jun-ho: 2PM)
A difficult king, Yeong-jo, cherishes his grandson, who is considered a genius and an elite. From birth, he has been exceptionally intelligent, able to understand ten things when taught just one. His self-management is thorough, making him quite strict with his subordinates and palace staff.
He has an arrogant personality and reportedly bullies those he dislikes in his own way, with the most dreaded punishment being the submission of reflection papers. The hell of endless reflection papers that never seem to end.
He works tirelessly to become the ideal successor to his grandfather, Yeong-jo. Having witnessed his father’s tragic death at a young age, his goal is to survive in this terrifying royal family and become king.
He is constantly the target of assassination plots and conspiracies, and unable to express his true feelings to anyone, he views his wife and the women of the inner court merely as political tools. In front of this self-centered elite, a remarkable court lady appears, unafraid and boldly responding to him with wide eyes, refusing to back down.
Sung Deok-im (Lady Yi)
(Lee Se-young)
With her large, sparkling eyes full of curiosity, her innocent rosy cheeks, and her talent for speaking in front of others, she is a lively girl determined to earn money.
As a member of the East Palace, her primary goal is to save money quickly to restore her brother’s status. To achieve this, she reads books in front of court officials and takes on writing jobs. Her handwriting is exceptionally beautiful and free of errors, to the extent that even the queen makes special requests of her.
After realizing that the position and comfort of the Crown Prince are crucial for her savings plan, she starts to worry about the Crown Prince every day. She sees Lady Seo as a mother figure and enjoys her life in the palace with her three close friends. Responsible for the East Palace’s library, she leads a peaceful and happy daily life, chatting with drawings of cats, until one day, a rude young man appears.
*In the 2003 drama “Jewel in the Palace,” Lee Se-young played the role of a young girl who was Chang-geum’s rival. She has grown beautifully without any major setbacks.*
Hong Deok-ro
(Kang Hoon)
With his fair complexion and handsome face paired with a gentle smile, he is extremely popular among the palace ladies. When the Crown Prince, known as the “Demon,” appears, everyone scatters in fear, but when Hong Deok-ro shows up, the palace ladies’ eyes turn to hearts as they rush to catch a glimpse of him.
He treats the ladies with gentleness and politeness, causing more and more girls to fall for him. However, he is a tremendous ambitious person, quick with political calculations, and sometimes dangerously advances his own agenda while lying to Crown Prince Lee-san.
His insatiable ambition foreshadows a tragic end in his future. As they come to understand his true nature, his relationship with Deok-im gradually deteriorates.
King Young-jo
(Lee Deok-hwa)
The 21st king of Chosun, grandfather of Lee-san
He was the longest-reigning king in the Chosun Dynasty, serving until the age of 81. He was called a genius from a young age. Due to his mother’s lowly status, he faced constant political attacks, and the suspicion surrounding his brother’s poisoning haunted him throughout his life.
Because of these complexities, he exerted severe pressure on his own son, to the point of abuse, leading to the prince’s mental instability and strange behaviors, which ultimately resulted in the prince’s execution. He cared deeply for his grandson Lee-san, but at times, he misunderstood Lee-san due to plots and conspiracies aimed at dethroning him, and his own dementia from old age pushed Lee-san to the brink of being deposed.
Queen Kim
(Jang Hee-jin)
The second queen of Yeong-jo, grandmother of Lee-san
She became queen at the age of 15, while her husband, Yeong-jo, was 66. She became a stepmother to her husband’s son, Crown Prince Sado, who was ten years older than her.
She is an elegant woman with a calm judgment, making it hard to read her thoughts. She possesses bold decision-making and action-taking abilities. Instinctively, she knows when to step in and when to hold back, but since entering the palace, she has been displeased with the arrogant attitude of the princess and is always on the lookout for a chance to embarrass her.
She appreciates the bright personality and intelligence of Deok-im and holds a fondness for her. After Yeong-jo’s death, she was promoted to Grand Queen Dowager, and her relationship with Jeong-jo became one of serious political rivalry.
Lady Hong of Hei-gyeong Palace
(Kang Mal-gum)
The biological mother of Lee-san and the daughter-in-law of King Yeong-jo.
She was the wife of Crown Prince Sado, who was tragically killed by Yeong-jo. After losing her husband due to the schemes of the Noron faction, she devoted herself entirely to protecting her son, Lee-san. Traumatized by her husband’s erratic behavior, she worried that Lee-san might face similar issues and asked Deok-im to keep an eye on him. It was she who brought Deok-im, from the fallen Sung family, to the palace to serve as a court lady.
Princess Hwa-wan
(Seo Hyo-rim)
The youngest daughter of King Yeong-jo, aunt of Lee-san, and sister of Crown Prince Sado.
She is a daughter beloved by her father, King Yeong-jo, and despite being married, she enjoys a lavish life in the palace due to her father’s favor. She possesses an arrogant personality, always feeling the need to stand out.
She was jealous of her brother, Crown Prince Sado, and supported his dethronement behind the scenes, but she never expected him to meet such a tragic end.
Now, she fears that her brother’s son, Lee-san, will become king. While King Yeong-jo was alive, she acted with arrogance towards the new queen and Lee-san’s mother, but after Lee-san ascended to the throne, she was stripped of her princess status and became a commoner known as ‘Lady Jeong.’ She was expelled from the palace. However, Lee-san, honoring his grandfather’s request, ensured that her life was spared.
Background of King Jeong-jo’s Era
King Jeong-jo was born as the second son of Crown Prince Sado, who was murdered by his grandfather, King Yeong-jo, and Queen Hei-gyeong Hong, who never became a queen because her husband, Crown Prince Sado, died before he could ascend to the throne. She left behind a six-volume autobiography titled “Han Jung Rok.” Jeong-jo ascended to the throne at the age of 23 in 1800 and ruled as king until his death at 47.
His grandfather, King Yeong-jo, became the longest-reigning king in Chosun history. He faced neglect from his subjects and the royal family due to his mother’s lowly origins, which led to a severe complex regarding his status. Although he was a great king, he was a notoriously terrible father and husband, often described as mentally unstable in his familial relationships. Yeong-jo’s complex about his status manifested in his harsh and abusive treatment of his son, Crown Prince Sado, resulting in Sado developing mental health issues and exhibiting bizarre behavior.
In 1762, under the influence of the political faction known as the “Noron” and the support of Princess Hwa-wan, Crown Prince Sado was confined for eight days in a wooden box meant for storing rice on his father’s orders, ultimately leading to his death.
After that, the matter of Prince Sado was taboo, and the new heir to the throne, King Jeong-jo ‘Lee-san’, was constantly afraid of being avenged for his father’s death. He faced threats of rebellion and assassination from the ‘Noron’ faction, his aunt Princess Hwa-wan, and his grandmother, the Dowager Queen Kim. There were many crises that sought to drive a wedge between his grandfather, King Yeong-jo, and Lee-san.
King Yeong-jo, who despised his son, Prince Sado, cherished only his grandson Lee-san. However, taking advantage of the elderly Yeong-jo’s dementia, there were numerous plots to depose Lee-san. Amidst various crises and conspiracies, Lee-san continued to fight with the support of Hong Deok-ro and his mother.
King Yeong-jo passed away at the age of 81. When Lee-san was 23, he ascended to the throne as the 22nd king. Those who had orchestrated the murder of Lee-san’s father failed to eliminate his son as well. As the new king’s tragic vengeance began, those who were frightened were granted leniency by Jeong-jo for the sake of national stability. He ceased his revenge against those involved in the plots to kill his father and himself, showing tolerance even towards his enemies for the country’s stability.
The tragic death of Prince Sado and the dramatic events of Lee-san’s time as crown prince have often been used as material for dramas and films.
2007 Drama “Lee San” – Lee Seo-jin, Han Ji-min
2014 Drama “Secret Door” – Lee Je-hoon, Kim Yoo-jung
2014 Film “The Fatal Encounter” – Hyun Bin, Han Ji-min
2015 Film “Sado” – Yoo Ah-in, Song Kang-ho
2015 Drama “Scholar Who Walks the Night”
*King Yeong-jo originally preferred a simple lifestyle, emphasizing a modest way of living even within the royal court. During Yeong-jo’s reign, royal family members and noblewomen were no longer allowed to wear the extravagant hairstyles of the past, adopting simpler crown styles instead. This is why the hairstyles of women in this era differ from those in other periods.*
Record of Love of king Jeong-jo
In King Jeong-jo’s royal court, Lady Seong Deok-im (成德任) was born in 1753 and passed away in 1786 at the age of 34. She was a court lady and the king’s first love, being the only concubine chosen and directly appointed by him.
Remarkably, it took her 15 years to accept the king’s advances. In other words, she rejected King Jeong-jo’s affections for 15 years, keeping him waiting. It is quite unusual and intriguing for a court lady to refuse the king, but this is a documented true story.
Lady Deok-im formally declined entry to the king’s bedchamber twice over those 15 years, and informally turned down his advances many times. Her first refusal was based on the reason that “the crown prince’s consort has not yet had children, so I cannot enter the bedchamber.” At that time, King Jeong-jo seemed to understand her intentions and gave up.
Fourteen years later, still fond of her, he opposed the idea of taking a new concubine and once again pursued her, but she turned him down for the same reason as before. After the king, upset from this rejection, punished and bullied her close associates, she finally agreed to become his concubine.
Once she became a concubine, Lady Deok-im gave birth to a son, Crown Prince and a pricess, but both children tragically died young due to illness. The crown prince passed away at the age of five from an infectious disease. The death of her son left her emotionally fragile, and she succumbed to an unknown illness while nine months pregnant. (It is suspected to have been pregnancy-induced hypertension.)
Lady Yi(Deok-im) was said to have been inherently gentle and emotionally vulnerable, possibly suffering from a mental illness (suspected to be depression). After leaving the palace for treatment, when she returned, King Jeong-jo stayed by her side every day. He personally prepared herbal medicine and cared for her, but her condition worsened, and in the tenth year of his reign, Lady Yi died at the age of 34 while nine months pregnant.
Due to her repeated pregnancies, childbirths, and miscarriages in a short time after becoming a concubine, pregnancy-induced hypertension is suspected. Following her death, it is recorded that King Jeong-jo, who was originally quite workaholic, refrained from eating and drinking for several days and did not attend state affairs. The epitaph on Lady Yi’s tombstone was written by King Jeong-jo himself, which is a very rare occurrence for a king to write a memorial for someone personally.
According to the epitaph written by King Jeong-jo, Lady Yi was a talented and versatile woman, possessing complete skills in various arts and crafts (except for cooking; she did not make dumplings). A romantic story about her rise to become a concubine is also documented, but after her death, King Jeong-jo’s own written “Epitaph for Lady Yi” conveys his deep affection for her and the sorrow of losing her.
-Inscription for the Tomb of Lady Yi, by the King-
“I love you. My heart truly hurts. You have died and left me. I have finally come to realize your death.”
-Inscription on the Stele, by the King-
“You, too, must mourn the fact that I cannot forget my sorrow.”
-Ritual Offering Text for Lady Yi, by the King-
“I, who am alive, and you, who have passed away, are eternally separated. The worry and grief I feel are unbearable.”
“It has been twenty years since Lady Yi entered the inner palace.”
(This reflects the time since his first love at the age of 15, counting her as his own.)
-Ritual Blessing Text for Lady Yi, by the Emperor, within three years-
“When I lay out silks from the box, the white garments swirl. The sound of the gentle wind brings sadness, and in the middle of the night, I offer a cup of wine. You have suddenly died, and even if I long to meet you, I cannot.”
“I am still uncertain whether you have died or not. The heart of a person filled with sorrow seems unbound.”
King Jeong-jo visited the tomb of his son, Crown Prince Munhyo, with Lady Yi, and because of this, the hill in Hyocheon-dong, Seoul, is now called “Godon Hill,” meaning “King’s Tomb Visit.”
Lady Yi Seong, also known as Deok-im, was King Jeong-jo’s first love and the only woman he truly loved throughout his life.
