Korea - The Lost Empire

[Kasumi]

March 18, 2011: American Julia Mullock, former princess of Korea was born today in 1928. - Nashua Telegraph

[Kasumi]

The first batch of Korea’s ancient royal books, looted by the French army in the late 19th century and kept by France until recently, arrived in Seoul on Thursday afternoon, their ownership still remaining in the hands of France.
The 75 books of “Uigwe,” or manuscripts for royal protocols created during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), were delivered in three boxes from Incheon International Airport to the National Museum of Korea in a shock-proof vehicle, in the first air transport from the National Library of France in Paris. A total of 297 books are scheduled to be delivered in four separate journeys by May 27.- Full article
Korea's royal books are truly one of a kind - Korea's Global TV

[Kasumi]

Eui-hwa: most progressive, anti-Japanese prince
There was very little written about Prince Eui-hwa by the Westerners in Seoul until August 1894 when he visited the American legation in Seoul. ...

[Kasumi]

Among the five grand palaces that were built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), “Changdeokgung,” or Changdeok Palace, was favored by many members of the royal family.
The literal meaning of the palace, “Palace of Flourishing Virtue,” is reflected in Changdeokgung’s architecture and scenery, where the buildings are harmoniously blended with the natural environment surrounding them.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Cultural Heritage Administration, the National Palace Museum of Korea is holding a special exhibition, “Changdeokgung: The Palace of Flourishing Virtue,” featuring the palace and its historical and cultural items, from June 28 to Aug. 28. - Full article

[Warren]

Changdeokgung Palace, Seoul
Korea's last Emperor, Emperor Sunjong lived here until his death in 1926.

v some pictures
Courtesy of Wikipedia, not subject to copyright and reproduced here under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2
.

[ortiz]

A nice video/picture tribute I found about the royalty of the Joseon Dynasty primarily

YouTube - ‪The Last Dynasty of Korea

[Kasumi]

The prince's tale: Searching for Korea's imperial past
[...] An appointment with a prince, a descendant of the Joseon Dynasty, the last and longest-ruling royal family on the Korean peninsula.
I’d heard about Yi Seok, the lost prince who has struggled to make his way in a post-imperial world, at a dinner party during a six-month stay in South Korea.

[Kasumi]

In the early hours of Oct. 8, 1895, members of the Japanese legation, accompanied by discontented Koreans, stole into the Korean palace and savagely murdered Queen Min.
They then, possibly while she was still alive, doused her with a flammable liquid and set her on fire reducing her corpse to a few bones and a pile of ashes. It was a heinous act that still haunts Korean-Japanese relations and is remembered annually in the media. - Full article

[Kasumi]

Japan to return ancient Korean books early next month | YONHAP NEWS
Japan plans to return early next month more than 1,200 volumes of ancient Korean royal books it took from the Korean Peninsula during its 1910 to 1945 colonial rule, a diplomatic source in Seoul said Wednesday.
[...]
The books include texts of royal protocols known as "Uigwe," all of which are being kept by the Imperial Household Agency in Tokyo.
Uigwe is a collection of documents from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) that records and illustrates procedures and formalities used for weddings, funerals, banquets and receiving foreign missions, as well as the cultural activities of the royal family.
Relations between South Korea and Japan have often suffered setbacks due to territorial and historical rows related to their colonial past, as Tokyo has attempted to glorify its militaristic history and also lays claim to South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo.

[Rhys82192]

The Cheomseongdae Observatory in Gyeongju, South Korea, was established by the legendary Queen Seon Deok of Silla, an Ancient Korean Kingdom and one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.

http://www.molon.de/galleries/Korea/...ry%20tower.jpg

Like the Japanese, the Korean Kingdoms are filled with legends and myths. The most popular Korean legend is the founding of the Gojoseon Kingdom, Korea's first and oldest Kingdom/Dynasty, which is said to have been founded in 2333 BC by King Dangun, son of the Prince of Heaven and a Woman from the Bear Tribe. You can read more about the legend here:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...als-31705.html

[Kasumi]

Japan returns Korean royal archives after a century
More than 1,000 Korean royal archives and other centuries-old books Tokyo had promised to return to Seoul are all back home in South Korea for the first time in almost 100 years.

[Warren]

A quick note - personal conversations will be removed from the threads as they should be done via PM.

thanks,
Warren

[Grandduchess24]

Are there even royals of Korea I know of an elderly Korean prince living in the united states.

[Kasumi]

Originally Posted by Grandduchess24

Are there even royals of Korea I know of an elderly Korean prince living in the united states.

See post #87 above.

Current headship in the Korean RF

Won, Hereditary Prince Imperial of Korea (born 1962), a descendant of the Joseon Dynasty (a.k.a. Yi Dynasty) is the contested Head of the Korean Imperial Household and also works as a general manager of Hyundai Home Shopping, a branch of the Hyundai chaebol. He was born as the eldest son of Prince Gap of Korea, the 9th son of Prince Gang by his wife at Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul and became the adopted son of Prince Gu of Korea, the twenty-ninth head of the Imperial house, though legality of the adoption is contested.

Those who dispute the legitimacy of the adoption point out that consent for the adoption of Prince Won was not given by other members of Imperial House, including Prince Seok, the younger half-brother of Prince Gap, and Princess Hae-won, the eldest surviving member of the House. Also, according to present Korean law, the traditional adoption after death of a foster parent to continue the line has been outlawed by legislation as of 2004.

Another problem rises over whether Prince Won or his father Prince Gap is the senior member of the house. While the line of Prince Gang is the senior line following the death of Prince Gu, there are descendants to the elder sons of Prince Gang. Barring the descendant of Prince Geon, the eldest son who had been naturalised as a Japanese after World War II, some members of the House insist that the Headship of House should pass to the descendants of Prince Wu, the second son of Prince Gang. In this case, the rightful Head of the House is Yi Chung, Prince Wu's eldest son.

Prince Won attended the Sangmun High School during 1979-1981 and completed studies in broadcasting at the New York Institute of Technology, United States. He and his wife have had two children, the eldest son born in 1998; the other son born in 1999.

On July 16, 2005, following the death of Prince Gu, some members of the Lee Family Council chose him as the next Head of Korean Imperial Household and they also made his title the Hereditary Prince Imperial (Hwangsason) in the meaning of inherited a title of Prince Gu. His claim is contested by Princess Yi Haewon of Korea who was crowned Empress of South Korea by 12 descendants who felt that she should be Empress, not Prince Won.

She currently lives in an apartment in Wondang, Goyang, Gyeonggi province, Korea with her family.

Known KRF descendants today

Prince Yi Seok
Hereditary Prince Won - he is not 'elderly prince' as grandduchess24 claims, still he lives in US
Empress Yi Haewon

[Cory]

IK-Journal

[Kasumi]

The Chosun Ilbo (English Edition): Daily News from Korea - The 5 Palaces of Seoul
Seoul is home to five royal palaces from the Chosun Dynasty. They generally consist of a host of buildings with the throne hall and royal council hall at the center. Behind the throne hall, where major state events were held, are the sleeping quarters, and to the east is the crown prince's residence. A garden at the back of the palace allowed the king and his family to rest from their duties.
Each building was made of wood and featured a tiled roof and multi-color paintings on the pillars and rafters to illustrate the authority and dignity of the king.

[februarybreeze]

Hello! I just want to know the latest news about the korean imperial family. Hope you will be able to help me. Thanks!

[semisquare]

does anyone know what happen to the korean royal family? im courious about Korean Royality because u never hear about them

[kathia_sophia]

both North Korea and South Korea are not Monarchies, NK is Juche single-party State while SK is a Unitary Presidential Constitutional Republic.
but they had Kings and Royal families, their history is fascinating and i often consider the old Korean Kingdoms and Empires to be one of the most intriging and interesting to know about.

The Korean dynasties:
1. Gojoseon (c. 2333 – 108 BCE)
1.1. Dangun Joseon
1.2. Wiman Joseon
2. Buyeo (2nd century BC – 494 CE)
2.1 Eastern Buyeo
2.2 Later Buyeo
3. Goguryeo (37 BC – 668 AD)
4. Baekje (18 BC – AD 660)
5. Silla (57 BC – 935 CE)
5.1. Unified Silla
6. Gaya confederacy (42–562)
6.1. Geumgwan Gaya
6.2. Daegaya
7. Balhae (698–926)
8. Later Baekje (900–936)
9. Later Goguryeo (901–918)
10. Goryeo (918–1392)
11. Joseon (1392–1897)
12.Korean Empire (1897-1910)

The Korean Empire didnt last long, and thus ending the reign of Monarchs and their Kingdom.

The last Emperor was Sunjong, the Emperor Yunghui, he had 2 consorts but he had no issue. so from him there are no Royal family pretenders.
more info about him:
Sunjong of the Korean Empire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

From his father, Gojong, the Emperor Gwangmu, had several consorts and had lots of children. but only 4 of his children survived childhood:
- Sunjong, the Emperor Yunghui (no issue)
- Crown Prince Euimin (2 boys: Yi Jin [no issue] & Yi Gu [no issue but adopted daughter])
- Prince Euihwa (12 sons & 9 daughters)
- Princess Deokhye (1 daughter: Countess Sō Masae [no issue])

From Prince Euihwa, Yi Chung is de jure genealogical heir to the headship of the Imperial family when male primogeniture is applied. However, he has not taken an active position on the debate between leadership of Imperial family.
Prince Euihwa's daughter Yi Haewon on the other side is in a dispute over the contender to the position of head of the Korean Imperial Household with her nephew Won, Hereditary Prince Imperial of Korea. (She lays claim to the title of the Empress of Korea and declared the restoration of Imperial House in her own succession ceremony.) [she has 3 sons & 1 daughter]

Note that this claim is not approved or supported by the republican government of South Korea.

[Rhys82192]

There is already a thread in the forum about the Korean Royalty. Maybe this topic should be transferred on the existing thread by the admin:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...pire-3016.html