Royal Consort Ik-Bi

In this Korean name, the family name is Wang.

Royal Consort Ik of the Gaeseong Wang (Han) clan (Korean: 익비 왕씨 (한씨); Hanja: 益妃 王氏(韓氏); 1340 – ?) was the 4th wife of her eleventh cousin, King Gongmin of Goryeo as they were same descents from King Hyeonjong and Queen Wonhye.^[1]

Royal Consort Ik-Bi Han 익비 한씨
Royal consort of Goryeo
Tenure	1366–1374
Coronation	1366
Predecessor	Royal Consort Hye
Successor	Royal Consort Jeong
Born	1340 Goryeo
Spouse	Gongmin of Goryeo ​ ​ (m. 1366; died 1374)​
Issue	a daughter (illegitimate)
House	House of Wang (by birth) Han clan (by marriage)
Father	Wang Ui, Prince Deokpung

Royal Consort Ik of the Wang(Han) clan
Hangul	익비 왕(한)씨
Hanja	益妃 王(韓)氏
Revised Romanization	Ikbi Wang(Han)ssi
McCune–Reischauer	Ikpi Wang(Han)ssi

Marriage and palace life

In October 1366 (15th year reign of Gongmin), he took Wang as his Queen Consort since he didn't have any issue from his first marriage.^[2] Then, in December, she became Ik-Bi (익비; 益妃) and was given the new surname Han (한씨; 韓氏).^[3] Later in May 1367, along with Consort Ahn, they went to Gorari (고라리; 高羅里) and watched Gyeoggu Game (격구놀).

However, in 1373 (21st year reign of King Gongmin), his first wife, Princess Noguk died which reportedly mentally unbalanced him. He then ordered members of the Jajewi ('Noble Youth Guards'), an elite group of young and handsome men, to have sex with his consorts to impregnate them.^[4] At this time, Gracious Consort Yi, Consort Yeom and Consort Ahn refused the order. Ik-Bi also refused it, but Gongmin threatened her with a sword so she was forced to have relationships with Han Ahn (한안), Hong Ryun (홍륜), Gwon Jin (권진), Hong Gwan (홍관) and No Seon (노선) under Gongmin's watch. After this, the men often went to her chamber at night under the pretext of fulfilling the King's order.^[5] However, Yun Ga-gwan (윤가관) along with two other self-defense committee members disobeyed the King's command and became delinquents for a while.^[6]

It is written in the Life of Hong Ryoun (Hong Ryun) that in 1374, the eunuch Choi Man-Seng (최만생) reported to King Gongmin that Consort Ik was in her fifth month of pregnancy. The King was greatly pleased by this, and asked who was the father. When he learned that it was Hong Ryun, he told the eunuch that he would now have to kill him and the entire group of Jajewi men in order to keep the secret of her baby's paternity.^[7] Choi reported this to Hong's group and later, on 22 September, they assassinated Gongmin in his sleep. Hong was eventually assassinated by Yi In-im (이인임) related forces and then Ik-Bi gave birth to their daughter on 1 October (lunar calendar).

In 1390 (2nd year reign of King Gongyang), the former consort (Ik-Bi) was given land by the king after she raised his youngest daughter, Princess Gyeonghwa at her own mansion.^{[citation needed]}

Family

• Father - Wang Ui, Internal Prince Deokpung (왕의 덕풍부원군; 1320 – ?)
  • Grandfather - Wang Geo, Grand Prince Hwaui (왕거 화의대군; 1280 – ?)
• Husband - Wang Jeon, King Gongmin (고려 공민왕; 23 May 1330 – 27 October 1374)
  • Father-in-law - Wang Man, King Chungsuk (고려 충숙왕; 30 July 1294 – 3 May 1339)
  • Mother-in-law - Queen Gongwon of the Namyang Hong clan (공원왕후 홍씨; 25 August 1298 – 12 February 1380)
• Issue
  • Illegitimate daughter - Lady Hong of the Namyang Hong clan (남양 홍씨; 1374 – ?); conceived by Hong Ryun (홍륜, 洪倫; ? – 1374)
    • Son-in-law - Kim Taek-jeong (김택정; 金澤精) of the Gimhae Kim clan (김해 김씨)
      • Grandson - Kim Deok-ryeong (김덕령; 金德齡)

In popular culture

TV series

• Portrayed by Lee Ji-eun in the 2005 MBC TV series Shin Don.^{[citation needed]}
• Portrayed by Lee So-yoon in the 2014 KBS1 TV series Jeong Do-jeon.^{[citation needed]}

Film

• Portrayed by Song Ji-hyo in the 2008 South Korean Movie A Frozen Flower.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. Young-kyoo, Park (2000). 한권으로읽는고려왕조실록 [Annals of the Goryeo Dynasty in one volume] (in Korean). University of Michigan: Deullyeok. p. 12. ISBN 9788975271540.
2. 왕씨와 안씨를 각기 익비와 정비로 책봉하다. db.history.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved July 5, 2021.
3. 권력의 희생양이 된 공민왕의 후비들. www.culturecontent.com (in Korean). Retrieved July 5, 2021.
4. 자제위를 설치해 온갖 불륜을 저지르게 하다. db.history.go.kt (in Korean). Retrieved July 5, 2021.
5. 김흥경이 자제위를 총괄하다. db.history.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved July 5, 2021.
6. 윤가관. db.history.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved July 5, 2021.
7. 익비의 임신 사실을 확인한 공민왕이 홍륜의 주살을 계획하다. db.history.go.kr (in Korean). Retrieved July 5, 2021.

External links

• 공민왕 (in Korean). Doosan Encyclopedia.
• Royal Consort Ik on the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean).
• Royal Consort Ik on Goryeosa (in Korean).