The Jeonju Yi clan () is a
Korean clan
Bon-gwan (or Bongwan) is the concept of clan in Korea, which is used to distinguish clans that happen to share the same family name (clan name). Since Korea has been traditionally a Confucian country, this clan system is similar to ancient Chinese ...
with the surname
Yi. Their
Bon-gwan
Bon-gwan (or Bongwan) is the concept of clan in Korea, which is used to distinguish clans that happen to share the same family name (clan name). Since Korea has been traditionally a Confucian country, this clan system is similar to ancient Chinese ...
is in
Jeonju
Jeonju () is the 16th largest city in South Korea and the capital of North Jeolla Province. It is both urban and rural due to the closeness of Wanju County which almost entirely surrounds Jeonju (Wanju County has many residents who work in Jeonju) ...
,
North Jeolla Province
North Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollabuk-do''), also known as Jeonbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Jeolla has a population of 1,869,711 (2015) and has a geographic area of 8,067 km2 (3,115 sq mi) located in the Honam region in the southwes ...
.
The clan includes the former
House of Yi
The House of Yi, also called the Yi dynasty (also transcribed as the Lee dynasty), was the royal family of the Joseon dynasty and later the imperial family of the Korean Empire, descended from the Joseon founder Yi Seong-gye. All of his descendan ...
which ruled the
Joseon dynasty
Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
and the
Korean Empire
The Korean Empire () was a Korean monarchical state proclaimed in October 1897 by Emperor Gojong of the Joseon dynasty. The empire stood until Japan's annexation of Korea in August 1910.
During the Korean Empire, Emperor Gojong oversaw the Gwa ...
.
Their founder was
Yi Han (). His descendant,
Yi Seong-gye
Taejo of Joseon (4 November 1335 – 27 June 1408), born Yi Seong-gye (), was the founder and first ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. After ascending to the throne, he changed his name to Yi Dan (), and reigned from 1392 to 1398. He was ...
, seized power in a military coup and founded Joseon in 14th century.
According to history books published during the Joseon period such as ''
Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty
The ''Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty'' (also known as the ''Annals of the Joseon Dynasty'' or the ''True Record of the Joseon Dynasty''; ko, 조선왕조실록 and ) are the annual records of Joseon, the last royal house to rule K ...
'', he was Minister of Works () during the
Silla Dynasty
Silla or Shilla (57 BCE – 935 CE) ( , Old Korean: Syera, Old Japanese: Siraki2) was a Korean kingdom located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of Ko ...
and became the ancestor of a prestigious and powerful clan that held influence from the
Unified Silla period to the
Goryeo period.
On the other hand, there were records that he was an immigrant from China. This is because the Jeonju Yi clan's record named ''Wansan Silrok'' said that Yi Han originally lived in China,
but he later came to Silla. Moreover, another record named ''Origin of Yi clan'' () said that Yi Han was originally a descendant of
Tang Dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
's imperial family and lived in Jeonju after he came to Silla.
In the 21st century, the
Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association
The Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association ( ko, 전주이씨대동종약원) is a family association from South Korea, and it was founded by the Jeonju Yi (Lee) clan, the household of Joseon and the Korean Empire, which were the ruling house of the ...
manages the affairs of the clan.
Notable people
*
Lee Ji-eun, (better known as IU), South Korean singer-songwriter and actress
*
Lee Tae-min
Lee Tae-min (born July 18, 1993), better known mononymously as Taemin, is a South Korean singer, actor and dancer. He debuted as a member of the boy band Shinee in May 2008 and the supergroup SuperM in 2019, both under SM Entertainment, and ...
, South Korean singer, member of boy band
Shinee
Shinee ( ; ko, 샤이니, Syaini; ja, シャイニー, Shainī; stylized as SHINee) is a South Korean boy band formed by SM Entertainment in 2008. The group's musical impact in their native country has earned them numerous accolades and th ...
*
Lee Donghae
Lee Dong-hae (born October 15, 1986), referred to as Donghae, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, composer and actor. He became a trainee under SM Entertainment after winning a prize at SM's ''Youth Best Contest'' in 2001. After four years of ...
, South Korean singer, member of boy band
Super Junior
Super Junior (; stylized in all caps), also known as SJ or SuJu, is a South Korean boy band formed by Lee Soo-man, the founder of SM Entertainment in 2005. They are also dubbed by the media as the "King of Hallyu Wave" due to their prominent ...
*
Lee Jun-ho, South Korean singer-songwriter and actor, member of boy band
2PM
*
Mark Lee Korean-Canadian rapper, member of boy band
NCT
*
Lee Ahyumi, South Korean singer and actress, former member of girl group
Sugar
Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or double ...
*
Lee Seung-gi
Lee Seung-gi (; born January 13, 1987) is a South Korean singer, actor, host, and entertainer.
He has numerous hit songs as a singer such as "Because You're My Woman", "Will You Marry Me", "Return" and "The Ordinary Man". He has garnered furt ...
, South Korean actor, singer and TV personality
*
Lee Nak-yon
Lee Nak-yon (; born 20 December 1952), also known as Lee Nak-yeon, is a South Korean politician who served as the 41st Prime Minister of South Korea from 2017 to 2020. A member of the Democratic Party of Korea, he is the longest-serving prime ...
, South Korean politician, former
Prime Minister of South Korea
The prime minister of the Republic of Korea (PMOTROK or PMOSK; ) is the deputy head of government and the second highest political office of South Korea who is appointed by the President of the Republic of Korea, with the National Assembly's app ...
*
Lee In-je, South Korean politician and former judge
*
Lee Hun-jai, South Korean politician
*
Lee Hwi-jae
Lee Hwi-jae (born Lee Young-jae on December 29, 1972) is a South Korean TV presenter, comedian, actor, and singer. Lee studied theater at the Seoul Institute of the Arts, then made his TV debut in 1992 as a comedian after working as a floor dir ...
, South Korean comedian and TV personality
*
Lee Jung-jae
Lee Jung-jae (; born December 15, 1972) is a South Korean actor and filmmaker. Considered one of the most successful actors in South Korea, he has received various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Cri ...
, South Korean actor
*
Lee Hong-bin
Lee Hong-bin (; born September 29, 1993), also known by the mononym Hongbin, is a South Korean singer, actor, entertainer and streamer formerly signed under Jellyfish Entertainment. He debuted as a member of the South Korean boy group VIXX in Ma ...
, South Korean singer and actor, former member of boy band
VIXX
VIXX ( ko, 빅스 pronounced "vicks"; acronym for "voice, visual, value in excelsis") is a South Korean boy band formed by Jellyfish Entertainment through the 2012 reality show ''MyDOL''. Originally a sextet, the group is presently composed of f ...
*
Lee Hong-koo
Lee Hong-Koo (born May 9, 1934; Hangul: 이홍구; Hanja: 李洪九) is a former Korean academic, politician, and think tank leader who served as a former Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, former South Korean Ambassador to the United King ...
, South Korean academic and politician, former Prime Minister of South Korea and founding Chairman of the
East Asia Institute
*
Lee Hoi-chang
Lee Hoi-chang (; born June 2, 1935) is a South Korean politician and lawyer who served as the 26th Prime Minister of South Korea from 1993 to 1994. He was a presidential candidate in the 15th, 16th and 17th presidential elections of South K ...
, South Korean lawyer and politician, former
Prime Minister of South Korea
The prime minister of the Republic of Korea (PMOTROK or PMOSK; ) is the deputy head of government and the second highest political office of South Korea who is appointed by the President of the Republic of Korea, with the National Assembly's app ...
and former Justice of the
Supreme Court of Korea
The Supreme Court of Korea () is the highest ordinary court in the judicial branch of South Korea, seated in Seocho, Seoul. Established under Chapter 5 of the Constitution of South Korea, the Court has ultimate and comprehensive jurisdicti ...
*
Lee Hee-ho
Lee Hee-ho, sometimes spelled as Lee Hui-ho, (; 21 September 1922 – 10 June 2019), was a South Korean women's rights activist, peace advocate and former First Lady of South Korea during the presidency of her husband Kim Dae-jung from 1998 to ...
, South Korean women's rights activist, former
First Lady of South Korea
The first lady of the Republic of Korea (, informally referred to as FLOTROK or FLOSK), commonly known as the first lady of South Korea, is the titled held by the hostess of the presidential residence, usually the wife of the president of South ...
*
Lee Jin-wook
Lee Jin-wook ( Korean: 이진욱; born September 16, 1981) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his leading role in the romance series ''Glass Castle'', the time-traveling series '' Nine'' (2013), romance series ''The Time We Were Not i ...
, South Korean actor
*
Lee Beom-seok, Korean
independence activist and first Prime Minister of South Korea
*
Lee Ki-poong
Lee Ki-poong (20 December 1896 – 28 April 1960) was a South Korean politician and Vice President. He was the Minister of National Defense (May 7, 1951 – March 29, 1952) and Mayor of Seoul (June 6, 1949 – May 7, 1951). He was the leader o ...
, South Korean politician
*
Lee Byung-hun
Lee Byung-hun (; born July 12, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He has received critical acclaim for his work in a wide range of genres, most notably ''Joint Security Area'' (2000); ''A Bittersweet Life'' (2005); ''The Good, the Bad, the Weird'' ...
, South Korean actor
*
Yi Kwang-su
Yi Gwangsu (; 1892–1950) was a Korean writer and poet, and a notable Korean independence and nationalist activist until his later turn towards collaboration with the Japanese. His pen names were Chunwon and Goju. Yi is best known for his nove ...
, Korean writer and independence activist
*
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee (, ; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965) was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960.
Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Ko ...
, South Korean politician and first
President of South Korea
The president of the Republic of Korea (), also known as the president of South Korea (often abbreviated to POTROK or POSK; ), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Korea. The president leads the State Council, and is ...
*
Yi Tjoune
Yi Tjoune (December 18, 1859 – July 14, 1907), also known as Yi Jun (이준), was a Korean prosecutor and diplomat and the father of the North Korean politician Lee Yong.
Early life and education
Yi Tjoune was born in Bukcheong in the pro ...
, Korean prosecutor and diplomat
*
Prince Imperial Heung
Prince Imperial Heung (, 22 August 1845 – 9 September 1912) was a prince of the Joseon dynasty and of the Korean Empire. He was the son of Heungseon Daewongun and the elder brother of Emperor Gojong of Korea. By birth, his original name was Yi J ...
, prince of the
Joseon dynasty
Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
and of the
Korean Empire
The Korean Empire () was a Korean monarchical state proclaimed in October 1897 by Emperor Gojong of the Joseon dynasty. The empire stood until Japan's annexation of Korea in August 1910.
During the Korean Empire, Emperor Gojong oversaw the Gwa ...
*
Yi Je-ma
Yi Je-ma (1837 - 1900) was a Korean medicine scholar in Late Joseon period.
He wrote a book ''Longevity and Life Preservation in Eastern Medicine'' (東醫壽世保元, 동의수세보원) in 1894. The book is about constitution of people. He c ...
, Korean medicine scholar during the late
Joseon period
Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
*
Heungseon Daewongun
Heungseon Daewongun (흥선대원군, 興宣大院君, 21 December 1820 – 22 February 1898; ), also known as the Daewongun (대원군, 大院君), Guktaegong (국태공, 國太公, "The Great Archduke") or formally Internal King Heungseon Heon ...
, father of
Emperor Gojong
Gojong (; 8 September 1852 – 21 January 1919) was the monarch of Korea from 1864 to 1907. He reigned as the last King of Joseon from 1864 to 1897, and as the first Emperor of Korea from 1897 until his forced abdication in 1907. He is known ...
and regent of Joseon
*
Yi Su-gwang, Joseon military official and diplomat
*
Yi Eokgi
Yi Eok-gi (; 3 September 1561 – 27 August 1597) was the commander of the Eastern Jeolla Fleet and later came to be the commander of the Western Jeolla Fleet. At age 32, despite being 15 years younger than Supreme Naval Commander Yi Sun-sin, Yi ...
, Joseon naval commander during the
Imjin War
The Imjin River ( in South Korea) or Rimjin River ( in North Korea) is the 7th largest river in Korea. It flows from north to south, crossing the Demilitarized Zone and joining the Han River downstream of Seoul, near the Yellow Sea. The river i ...
*
Yi Ui-bang
Yi Ui-bang (, 1121 – 12 January 1175) was a military ruler of Korea during the Goryeo period. He was one of many military dictators of Goryeo in the aftermath of the 1170 warrior rebellion.
Life Background
Yi originated from the Jeonju Yi ...
, military ruler of Korea during the
Goryeo
Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...
period
*
Yi Seok
Yi Seok ( ko, 이석, ; born 3 August 1941) is a member of royalty from the House of Yi, the royal house of Joseon and Korean Empire. He is the 10th son of Prince Yi Kang, the fifth son of Emperor Gojong of Korea, and one of his consorts, Lady ...
, Joseon history professor, grandson of
Emperor Gojong
Gojong (; 8 September 1852 – 21 January 1919) was the monarch of Korea from 1864 to 1907. He reigned as the last King of Joseon from 1864 to 1897, and as the first Emperor of Korea from 1897 until his forced abdication in 1907. He is known ...
*
Lee Se-young
Lee Se-young (; born December 20, 1992) is a South Korean actress. She debuted as a child actress in 1997 and was best known for her roles in '' Dae Jang Geum'' (2003), '' When I Turned Nine'' (2004), ''Lovely Rivals'' (2004), and ''The Wonder ...
, South Korean actress
*
Lee Yo-Won
Lee Yo-won (born April 9, 1980) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Queen Seondeok in the eponymous hit period drama.
Career
Lee Yo-won was a sophomore in high school when she won a modeling contest and first appe ...
, South Korean actress
See also
*
House of Yi
The House of Yi, also called the Yi dynasty (also transcribed as the Lee dynasty), was the royal family of the Joseon dynasty and later the imperial family of the Korean Empire, descended from the Joseon founder Yi Seong-gye. All of his descendan ...
*
Lee (Korean surname)
Lee, Revised Romanization of Korean, I, or Yi () is the List of South Korean surnames by prevalence, second-most-common surname in Korea, behind Kim (Korean surname), Kim (김). Historically, 李 was officially written as Ni () in Korea. The ...
References
{{House of Yi