Royal Noble Consort Gong of the
Gimhae Kim
The Gimhae Kim clan () is one of the Korean clans. This clan traces their origin to Suro of Geumgwan Gaya. King Suro was the founder of Gaya confederacy, and his descendant, Gim Yu-sin, Kim Yu-sin is renowned for unifying the Silla polity. It was ...
clan (Hangul: 공빈 김씨, Hanja: 恭嬪 金氏; 16 November 1553 – 13 June 1577) was a royal consort of
Seonjo of Joseon
Seonjo of Joseon (26 November 1552 – 16 March 1608) was the fourteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea from 1567 to 1608. He was known for encouraging Confucianism and renovating state affairs at the beginning of his reign. However, politi ...
, and the mother of
Yi Jin, Prince Imhae and
Yi Hon, King Gwanghaegun, the 15th emperor of Joseon.
Life
Lady Kim was born into the
Gimhae Kim
The Gimhae Kim clan () is one of the Korean clans. This clan traces their origin to Suro of Geumgwan Gaya. King Suro was the founder of Gaya confederacy, and his descendant, Gim Yu-sin, Kim Yu-sin is renowned for unifying the Silla polity. It was ...
clan in 1553 as the daughter of Kim Hui-cheol and Lady Kwon of the Andong Kwon clan. She was the eldest of three children.
She entered the palace and became a concubine of
Seonjo of Joseon
Seonjo of Joseon (26 November 1552 – 16 March 1608) was the fourteenth king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea from 1567 to 1608. He was known for encouraging Confucianism and renovating state affairs at the beginning of his reign. However, politi ...
. Lady Kim became Royal Consort Suk-ui (숙의, 淑儀) when she gave birth to
Yi Jin in 1572, the King's eldest son. She eventually became Royal Consort Gwi-in (귀인, 貴人) in 1575 when she gave birth to
Yi Hon, Prince Gwanghae.
Her father died in 1592 while serving as a medic in 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 ...
. This put Prince Gwanghae’s position as crown prince in jeopardy because the Royal consort had no one to support her and her two sons.
It is recorded that King Seonjo cared greatly for her and when she died due to a postpartum disease he mourned for her. She monopolized the love of the king, and because of this, other concubines were often neglected. When her life was in jeopardy, she said that someone was cursing her and told her that she would die if King Seonjo did not investigate quickly.
After her death, Seonjo became much harsher to his other concubines. However, he met Palace Lady Kim (the future Royal Noble Consort In of the Suwon Kim clan) who became Royal Consort So-yong (소용 김씨, 昭容 金氏) as Seonjo showed more favour towards her than anyone after the death of Royal Noble Consort Gong.
After her son
Gwanghaegun
Gwanghae-gun or Prince Gwanghae (4 June 1575 – 7 August 1641), personal name Yi Hon (Hangul: 이혼, Hanja: 李琿), was the 15th ruler of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. As he was deposed in a coup d'état, he did not receive a temple name.
...
became King, she was posthumously appointed Queen Gongseong (공성왕후, 恭聖王后) while adding Jasukdanin (자숙단인, 慈淑端仁). In 1615, her son added Gyeongryeol (경렬, 敬烈) and Myeongheon (명헌, 明獻) in 1616; thus completing her posthumous to Gyeongryeol Myeongheon Jasuk Danin (경렬명헌자숙단인공성왕후, 敬烈明獻慈淑端仁恭聖王后). But she was stripped of her title, and was given back the title of Bin after her son was deposed in 1623.
Her burial site is in Seongmyo Royal Tomb, Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.
Family
* Father: Kim Hui-Cheol, Internal Prince Haeryeong (김희철 해령부원군)(1519 - 1 August 1592)
** Paternal grandfather: Kim Jong-soo (김종수, 金從壽)
** Paternal grandmother: Lady Jeong of the Hadong Jeong clan (하동 정씨)
* Mother: Lady Kwon of the Andong Kwon clan (정경부인 안동 권씨)
** Maternal Grandfather: Kwon Jang (권장, 權璋)
** Maternal Grandmother: Lady Heo of the
Gimhae Heo clan
Gimhae Heo clan () is one of the Korean clans. This clan traces their origin to King Suro and his legendary Queen Heo Hwang-ok, who are mentioned in the 13th-century Korean chronicle ''Samguk Yusa''.[Kim Jong-pil
Kim Jong-pil (; ; January 7, 1926 – June 23, 2018), also known colloquially as JP, was a South Korean politician and the founder/first director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA, now the National Intelligence Service). He s ...]
.
** Younger brother: Kim Ui-jik (김의직, 金義直)
* Husband:
Yi Yeon, King Seonjo (조선 선조) (26 November 1552 - 16 March 1608)
** Son:
Yi Jin, Prince Imhae (20 September 1572 – 3 June 1609) (이진 임해군)
*** Daughter-in-law: Princess Consort Heo of the
Yangcheon Heo clan
Yangcheon Heo clan () was one of the Korean clans. Their Bon-gwan was in Gangseo District, Seoul. According to the 2015 Korean census, the number of Yangcheon Heo clan is 149,505. Their founder was . He was the descendant of Heo Hwang-ok, the quue ...
(군부인 양천 허씨, 郡夫人 陽川 許氏) (1571 - 1644)
**** Unnamed granddaughter; died prematurely
****Grandson: Yi Tae-ung (이태웅; 1589–1665)
****Adoptive Grandson: Yi Jun, Prince Changwon (이준 창원군)
**** Adoptive Grandson: Yi Gyeong, Prince Yangnyeong (양녕군 이경) (1616 - 1644)
** Son:
Yi Hon, King Gwanghaegun (4 June 1575 – 7 August 1641) (조선 광해군)
*** Daughter-in-law:
Deposed Queen Hyeyang of Munhwa Yu clan (혜장왕후 유씨) (15 August 1576 - 31 October 1623)
**** Unnamed grandson (1596 - 1596)
**** Grandson:
Yi Jin, Deposed Crown Prince (31 December 1598 - 22 July 1623)
**** Unnamed grandson (1601 - 1603)
In popular culture
* Portrayed by
Park Ju-mi in the 1999-2000
MBC TV series
''Hur Jur''
* Portrayed by Jang Ji-eun in the 2013
MBC TV series
''Hur Jun, The Original Story''
* Portrayed by Yu Shin-ae in the 2013
MBC TV series
''Goddess of Fire, Jung Yi''
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kim, Gongbin
1553 births
1577 deaths
Royal consorts of the Joseon dynasty
16th-century Korean people