The most notorious concubine of Joseon Dynasty was no other than JANG HUIBIN (a.k.a. Jang Ok Jung), a woman who was accused of using dark magic to manipulate the king and curse the queen. 

 

Jang Ok Jung (1659-1701) was a concubine of King Sukjong, holding the title of Huibin. She first entered the palace as a lady-in-waiting of Sukjong’s step-great-grandmother, Grand Dowager Queen Jaui. By the time, Sukjong already had a lawful wife, Queen Inhyeon.

 

When she gave birth to Sukjong’s first son, Jang began to have more power in court as the crown prince’s mother. Queen Inhyeon refused to adopt Jang’s son, which ended up with her being expelled from the royal palace. Only then could Jang become the queen consort and Soron faction seize the court power. 

 

It was recorded that because Jang became too greedy and jealous that Sukjong began to favor a new woman, Lady Choi, and decided to reinstate the deposed Queen Inhyeon and depose Jang to the level of Huibin. 

 

Not long after that, the queen died of an unknown cause. The palace shaman pointed to Jang Huibin as the cause of her death by claiming that she used dark magic to win Sukjong back. Jang was then executed by poison. After her death, Sukjong passed a decree that prohibited any royal concubine to become queen consort. 

 

In reality, Jang Huibin was only one of the pieces in the chess game between Soron and Noron factions. It was unfortunate for her to become entangled not only in a palace drama but also in a bigger political scheme. 

 

Was she really a vicious and jealous woman or was she painted that way by court historians and nobles who were from the opposite faction? 

 

Recommended movies and books: 

🎞 Dong Yi (2010) 

🎞 Jang Ok Jung: Living by Love (2013)