The Real Story Behind the K-Drama “Red Sleeve”

5 min readJan 14, 2022

About the K-Drama

Set in the 18th century, “Red Sleeve” depicts a love story between King Jeongjo and royal concubine Uibin Sung. Sung Deok-Im is a court lady. She gets involved with Crown Prince Yi San and he falls in love with her. The crown prince eventually becomes King Jeongjo. He now desires Sung Deok-Im to become his concubine, but she refuses. Sung Deok-Im wants to live her life freely, something that will not be possible as a concubine. She also knows that life of a royal concubine does not generally bring about happiness. Yet, Sung Deok-Im becomes the concubine of King Jeongjo.

The Real Story of King Jeongjo

Early life

He was the son of Crown Prince Sado, who was put to death by his own father, King Yeongjo, and Lady Hyegyeong. In 1762, his father, Crown Prince Sado, was executed by King Yeongjo after long conflicts and Sado’s years of mental illness. Yi San asked to visit Sado’s living quarter but his Grandfather King Yeongjo refused. So he refused to attend Crown Prince Sado’s funeral. Yi San became the adoptive son of Crown Prince Hyojang and Princess Consort Hyosun by the order of King Yeongjo. Crown Prince Hyojang was the elder half-brother of his father. Crown Prince Hyojang though, had died during his childhood. King Yeongjo made Yi San a part of Hyojang’s family because he was concerned that Yi San, who was Sado’s son and successor, would be opposed. The Noron faction protested Yi San’s legitimacy as the royal successor under the claim that Yi San was the ‘Son of a prisoner’ or ‘Son of a psycho’ and thus ineligible to succeed the throne. This was a major source of vexation for King Yeongjo for an extended period. Some members of Noron attempted to deport Jeongjo for his relation to Crown Prince Sado and open the path of succession for his half-brothers Prince Eunjeon, Prince Euneon and, Prince Eunshin.

As a King

Jeongjo tried to feel the same way with his people. During his second year of reign, a great drought came. During the drought, Jeongjo was nervous just like the people and did a rainmaking ritual for his people. From the first day of the reign, Jeongjo spent much of his reign trying to clear his father’s name.He also moved the court to the city of Suwon to be closer to his father’s grave.

During his accession, he also issued a royal decree that his mother, Lady Hyegyeong, be a Dowager Queen since his father, was supposed to be the King before him. King Jeongjo experienced many turbulent periods, but overcame them with the aid of Hong Guk-yeong.

Death

In his final years, Jeongjo arranged for the marriage of his second son and successor Sunjo of Joseon to Lady Kim of the Andong clan, daughter of Kim Jo-sun, but did not live to see his son’s marriage. In 1800, Jeongjo died suddenly under uncertain circumstances at the age of 47, without seeing much of his life’s work come to fruition under his son, Sunjo. There are many books regarding the mystery behind his death, and speculation as to the cause of his death continues even today. He is buried with his wife, Queen Hyoui, at the royal tomb of Geonneung.

King Jeongjo and Deok-im

The following are King Jeongjo’s consorts and their respective children:

Queen Hyoui of the Cheongpung Kim clan (효의왕후 김씨) (5 January 1754–10 April 1821) - None.
Royal Noble Consort Ui of the Changnyeong Seong clan (의빈 성씨) (6 August 1753–4 November 1786)

Miscarriage (8 December 1780)
Miscarriage (July 1781)
Yi Sun, Crown Prince Munhyo (이순 문효세자) (13 October 1782–6 June 1786), first son
First daughter (20 March — 12 May 1784)[23]
Unborn child (1786)[24]

3. Royal Noble Consort Su of the Bannam Park clan (수빈 박씨) (1 June 1770–6 February 1823)

Crown Prince Yi Gong (이공 왕세자) (29 July 1790–13 December 1834), second son
Princess Sukseon (숙선옹주) (1 March 1793–7 June 1836), second daughter

4. Royal Noble Consort Won of the Pungsan Hong clan (원빈 홍씨) (27 May 1766–7 May 1779) — none.

5. Royal Noble Consort Hwa of the Namwon Yun clan (화빈 윤씨) (11 April 1765–14 January 1824) — none.

Deok-im

Royal Noble Consort Ui was a beloved concubine of King Jeongjo of Joseon and the mother of Crown Prince Munhyo.

Life in the palace

In 1762, at the age of ten, she entered the royal palace. Because of her father’s relationship with the Pungsan Hong clan, Lady Seong became a personal maid of King Jeongjo’s mother, Crown Princess Hyegyeong. Sometime before 1782, she received Jeongjo’s grace and was promoted to Sangui, a court lady of the fifth senior rank. It is recorded that she was pregnant two times between 1780 and 1782.

On October 13, 1782, Lady Seong gave birth to her first child, Yi Sun (이순). That same day, she became a Royal Consort, after being elevated to the third senior rank of So-yong. Almost three months later, in late December 1782, her son was given the title of Prince Royal.

The following year, Seong So-yong was promoted to the first senior rank of Bin and Jeongjo personally chose the prefix “Ui” (宜; meaning “appropriate/fitting”) for her.

On March 20, 1784, Seong Ui-bin gave birth to an unnamed princess, who died a few weeks after birth.

On July 2, 1784, Yi Sun was invested as Crown Prince, but he died during an epidemic, on June 6, 1786.

Death

Four months after the death of her son, Lady Seong died during the last month of her fifth pregnancy. The unborn child died with her. King Jeongjo wrote her epitaph, where he described his grief and declared his love for her. It was said that Lady Seong was the only woman he loved amongst his wives. Her mortuary was set up at Anhyeon Palace, which was uncommon.

Originally, she was buried about 100 steps from her son, Crown Prince Munhyo, but during the 7th year of King Gojong’s reign, the tombs’ status was raised to Hyochangwon. King Jeongjo planted 26.000 trees in the graveyard,