The saga of King Sukjong, Queen Inhyeon, and Concubine Jang Hee Bin (sometimes spelled Hui-bin) is one of the most famous episodes in the 500-year-long history of the Joseon dynasty. Filled with palace intrigue and passionate love affairs, the story of the 19th king of Joseon, his virtuous queen, and one of the most infamous women in the history of Joseon continues to fascinate people even today. But what was the real story behind the legend?
The tale of Jang Ok Jung, a middle-class girl who eventually became hee bin, or royal consort, and mother of the next king, has been made and remade into a Korean drama no less than nine times. With many different character interpretations by various writers, the role of Jang Hee Bin has been played by some of the most famous actresses in Korea, including Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung, who played the grandmother in the acclaimed film, “Minari”.
The 9 actress who played the role of Lady Jang Hee bin
(Numbers correlate to the feature image above)
1. Kim Ji-mee in 1961 film “Jang Hui-bin”
2. Nam Jeong-im in 1968 film “Femme Fatale, Jang Hee-bin”
3. Youn Yuh-jung in 1971 MBC TV series “Jang Hui-bin”
4. Lee Mi-sook in 1981 MBC TV series Women of History: “Jang Hui-bin”
5. Jeon In-hwa in 1988 MBC TV series 500 Years of Joseon: “Queen Inhyeon”
6. Jung Sun-kyung in 1995 SBS TV series “Jang Hui-bin”
7. Kim Hye-soo in 2002 KBS TV series “Jang Hui-bin”
8. Lee So-yeon in 2010 MBC TV series “Dong Yi”
9. Kim Tae-hee in 2013 SBS TV series “Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love”
Webcast on the real story of Jang Hee Bin
Professor Minsoo Kang, who recently published a translation of “Record of the Virtue of Queen Inhyeon, Lady Min”, speaks about the importance of this story, the historical myth that has been built around the characters and its place in modern Korean society.
