Chunghye of Goryeo

King Chunghye of Goryeo (22 February 1315 – 30 January 1344, r. 1330–1332, 1340–1344) was the 28th king of the Goryeo dynasty of Korea.

Biography

He was remembered in the Goryeosa for his licentious lifestyle, particularly his habit of abducting, raping, and killing women. King Chunghye was the son of King Chungsuk of Goryeo and Queen Gongwon, a Hong. He is sometimes known by his Mongolian name, which is rendered in hanja as Botapsilli.

King Chunghye travelled to Yuan Dynasty China in 1328. In 1330, then-king King Chungsuk petitioned to abdicate the throne, and the emperor sent King Chunghye back to Goryeo to assume the throne. But in the following year, King Chungsuk returned to the throne and King Chunghye returned to China. In 1339, King Chungsuk died. One faction supported the noble Wang Go's claim to the throne, but their attempted coup failed and King Chunghye's reign was restored. King Chunghye's queen was Princess Deoknyeong, who gave birth to King Chungmok.

After his father's death, Chunghye raped one of his father's concubines, Princess Gyeonghwa, who attempted to flee Goryeo. Chunghye imprisoned her in the palace. The Yuan emissary eventually visited the palace to visit Princess Gyeonghwa, who informed him of what had transpired. Then, the Yuan emissary arrested Chunghye and dragged Chunghye to Beijing. Chunghye was ordered guilty.

Family

• Father: King Chungsuk of Goryeo (30 July 1294 – 3 May 1339) (고려 충숙왕)
  • Grandfather: King Chungseon of Goryeo (20 October 1275 – 23 June 1325) (고려 충선왕)
  • Grandmother: Royal Consort Yasokjin Ui-Bi (? – 18 July 1316) (의비 야속진)
• Mother: Queen Gongwon of the Namyang Hong clan (18 July 1298 – January 1380) (공원왕후 홍씨)
  • Grandfather: Hong Gyu (1242 – 23 June 1316) (홍규)
  • Grandmother: Lady Kim of the Gwangju Kim clan (광주 김씨)
• Consorts:

1. Princess Consort Deoknyeong of the Borjigin clan (? – 1375) (덕녕공주)
   1. King Chungmok of Goryeo (15 May 1337 – 25 December 1348) (고려 충목왕)
   2. Princess Jangnyeong (장녕공주)
2. Royal Consort Hee-Bi of the Papyeong Yun clan (? – 1380) (희비 윤씨)
   1. King Chungjeong of Goryeo (1338 – 23 March 1352) (고려 충정왕)
3. Princess Euncheon of the Im clan (은천옹주 임씨)
   1. Wang Seok-Gi (1341 – 1375) (왕석기)
4. Bayankhutag of the Borjigin clan, Princess Gyeonghwa (? –1344) (경화공주)
5. Royal Consort Hwa-Bi of the Namyang Hong clan (화비 홍씨)

In popular culture

• Portrayed by Oh Hyeon-cheol in the 2012 SBS TV series Faith.
• Portrayed by Joo Jin-mo and Ahn Do-gyu in the 2013-2014 MBC TV series Empress Ki.
• Portrayed by Lee Deok-hee in the 2014 KBS1 TV series Jeong Do-jeon.