Queen for 7 Days - history
Historical Background to help understand Queen for Seven Days (2017 KBS)
Queen for Seven daysĀ 7ģ¼ģ ģė¹ (2017 KBS) is based on the Korean legend about Chima-bawi (ģ¹ė§ė°ģ, meaning āSkirt Rockā) of Mt. Inwangsan (ģøģģ°, ä»ēå±±).
In 1506, King Yeonsan (ģ°ģ°źµ° ēå±±å, 1476~1506), the most notorious tyrant in the history of Korea, was deposed in a coup led by ministers. (* For understanding the course of history, youād better go watch Rebel : Thief who stole the people ģģ : ė°±ģ±ģ ķģ¹ ėģ (2017 MBC)).
The rebel forces flocked to the private residence of Prince Jinseong (ģ§ģ±ėźµ° ęå大å, 1488~1544) in order to enthrone him. However, the prince was about to kill himself, thinking that his half brother (King Yeonsan) finally sent armies to kill him. Ā In the life-threatening situation, his wife Lady Shin dissuaded him to commit suicide and said like this.
āIf the armies are coming here to kill us, their horsesā heads will look toward our house. If they are to protect us, the tails of their horses will face our house.ā
The prince saw the direction of the horses as he was told, and realized that they came to protect him. Finally he opened the gate and found himself becoming the 11th king of Joseon dynasty, King Jungjong (ģ¤ģ¢
äøå® (1488~1544), and his wife Lady Shin became Queen Dangyeong (ėØź²½ģķ ē«Æę¬ēå , 1487~1577). Ā
However, Lady Shin found herself in danger no sooner had she become the Queen. Her father, Shin Su-Geun (ģ ģź·¼ ę¼å®å¤, 1450~1506), was killed during the coup because he tried to protect the tyrant no matter what.
In fact, Park Won-Jong ė°ģģ¢
(ę“å
å® 1467~1510), one of the rebel leaders, had suggested Shin Su-Guen to participate in the coup together, asking āWhich is more precious to you? Your younger sister? Or your daughter?ā.Ā
Shin Su-Geunās younger sister was the queen of King Yeonsan, and his daughter was Prince Jinseongās wife. So he was placed in an extreme situation to choose between the two.
His sister was widely admired as a wise and virtuous queen. Even the tyrannical king respected his wifeās brave and sincere plea. Shin Su-Geun thought although the tyrant was hopeless, the smart crown prince born from his virtuous sister could be their new hope. So, he refused to join the coup, saying that he couldnāt betray his brother-in-law for the sake of his son-in-law.Ā
And thatās why he got killed by the rebel forces.
The coup was successful. Prince Jinseong and Lady Shin was unwillingly crowned as King and Queen. However, the coup leaders didnāt want the woman whose father was killed by their own hands to remain as a queen.Ā
Lady Shin was deposed and kicked out of the palace just 7 days after her coronation, and the puppet king didnāt have any power to protect her. The pitiful lovebirds were forcibly torn apart by the political strife. At that time, the king was 18 and the queen was 19.
King Jungjong (Prince Jinseong) couldnāt put his beloved wife out of his mind, even though so many beautiful daughters of the ministers were given to him as royal concubines. In the pavilion of Gyeongbokgung Palace, the king was staring blankly at Mt. Inwangsan with a sigh everyday. Ā
After hearing about the kingās grief, the deposed queen hung her red skirt she was wearing at the palace on a rock of Mt. Inwangsan, in order to attract the kingās eyes. It was like saying hello to her husband āIām here. Iām OK. Donāt worry about meā.
The king noticed her message, and never forgot the memory of his wife even though they couldnāt meet again.Ā ( Some folktales say that the couple secretly met again just before he lay on his deathbed at the age of 56. )
The royal coupleās sad love story was passed down through generations, and people started to call the rock of Mt. Inwangsan Ā "Chima-bawiĀ (ģ¹ė§ ė°ģ, meaning āskirt rockā)ā.
The love triangle with King Yeonsan, Prince Jinseong, and Lady Shin is a pure Ā fiction of this drama.
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