Empress Myeongseong is Gojong’s wife who participated in the national affair during the enlightenment period but was killed by Japanese agents under Miura Goro carried out the assassination known in Korea as the Eulmi Incident(乙未事變, 1895). This is the house where the Empress was born and lived until eight years old. The Empress was born in Yeoju, Gyeonggi-do between her father, Min Chirok(閔致祿) and her mother, Lady Hanchang Yi clan in the second year of Cheoljon's reign(1851). After his father passed away at the age of 8, she moved to the Gamgodang(感古堂) with her mother and lived there until she moved to the palace and became Queen. Gamgodang was the home of Queen Inhyeon(仁顯王后).
In 1866, at the age of 16, the Empress was appointed as queen of King Gojong under the auspices of Grand Internal Prince Heungseon and Grand Internal Princess Consort Sunmok of the Yeoheung Min. After Gojong came to throne for 10 years, Joseon's government was operated under the regent of Grand Internal Prince Heungseon. However, when Gojong became an adult, the Empress Myeongseong embarked on the enlightenment policy along with Gojong. In the process of promoting the enlightenment policy, the Empress went through political crises such as Im-O Military Revolt(壬午軍亂), Gapsin Coup(甲申政變), and the Donghak Farmers' Movement. In particular, during the Donghak Peasant Movement, Japan dispatched troops to Joseon without permission, invaded Gyeongbokgung Palace, and took control of the royal government in Joseon. King Gojon and the Empress faced with a pension in the palace. The Empress promoted the restoration of monarchy by approaching Russia. But Japan, which failed to make Joseon a protectorate due to Russia, raided Gyeongbokgung palace and assassinated the empress.
She was posthumously awarded the title of Myeongseong(明成) in 1897(Gwangmu 1). And shortly after King Gojong’s accession to the throne and the proclamation of the Korean Empire, she was honored as the Empress. In November of that year, a funeral was held at Hongneung in Cheongnyang-ri, and after King Gojong’s funeral in 1919, was buried at the Hongneung in Geumgok, Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.
This house was originally a small cottage for the grave keeper of Min Yu Jung(閔維重, 630-1687), not only the father of Queen Inhyeon(仁顯王后, 1667-1701) who was originally King Sukjong(1661 ~ 1720)'s wife, but also the sixth grandfather of the Empress. It was first built in the 13th years of King Sukjong's reign(1687). At that time only the main building has been preserved. The main building was repaired in 1996, and the servants' quarters, men's quarters, and separate quarters were built together to give it the present appearance. Emperor's Birthplace is a house that shows the characteristics of mid- Joseon house.