-To commemorate the 300 year anniversary of the passing of King Sukjong, a special exhibition will be held from May 6 to June 28, 2020 at the special exhibition hall on the first floor of the museum.

-The exhibition will also be on view as a VR experience on the Museum’s homepage starting from May 11.

The Cultural Heritage Administration’s National Palace Museum of Korea presents a special exhibition titled <The Days of King Sukjong> from May 6 to June 28, 2020. King Sukjong (1661~1720, r.1674~1720) is the 19^th king of the Joseon Dynasty and reigned for 46 years. The year 2020 marks the 300^th anniversary of the death of King Sukjong and the exhibition celebrates his life and accomplishments.

King Sukjong is a very popular character and frequently appears in Korean TV dramas and movies, which focus on the political turmoil and fractional struggles, as well as more private lives in the royal courts, surrounding the royal concubines who gave birth to the 20^th king of Joseon King Kyungjong (1688~1724, r.1720~1724), and the 21^st King Yeongjo (1694~1776, r.1724~1776).

However, many facts related to King Sukjong’s accomplishments and ruling tactics are misrepresented in the movies and dramas, while truly valuable aspects are not fully depicted. The folk narratives and novels written in Hangeul during the 19^thcentury, describe King Sukjong’s ruling period as being peaceful and all his subjects living in comfort, providing us with an interesting window to look into the King himself and how life was in those years. The title of this special exhibition <The Days of King Sukjong> is also taken from a description in one such novel from the 19^th century.

There are three sections in this exhibition, together introducing 47 relics and artifacts. The first section, ‘Born to Be King’ shows King Sukjong’s life and how he exercised his powerful authority as the only son of King Hyeonjong (r. 1659–1674) and Queen Myeongseong (1642–1683) and thus as the indisputable successor to the throne with secure legitimacy. Key artifacts displayed in this part of the exhibition include the ‘Jade Seal, Bamboo Investiture Book and Case of King Sukjong upon His Appointment as Crown Prince’, which is also listed as a UNESCO Memory of the World, and the ‘Painting of Zhuge Liang’, commissioned by King Sukjong himself to emphasize to his subjects the importance of being loyal to their King.

The second section of the exhibition is titled ‘Rewriting the History of the Royal Court’ and tells the story of how the royal court established the royal legitimacy from King Taejo, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty, all the way to King Sukjong’s father. King Sukjong reassessed the achievements of King Taejo, and through such efforts promoted his own legacy as the restoring monarch of the royal court. Among the key artifacts displayed is the ‘Album of King Taejo’s Eight Excellent Horses’, which testify King Taejo’s courageous aspects. Like King Taejo, King Sukjong also enters Giroso, a governmental society honoring venerable statesmen, at the age of 59. The ‘Commemorative Album for King Sukjong’s Entry into the Club of Elder’ is another important piece displayed in section 2 of the exhibit.

Section 3, ‘Ushering in an Era of Revival – The Late Joseon Period’ displays a wide spectrum of King Sukjong’s rule, including the economy, society and military defense. Joseon suffered severe damages from invasions by Japan in the 16^th century and by China’s Qing dynasty in the early 17^th century. The reigning period of King Sukjong was a time of recovery and development. The nation’s tax regime was improved to ease the burden of the people, while still securing enough for state affairs. A key artifact displayed in the exhibition, related to such activity, is the SangpyeongTongbo (Coins), that had been minted and used starting from King Sukjong’s years to the end of the Joseon period. To strengthen the nation’s military defense, King Sukjong also revised the national defense system with focus on the defense of the capital. The Bukhansanseong Fortress was newly built for this purpose. The hanging board inscribed with poems composed by King Sukjong about Bukhansanseong Fortress is on display at the exhibition.

The National Palace Museum is taking appropriate measures to prevent further spread of COVID-19 and to protect our patrons. All visitors to the museum must wear a facial mask and keep a safe distance of 1~2m between each other. Starting May 11, patrons will also be able to enjoy the entire exhibition at home through a virtual showing which will be made available at www.gogung.go.kr.

The Cultural Heritage Administration’s National Palace Museum of Korea is a specialized repository and research institution for the Joseon royal and Korean imperial court artifacts. It has opened many exhibitions highlighting the Kings of the Joseon Dynasty. We hope that this exhibition will shed new light to King Sukjong and his reign.

Exhibition & Publicity Dept

Senior Researcher Lim Kyounghee 

Researcher Kim Jae-eun

Attached

1.  The National Palace Museum of Korea will host a special exhibition titled <The Days of King Sukjong> (Including information material and photo materials)