Hui-bin Hong

Hui-bin Hong was a royal consort of Jungjong of Joseon. She is known for exerting political influence by suppressing the Sarim faction in the Korean literati purges. She bore at least two sons, Prince Geumwon and Prince Bongseong. Although charged with treason during the first year of Injong of Joseon's reign, she was acquitted due to Jungjong's high favour towards her.

Biography

Hong, born in 1494, was a member of the Namyang Hong clan and the daughter of Hong Kyŏngju, a key figure in the Jungjong coup. Following the coup, at the age of 13, she became a concubine of Jungjong of Joseon.
After entering the palace, she worked to maintain the king's favor and strengthen her father's power, passing along information about secret palace affairs. Under her father's direction, a leading member of the Hungu faction, she supported efforts to suppress the emerging Sarim faction in the Korean literati purges. This marked the first occurrence in Joseon history of a concubine exerting such political influence. She backed reforms such as the removal of false achievements from the register of merit subjects and played a role in the downfall of Cho Kwangjo and his supporters. She gave birth to Prince Kŭmwŏn and Prince Pongsŏng.
In 1545, during the first year of Injong of Joseon's reign, she was implicated in a treason case connected to Yun Yŏhae and Yu Hŭiryŏng. It was ultimately dismissed out of respect for the late king's favour toward her. She died in 1581.