How to Deal with the Crown Prince (English)

Teaser

“I had enough of you, you cold, idiotic, and egotistical jerk!”

He smirked as he lifts her chin up, meeting her eyes full of fury. “But you love this cold, idiotic, and egotistical jerk and He’s the only one reigning in your heart.”

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Yi Eul is the last Crown Prince of the last Empire of Joseon Dynasty with its Emperor, the late Emperor, the late King Yi Jeon. Crown Prince Yi Eul is currently living in London finishing his degree in a Royal University intended for blue-blooded people like him. The whole of South Korea is anticipating his arrival including Kim Jae Kyung, a jobbing entertainment journalist working for a newspaper. The excitement on Jae Kyung’s part to interview the Crown Prince was crumbled down when she discovered that Prince Yi Eul is one big of an arrogant, egotistic jerk who insulted her being a journalist which made her about to turn down the project. By chance, Jae Kyung catches Crown Prince Yi Eul meeting a K-Pop girl group member Dahyun at a nightclub and photographs the two in what appears to be a romantic encounter. Since South Korea’s perspective on dating issues on celebrities is quite a trouble especially that the Crown Prince is appearing to be dating one, publication of the photographs would lead to massive chaos and reputational damage to both the Crown Prince and Dahyun. Yi Eul catches Jae Kyung in the act and ended up chasing her. But the sudden and unexpected encounter between him and his assassins who were thinking that Yi Eul will be one big threat in politics. The unexpected encounter leads Jae Kyung to save the Crown Prince and ended up becoming his assistant and getting stuck with him.

Will she be able to deal with the arrogant, egotistic jerk of a prince?

Will she be able to fall in love with the guy she hated the most?

= Before you proceed from reading, first, read this vocabulary about The Royal Titles and Styles in Joseon Dynasty =

(Note: Our story "How To Deal With The Crown Prince" is a whole fictional one and more like it's a Modern Royal Alternate Universe but I just want you to get informed about Joseon Dynasty and how the Royal Titles and Styles works there)

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The Joseon dynasty (also transcribed as Chosŏn or Chosun, Korean: 대조선국; ****, lit. 'Great Chosun Country') was a Korean dynastic kingdom that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was the last dynasty of Korea and its longest-ruling Confucian dynasty, founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The dynasty was founded following the aftermath of the overthrow of Goryeo in what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul. The kingdom's northernmost borders were expanded to the natural boundaries at the rivers of Amnok and Tuman through the subjugation of the Jurchens.

The Joseon period has left a substantial legacy to modern Korea; much of modern Korean culture, etiquette, norms, and societal attitudes towards current issues, along with the modern Korean language and its dialects, derive from the culture and traditions of Joseon.

Joseon Dynasty was known as a dynasty with a rigid social system, not to mention that the lives of the people greatly depended on their statuses and ranks. The royal family of the Joseon Dynasty or Jeonju Yi Family was at the top of the hierarchy, but the ranks also existed among the royal family members as well.

The basic guide to address the royalties, especially in Joseon Dynasty, is quite simple. Jusang jeonha (주상 전하). The term is used to address the current king. Jusang (주상) is the title used for the current king or sovereign, with the style ‘His Majesty’ or jeonha (전하). The people above the king, for instance the abdicated kings and the queens dowager, simply address the king using the title (jusang) while the people serving the king address him using the whole term (jusang jeonha), or simply the style (jeonha). It’s like the English term His Majesty The King, with ‘The King’ as the style and ‘His Majesty’ as the title.

Great Predecessor King /seondaewang (선대왕, ***) or Great King /daewang (대왕, **), was used to address of to refer to a deceased king. The former was used independently or with the style ‘His Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **), referring to the king who ruled before the current king. The latter is often heard in dramas, where the characters will refer to the deceased king with the title ‘daewang‘ attached to the late king’s temple or posthumous name, such as ‘Taejo Daewang‘ or ‘Sejo Daewang‘.

The wife or consort of the deceased king would be given the title Queen Dowager /daebi  (대비, **).  Most of the time, the Queen Dowager would also be the mother of the current king. The style ‘Her Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **) was used along with the title.  In several cases throughout the Joseon Dynasty, the Queen Dowager took the role of the acting monarch in the name of the king when the king was too young to rule. One example was the Queen Dowager Insoo, who ruled together with Grand Royal Queen Dowager Jeonghee in the name of King Seonjong.

Royal Queen Dowager /wangdaebi (왕대비, ***) was the title for a former consort that is more senior than the queen dowager, for instance the current king’s aunt, or grandmother. The style used was ‘Her Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **). Grand Royal Queen Dowager /daewangdaebi (대왕대비, ****) was the title for a former consort that was senior to two other queen dowagers, or the current king’s great-aunt or great-grandmother. The style was ‘Her Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **).

King Former /sangwang (상왕, **) was a living king who voluntarily abdicated for the current king to reign. The style ‘His Majesty’ or jeonha (전하, **) was commonly used. He usually remained powerful through the remaining years of his life even with the presence of the current king, for instance King Taejong who abdicated for his son, King Sejong. Grand King Former /taesangwang (태상왕, ***) was the abdicated king who was more senior than another former king. The style used is ‘His Majesty’ or jeonha (전하, **). 

For the King’s father who never reigned as a king himself, he was addressed with the title Grand Internal Prince /daewongun (대원군, ***) or Prince Regent.  This happened when he’s a distant relative of the royal family and his son, carrying the Yi family name, had been adopted as heir of a relative who did reign. He used the style of ‘His Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **). In the case of Heungseon Daewongun or Yi Ha-eung, father of Emperor Gojong, the Grand Internal Prince acted as the regent in the place of his son who was too young to rule. Grand Internal Princess Consort /budaebuin (부대부인, ****) was the title for the consort of the Grand Internal Prince with the style of ‘Her Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **).

Internal Prince /buwongun (부원군, ***) was the title for the queen consort’s father, using the style ‘His Excellency’ or daegam (대감, **) while Internal Princess Consort /bubuin (부부인, ***) was the title for the queen consort’s mother.

The current regent at that time was the King /wang (왕, *) with the style of ‘His Majesty’ or jeonha (전하, **). His subjects and the people around him would commonly address him with the title of  jusang (주상, **) or another one that is not quite common but still used, geumsang (금상, **). The king would refer to himself in front of his subjects as kwa-in (과인, **) which was derived from the term used by the Emperor of China, which was guaren that meant “the person without enough morality”. Other terms used to refer to the king were imgeum (임금), naratnim (나랏님), and sanggam (상감). Queen Consort /wangbi (왕비, **) was the consort of the king that used the style ‘Her Majesty’ or mama (마마, **). People around her would address her with the title jungjeon (중전, **), which literally means ‘Center Palace‘. When a queen consort passed away, she would be given a posthumous name with the suffix wanghu (왕후, **) which gives the meaning of ‘Queen’.

As for the eldest son of the king, he would be addressed with the title Prince Royal/wonja (원자, **) before his inauguration as the Crown Prince, with the style of ‘His Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **). Once he’s declared the official heir of the throne, the title Royal Prince Successor /wangseja (왕세자, *** ) would be used. The title was often simplified to Prince Successor/seja (세자, **), with the style of ‘His Royal Highness’ or jeoha 저하, **) being used together with the title, except when the more senior relatives (kings, queens consort, queens dowager) addressing the crown prince as the style was often dropped. Another common and more affectionate title used to address the crown prince by the senior relatives was ‘East Palace‘ or donggung (동궁, **) with the style ‘His Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **).

Royal Princess Successor Consort /wangsejabin (왕세자빈, ****) or the Crown Princess, was the title for the consort of the royal prince successor. The title was also simplified to Princess Successor Consort /sejabin (세자빈, ***). The style used was ‘Her Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **) and the common title used inside the palace for the crown princess was ‘Consort’s Palace‘ or bin-gung (빈궁, **) with the same style. Royal Prince Successor Descendant /wangseson (왕세손, ***), was the title for the son of the prince successor and the princess successor consort, which also made him the grandson of the king. The style used was ‘His Highness’ or hap-a (합하, **).

[Yes, this will be our main character, Kim Jae Kyung's position, in the proceeding chapters]

Grand Prince /daegun (대군, **) was the title for the other sons of  the  king with the queen consort using the style ‘His Excellency’ or daegam (대감, **). Grand Princess Consort /bubuin (부부인, ***), was the title for the wife of a grand prince with the style of  ‘Her Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **).

Prince /gun (군, *) was the title used to address the sons of the king with his concubines and also the sons/grandsons/etc of a grand prince and a prince, with the style of ‘His Excellency’ or daegam (대감, **). The princes were actually called wangja (왕자, **), literally ‘son of the king’ before they reached the age for the title daegun or gun to be given to them. Princess Consort /gunbuin (군부인, ***), was used to refer to the consort of a prince using the style ‘Her Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **).

Princess /gongju (공주, **) was the title for the daughter of a king with his queen consort, with the style of ‘Her Young Highness’ or agissi  (아기씨) when she’s still young and ‘Her Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **) when she’s at a marriageable age. The princesses were called wangnyeo (왕녀, **), literally ‘daughter of the king’ before they reached the age for the title gongju or ongju to be given to them, or before marriage. Prince Consort /gunwi (군의, **) was the title for the consort of a princess. The style used was buma (부마). Princess /ongju (옹주, **), the title of a daughter of the king with his concubines, with the style of ‘Her Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **).

As for the concubines or hugung (후궁, **), the titles were according to their ranks, for instance sukwon (숙원, **). The style used was ‘Her Royal Highness’ or mama (마마, **). The order of the ranks for the concubines or the Royal Noble Consorts of Joseon Dynasty Kings is:

Bin (빈, *) – 1st senior rank

Kwi-in (귀인, **) – 1st junior rank

So-ui (소의, **) – 2nd senior rank

Suk-ui (숙의, **) – 2nd junior rank

So-yong (소용, **) – 3rd senior rank

Suk-yong (숙용, **) – 3rd junior rank

So-won (소원, **) – 4th senior rank

Suk-won (숙원, **) – 4th junior rank

Royal Ranks in Joseon Dynasty

Titles and ranks are big issues, be it in the modern or ancient setting. 

Everyone in the succession line and their consorts have no rank (무품). This includes the following: King, Queen, Crown Prince, Crown Princess Consort, Grand Heir, and Grand Heir Consort. Although they had no rank, they still had to show respect to their elders since seniority played an important role in filial piety.

The King’s Consorts

As stated earlier, Queen/ wangbi (왕비, **) had no rank. The queen was the highest ranked lady in the inner court. After the king passed away, she would become Royal Queen Dowager/ Wangdaebi (왕대비, ***) and then Grand Royal Queen Dowager/ Daewangdaebi (대왕대비, ****). The current queen would be the leader of the inner court, although some matters would be referred to the most senior members available at the moment if the situation called for it. The royal concubines/ hugung (후궁, **) had their titles bestowed together with ranks.

 Bin (빈, *) Sr. 1

Gwiin (귀인, **) Jr. 1 

Soui (소의, **) Sr. 2 

Sukui (숙의, **) Jr. 2 

Soyong (소용, **) Sr. 3 

Sukyong (숙용, **) Jr. 3 

Sowon (소원, **) Sr. 4 

Sukwon (숙원, **) Jr. 4

The concubines were either selected through a rigorous selection (gantaek hugung) or favoured by the King himself (seungeun hugung). The former came from the noble families and had better chance at advancing through the ranks faster compared to the latter, who were once palace maids (gungnyeo). Gantaek hugung would be bestowed with the rank as high as sukui at first, while seungeun hugung would normally be made a seungeun sanggung and raised to an official rank only after bearing a royal child.

Crown Prince’s Consorts

The concubines of the Crown Prince had a different ranking system and they were lower in rank compared to the king’s concubines. Crown Princess Consort/ Wangsejabin (왕세자빈, ****) held the highest position among the Crown Prince’s consorts.

Yangje (양제, **)Jr. 2Yangwon (양원, **)Jr. 3Seunghwi (승휘, **)Jr. 4Sohun (소훈, **)Jr. 5

Royal Sons and Daughters

The status between legitimate and illegitimate issues of the king was different during Joseon Dynasty, with the illegitimate princes and princesses having lower rank compared to the legitimate ones. Crown Prince/ Wangseja (왕세자, ***) was the title bestowed to the King’s son who would become the official heir. Often, a Crown Prince would be the firstborn son of the Queen or Prince Royal/ Wonja (원자, **), but in the case where the King only had issues from his concubines, the heir would be chosen among the sons, most of the time picking the eldest. Same goes for the Crown Prince’s eldest son: he would be known as Grand Royal/ Wonson (원손, **) before formally invested as Grand Heir/ Wangseson (왕세손, ***). As for the other issues of the king, they would be addressed as Wangja (왕자, **), meaning son of the king, or Wangnyeo (왕녀, **), meaning daughter of the king before being conferred the titles according to their status when they were older.

Grand Prince/ Daegun (대군, **) = King’s other son with his legitimate consort, the Queen. Royal Prince/ Gun (군, ***) = King’s son with his concubine(s). Prince/ Gun (군, *) = Grand Prince’s eldest son* Prince/ Gun (군, *) = Crown Prince’s other sons, Grand Prince’s eldest grandson*, Royal Prince’s eldest son* Prince/ Gun (군, *) = Crown Prince’s grandsons, Grand Prince’s other sons and eldest great-grandson, Royal Prince’s eldest grandsons Jeong (정, *) = Crown Prince’s great-grandson, Grand Prince’s other grandsons, Royal Prince’s other sons and eldest great-grandson Bujeong (부정, **) = Grand Prince’s great-grandson, Royal Prince’s other grandsons Su (수, *) = Royal Prince’s great-grandson, Grand Prince’s illegitimate son with a commoner Busu (부수, **) = Grand Prince’s illegitimate son with a lowborn, Royal Prince’s illegitimate son with a commoner Yeong (영, *) = Royal Prince’s illegitimate son with a lowborn