Kim Jwa-geun

Kim Jwa-geun (1797 – 5 June 1869) was a Korean political figure from the Andong Kim clan, who held a number of high-ranking government positions in the late Joseon period, including Chief State Councillor at King Cheoljong's court. He was the younger brother of Queen Sunwon.

Biography
Kim Jwa-geun was born in 1797, as a member of the Andong Kim clan. His father was Kim Jo-sun and his mother was Lady Shim of Cheongsong. He was the fourth child of seven children.

In 1802, his older sister became the Queen of Joseon at the age of 13, when she married King Sunjo during his second year of reign.

In 1825, at the recommendation of his father, Kim served as a vice-deputy of Mupomgwanik, and in 1834 was promoted to the position of Cheomjong. In the second year of King Cheoljong's reign, he was appointed to several important positions. On February 25, 1853, he was appointed as Chief State Councillor, and though he attempted to resign, he was not allowed to until April 19, 1862. However, in September 1863, he was ordered to "return as chief minister". In 1862, he served as governor while Lee Jeong-cheong was trying to quell the Imsul Peasant Revolt, which was arising from the disturbance of Samjeong.

Until her death, on September 21, 1857, his older sister, Queen Sunwon, who has served as Queen Regent two times, had given immense political influence to the Andong Kim clan, which was the central figure in politics up until 1863 to 1864, when Heungseon Daewongun, with the help of Queen Sinjeong, stepped in during the regency of his son, King Gojong. When Gojong became King and Heungseon Daewongun came to power, Kim Jwa-geun withdrew from the position of Chief State Councillor, but continued to participate in government affairs. Together with his adoptive son, Kim Byeong-gi, he helped Heungseon Daewongun in his regency, since he had difficulty in maintaining the affairs of the state as he came from a distant royal line.

When he died in 1869, he was given the posthumous title of Chungik.

In 1990, the descendants of his adopted son donated the house where Kim Jwa-geun and his family had lived to the Seoul National University.

Family

 * Father
 * Kim Jo-sun, Internal Prince Yeongan (1765–1832)
 * Mother
 * Internal Princess Consort Cheongyang of the Cheongsong Shim clan (1766–1828)
 * Grandfather: Shim Geon-ji (1733–1779)
 * Grandmother: Lady Yi of the Jeonju Yi clan (1734–1798); Sim Geon-ji's second wife
 * Siblings:
 * Older brother: Kim Yu-geun (March 1785 – July 1840); became the adoptive son of Kim Yong-sun
 * Older brother: Kim Won-geun (1786–1832)
 * Older sister: Queen Sunwon of the Andong Kim clan (8 June 1789 – 21 September 1857)
 * Brother-in-law: King Sunjo of Joseon (29 July 1790 – 13 December 1834)
 * Older sister: Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (1792–?)
 * Older sister: Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (1794–?)
 * Older sister: Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (1795–?)
 * Wives and children:
 * Lady Yun (1795–1858)
 * Adoptive son: Kim Byeong-gi (1818–1875); son of Kim Yeong-geun (1793–1870)
 * Adoptive daughter-in-law/Niece: Lady Nam (1819–1851); daughter of Nam Gu-sun (1792–?) and Kim Jwa-geun’s older sister, Lady Kim (1792–?)
 * Adoptive daughter-in-law: Lady Jeong (정씨; 1834–1880)
 * Adoptive (adoptive) grandson: Kim Yong-gyun
 * Adoptive granddaughter: Lady Kim (김씨; 1860–1933)
 * Concubine: Lady Naju of the Yang clan

Drama

 * Portrayed by Lee Sun-jae in the 1975 TBC TV series The King's First Love
 * Portrayed by Jang Min-ho in the 1982 KBS1 TV series Wind and Cloud
 * Portrayed by Kim Seong-won in the 1989 KBS2 TV series Wind, Clouds, and Rain
 * Portrayed by Jeong Ok in the 1990 MBC TV series 500 Years of Joseon: Daewongun
 * Portrayed by Song Jae-ho in the 2001 KBS TV series Empress Myeongseong
 * Portrayed by Choi Jong-won in the 2014 KBS2 TV series Gunman in Joseon
 * Portrayed by Cha Gwang-su in the 2020 TV Chosun TV series Kingmaker: The Change of Destiny
 * Portrayed by Kim Tae-woo in the 2020 TVN TV series Mr. Queen

Film

 * Portrayed by Nam Gyeong-eup in the 2016 film The Map Against the World
 * Portrayed by Park Yoon-sik in the 2018 film Fengshui