Yu Ja-gwang

Yu Jagwang or Yu Chagwang (, 1439 – June 1512) was a Korean Joseon Dynasty politician, soldier and writer. Born as the son of a yangban father and a concubine, he was one of the few secondary sons who served in high government offices during the Joseon dynasty. His courtesy name was Uhu. His prime political rival was Kim Jong-jik.

Life
In 1439, Yu Jagwang was born as the secondary son of Yu Gyu, of the Yeonggwang Yu clan, and his concubine, Lady Choe. Yu first served as a gapsa or armoured soldier, who guarded Geonchunmun Gate. When Yi Si-ae's Rebellion broke out, he volunteered to serve the government forces in suppressing the rebels. He was quickly promoted to the position of byeongjo jeongnang or a section chief in the Ministry of Defence by King Sejo. In 1468, he took the mungwa exam and placed first. When Sejo's son Yejong ascended to the throne, Yu Jagwang accused Nam I of plotting treason and was rewarded as a first class merit subject. In 1498, Yu played a key role in the First literati purge during the reign of Yeonsangun, accusing Kim Il-son of writing history drafts that were negative on King Sejo. Yu also went after Kim Il-son's deceased teacher, Kim Jong-jik, for his composition of Lament for the Rightful Emperor which he interpreted as treason. Kim Jong-jik was posthumously charged with high treason and his corpse was beheaded. Other members belonging to the sarim faction were also purged. According to later historians who wrote the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty, Yu's hatred of Kim Jong-jik was due to an incident where Kim, when he served as the county magistrate of Hamyang, he destroyed Yu's poem that he had put up in that county. In 1506, he once again became a merit subject when Jungjong obtained the throne, becoming the only secondary son in the history of Joseon to become a merit subject twice. However, in 1507, Yu Ja-gwang was accused by the Censorate of "personal motivation" and was exiled. He was still in exile when he died on June 15, 1512.

Popular culture

 * Portrayed by Song Young-chang in the 2015 South Korean film The Treacherous
 * Portrayed by Ryu Tae-ho in the 2017 MBC TV series The Rebel.
 * Portrayed by Yoo Seung-bong in the 2017 KBS2 TV series Queen for Seven Days.