One of the most famous legends of love is the Tristan and Isolde story. It has been adapted for the opera and films. Also, Titanic is one of the most famous mournful stories of love. It is a love story based on the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, and it was made into a movie that resonated with people around the world. In addition, many stories of sad love can be found in Greek mythology that have been passed down. These famous foreign love stories have been easy to see since childhood. But in Korea, you can also find sorrowful love stories. From now on, I will introduce famous or unknown love stories of Korea.

King Gongmin and Queen Noguk’s love story

 The love between King Gongmin and Queen Noguk can still be seen today over 700 years later. The Twin Royal Tomb is the only tomb holding a married couple in the royal tombs of Goryeo. They are together even now although they died many years ago. It was their love that held them together. However, their love story started from a marriage of convenience. The princess was a person who had a decisive influence on the political path of King Gongmin. In 1349, Gongmin was married to the chief princess of the ruling class, and he became king two years later. Princess Noguk, as a woman, was married to King Gongmin according to the wedding policy of the Yuan Dynasty. Despite being a woman of the Yuan Dynasty, she actively supported the reformist politics of King Gongmin, and when pro-Yuan Dynasty people were trying to kill Gongmin, she protected him until the end. As a result of her support, the mind of King Gongmin, which had been closed, opened, and they lived in conjugal harmony. However, in 1365, the sovereign supporter of King Gongmin,
the Noguk princess, died after giving birth to a baby. After that, King Gongmin, who could not forget her, had difficulty taking care of his affairs, and he looked at the portrait of the queen hanging on the wall day and night and cried.

Cheoljong of Joseon and Yang Sun-i’s love story

 The 25th king of the Joseon Dynasty did not know anything about royal life and grew up in the countryside with the name Wonbeom. The successor of Heonjong, his life was complicated by the tyranny of Andong Kim. In other words, the conspirators thought that they would be able to deal with him by themselves. When Wonbeom lived in Ganghwa as a farmer, Yang Sun-i was close to him, so they became engaged. However, suddenly Wonbeom became the successor to the throne and went up to Hanyang to become the leader. However, as an ordinary rural woman, Yang Sun-i, could not go with him. Because of the stress of strict royal life and his lovesickness for her, he was ill frequently. The people of the royal family secretly sent people to poison her. They could not tolerate Yang Sun-i because she was from the lowest class of people, so she could not live in a
respectable place. Also, they wanted Cheoljong to forget his childhood when he lived as a member of the lowest class. They thought if she died, he would forget her. However, after learning of the murder later, his heart almost burst with grief, and in his grief he turned to a life of debauchery. He died at a young age without having the will to overcome his retchedness.

Hong-rang and Choi Kyung-chang’s love story

 When King Seonjo was a king, Choi Kyung-chang went to Kyungsung and became a peace officer in North Hamgyong Province. Choi Kyung-chang, who was excellent at dealing with women, had a deep love for Hong-rang, who was famous in Kyungsung as a geisha. Hong-rang came to be regarded as a genuine lady rather than a geisha by him. Hong-rang cheered his mind with her skillful attention. In the spring of the following year, Choi Kyung-chang changed his office and returned to Seoul. She was forced to say  goodbye and followed him until he disappeared from sight, all the while weeping and singing. After he left, Hong-rang always remembered Choi Kyung-chang. Choi Kyung-chang became sick in the spring, after he left Hong-rang, and was unable to get up until the winter of that year. Hong-rang, who had been informed of this news, started walking to his home on the very day she heard the news, and continued on the road day and night without stopping. In seven days, she reached Seoul and met Choi Kyung-chang. At this time, Hamkyung-do and Pyeongan-do would not allow geishas to live in Seoul. Therefore, Hong-rang did not stay in Seoul for a long time and had to go back to her hometown, yongsung, soon. Choi Kyung-chang gave two poems to the departing Hong-rang. If you translate one of these poems, you will notice that he is singing of his heartbreaking and sorrowful feeling. After Choi Kyung-chang died, Hong-rang rushed to his tomb in Paju and made a hut near the tomb where she lived for three years to honor him. Afterwards, Hong-rang died and was buried under the grave of Choi Kyung-chang.

 Besides the anecdotes presented above, there are many stories of love that have become legends in Korea. There is also a love story about rocks and there is a story about the prince of Hodong and the princess of Nakrang called Korea's Romeo and Juliet. Their story has even been made into a drama. There are a lot of interesting and sad love stories in Korean history. If you are bored with Korea's history, I suggest you get interested in these stories.