# Pak Paengnyeon

Park Paeng-nyeon (Korean: 박팽년; Hanja: 朴彭年; 1417 – 7 June 1456) was a scholar-official of the early Joseon Dynasty, and is known as one of the six martyred ministers. He was born to a yangban family of the Suncheon Park clan, and was the son of high minister Park Jeong-rim. He passed the lower national service examination at a royal visitation in 1434, and was later appointed to the Hall of Worthies by Sejong. In the 1440s, he participated with other members of the Hall of Worthies in the creation of the Hunminjeongeum and the creation of the Hangul alphabet. He passed the higher literary examination in 1447, and rose to vice-minister of justice under Danjong in 1454. He was an 8th cousin of Park Won-jong, the maternal uncle of Yun Im and Queen Janggyeong, the second wife of King Jungjong.

## Biography

In 1455, Danjong was overthrown by Sejo, arising the ire of Park and many other officials. Park continued to serve in high office; he was appointed as governor of Chungcheong in 1455, and again as vice-minister of justice in 1456. He joined in a plot to overthrow Sejo and restore Danjong in 1456, but the plot was uncovered through the betrayal of fellow plotter Kim Chil. Sejo admired Park's abilities and offered to pardon him if he were to deny his involvement and acknowledge Sejo as his king. When he refused to repent from his deeds, Sejo argued that it was useless to deny his authority now since Park had already called himself a "royal servant" and received royal grains from him. Park, however, denied this and it was indeed discovered that Park purposefully misspelled words "royal servant" in all of his reports (He wrote word meaning "huge"(巨) instead of "royal servant", 臣), and never used royal grains but instead stored them unused in a storage. Park died in prison from torture. All the males in his family were executed and females were enslaved.
A shrine to Park is located in Sinni-myeon, Chungju, North Chungcheong Province. It was established in the 18th century, when Park and his fellows had come to be viewed as model subjects. Another memorial dating to 1688 stands in Jayang-dong, Dong-gu, Daejeon, at the former site of his official residence. A few of Park's sijo poems have survived.

## Family

* Father
** Park Jung-rim (박중림; 朴仲林; 1390–1456)
* Mother
** Biological - Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (안동 김씨; 1392–?); married 1415
** Step - Lady Yi of the Shinpyeong Yi clan (신평 이씨; 1400–?); married 1420
* Sibling(s)
** Younger brother - Park In-nyeon (박인년; 朴引年; 1419–1456)
** Younger brother - Park Gi-nyeon (박기년; 朴耆年; 1421–1456)
** Younger brother - Park Dae-nyeon (박대년; 朴大年; 1423–1456)
** Younger brother - Park Yeong-nyeon (박영년; 朴永年; 1425–1456)
** Younger sister - Lady Park of the Suncheon Park clan (순천 박씨; 順天 朴氏; 1427–?)
** Younger sister - Lady Park of the Suncheon Park clan (순천 박씨; 順天 朴氏; 1430–?)
* Wives and their children
** Lady Jeon of the Cheonan Jeon clan (천안 전씨; 天安 全氏; 1417–1499); daughter of Jeon Mi (전미, 全彌; 1392–?)
*** Daughter - Lady Park of the Suncheon Park clan (순천 박씨; 順天 朴氏; 1435–?)
*** Daughter - Lady Park of the Suncheon Park clan (순천 박씨; 順天 朴氏; 1440–1524)
*** Daughter - Princess Consort Park of the Suncheon Park clan (군부인 순천 박씨; 郡夫人 順天朴氏; 1440–1500)
*** Son - Park Bun (박분; 朴苯; 1444–1456)
** Kim Ok-geum (김옥금; 金玉今), Lady Kim of the Nakan Kim clan (낙안 김씨; 1418–?); daughter of Kim Mi (김미; 金彌)
*** Son - Park Heon (박헌; 朴憲; 1437–1456)
*** Son - Park Sun (박순; 朴珣; 1442–1456)

## In popular culture

* Portrayed by Lee Won-woo in the 1994 KBS2 TV series Han Myeong-hoe
* Portrayed by Kim Ha-gyun in the 1998–2000 KBS1 TV series The King and the Queen
* Portrayed by Lee Yong-jin in the 2011 KBS TV series The Princess' Man
* Portrayed by Kim Ki-bum in the 2011 SBS TV series Deep Rooted Tree.