# Eight Days, Assassination Attempts against King Jeongjo

Eight Days, Assassination Attempts against King Jeongjo (Korean: 정조암살미스터리 8일; Hanja: 正祖暗殺미스터리 8日; RR: Jeongjoamsalmiseuteori 8il; MR: Chŏngjoamsalmisŭt'ŏri 8il; lit. Jeongjo Assassination Mystery 8 Days) is a South Korean television miniseries starring Kim Sang-joong, Park Jung-chul, Jung Ae-ri, Lee Seon-ho, and Hee Won. The series ran for 10 episodes, and was aired by CGV from November 17, 2007 to December 16, 2007. This show is placed in the context of the eight days procession organized in 1795 by King Jeongjo of Joseon to visit the tomb of his father at Hwaseong Fortress. This historic event was a huge one, involving 5,661 people and 1,417 horses.

## Synopsis

The screenplay is based on the novel Journey (Korean: 원행; RR: wonhaeng; lit. a round trip) written in 2006 by Oh Se-yeong. The background of the action is the 1795 procession organized by King Jeongjo of Joseon for the 60th birthday of his mother, Lady Hyegyeong that also commemorated the 60th birthday of his deceased father, the Crown Prince Sado. During the eight days period when the Court left the palace for the ceremony, the show introduces several assassination attempts against the King. A first one comes from the Moon In-bang's group (a millenarist sect). But this plot is used by the Noron Faction to pursue its own agenda, attempting an armed suppression against the Sipa Faction and the King as well.
Apart from the fictional elements, a major focus is placed on two historical sources. The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyeong is extensively used during many flashback sequences relative to events that occurred before the death (1762) of Crown Prince Sado, while the official documents from the Joseon Royal Library are used for the current events: the "Wonhaeng Eulmyo Jeongni Uigwe" (Eulmyo=1795) for the procession itself, and the "Hwaseong Seongyeokuigwe" concerning the Hwaseong Fortress as a whole.
This series is often referred as Eight Days, Mystery of Jeong Jo Assassination, a misleading translation since King Jeongjo won the 1795 confrontation and only died in 1800.

## Documents about the real-life 1795 procession

The main document of the 1795 procession is an eight-panel screen, the Hwaseonghaenghaengdo Byeongpun. Nowadays, three copies of this screen exists: a sepia one, a blue one and a colored one, the King's copy. This last copy can be seen at Samsung Museum of Art Leeum and has been designated as Korean National Treasure 1430 in 2005-04-15.
Map of the Hwaseong Fortress in the 1800 Uigwe.

## Cast and characters

As described in the credits of the last episode, the drama involves the following characters:
| . | cast | hg | character | hg | real-life | notes |
| 01 | Kim Sang-joong | 김상중 | Jeongjo | 정조 | 1752–1800 | King Jeongjo, the central character of the drama (r. 1776–1800). |
| 02 | Park Jung-chul | 박정철 | Jeong Yakyong | 정약용 | 1762–1836 | Silhak philosopher, coordinator of the Sipa, pen name Dasan. |
| 03 | Jung Ae-ri | 정애리 | Lady Hyegyeong | 혜경궁 | 1735–1815 | Consort of Prince Sado, mother of King Jeongjo. Hyebin. Daughter of Hong Bonghan. |
| 04 | Lee Seon-ho | 이선호 | Jang Inhyeong | 장인형 | | Gichong Jang: recruited by Mun Inbang, as comrade Jang 장 동지. |
| 05 | Hee Won | 희원 | So Hyangbi | 소향비 | | This lady with the nice hat, lover of Jang Inhyeong. |
| 06 | Park Chan-hwan | 박찬환 | Sim Hwanji | 심환지 | 1730–1802 | Minister of War, head of Noron faction. |
| 07 | Lee Dae-yeon | 이대연 | Mun Inbang | 문인방 | | Rising Sun's ringleader. Moniker= Okpo Seonsaeng 옥포. |
| 08 | Jang Gi-yong | 장기용 | Hong Jaecheon | 홍재천 | | Head of Daedong merchants, born Sangpil: recruited by Mun Inbang, as comrade Hong 홍 동지. |
| 09 | Park Su-hyeon | 박수현 | Choi Gisu | 최기수 | | Gichong Choi, the King's bodyguard. |
| 10 | Jo Dal-hwan | 조달환 | Kim Chundeuk | 춘득 | | Officer of the Royal Guards, bodyguard of Jeong Yakyong. |
| 11 | Kim Tae-hoon | 김태훈 | Kim Hanju | 김한주 | | Nephew of Queen Dowager Jeongsun, link between Jeongsun and the Noron faction. |
| 12 | Kim Seong-gyeom | 김성겸 | Yeongjo | 영조 | 1694–1776 | Former King (r. 1724–1776). |
| 13 | Park Ung | 박웅 | Chae Jegong | 채제공 | 1720–1799 | Sipa leader, presented as Chef State Concilior. |
| 14 | Kim Gi-hyeon | 김기현 | Kim Jeongsu | 김정수 | | Former leader of the Noron faction. |
| 15 | Kim Hui-jong | 김희종 | Queen Jeongsun | 정순왕후 | 1745–1805 | Jeongsun Wanghu of the Gyeongju Kim clan, Yeongjo's widow, Queen Dowager Jeongsun. |
| 16 | Jo Han-jun | 조한준 | Crown Prince Sado | 사도 세자 | 1735–1762 | 2nd son of Yeongjo (from Yeongbin), late Prince Regent Jangheon 장헌세자, father of Jeongjo. |
| 17 | Yi Yong-hwan | 이용환 | Gu Myeongrok | 구명록 | | Hidden son of Gu Seonbok, attending trainer of the Hunlyeondogam. |
| 18 | Hong Seung-il | 홍승일 | Jeong Han-gi | 정한기 | | . |
| 19 | Jeong Yong-u | 정용우 | Hong Byeongsin | 홍병신 | | Assistant Section Chief of the Ministry of War. E05, 09:50. |
| 20 | Na Jae-gyun | 나재균 | Hong Inhan | 홍인안 | 1722–1776 | 1775 Left State Councilor: brother of Hong Bonghan. |
| 21 | Heo Gi-ho | 허기호 | Hong Bonghan | 홍봉한 | 1713–1778 | Father of Lady Hyegyeong, grandfather of Jeongjo. |
| 22 | Choe Geong-u | 최겅우 | Yi Gyeongmu | 이경무 | | Ogunyeong: Hunlyeondogam commander. |
| 23 | Yi Yong-jin | 이용진 | Jo Simtae | 조심태 | | Suwon Governor. |
| 24 | Kim Seong-il | 김성일 | Dong Jung-seo | 동중서 | | Lord of Penghu. |
| 25 | Han Cheol-woo | 한철우 | Jang Son-yi | 장손이 | | The sharpshooter. |
| 26 | Jeong Yong-ju | 정용주 | Jang Son-san | 장손산 | | The specialist of underwater operations. |
| 27 | Song Yeong-jin | 송영진 | Hong Sanggung | 홍상궁 | | . |
| 28 | Yi Ung-jae | 이웅재 | Hong Suyeong | 홍수영 | 1755–1798 | Oldest son of Hong Nakin. Recipient of the 1795 Memoir. |
| 29 | Hong Ae-bin | 홍애빈 | Princess Hwawan | 화완옹주 | 1737–1808 | Princess Hwawan, 3rd daughter of Yeongjo and Sado's mother. |
| 30 | Won Jong-seon | 원종선 | Sim Yiji | 심이지 | | Ogunyeong: Sueo-sa daejang (commander). |
| 31 | Yi Hyeong-ju | 이형주 | Yi Hanpung | 이한풍 | | Ogunyeong: Eoyeong-sa daejang (commander). |
| 32 | Park Yong-jin | 박용진 | Yi Myeongsik | 이명식 | | Commissioner (Jejo) of the Royal Guards . |
| 33 | Oh Chang-gyeong | 오창경 | Yi Yugyeong | 이유경 | | Jo Simtae's Deputy. |
| 34 | Park Jong-cheol | 박종철 | Yu Eonho | 유언호 | | Member of the Noron faction. |
| 35 | Kim Geon-ho | 김건호 | Yun Si-dong | 윤시둥 | 1729–1797 | 1795 Minister of the Right. (U-changseong·우찬성 ???). |
| 36 | Choe Min-seo | 최민서 | Sin Daehyeon | 신대현 | | Ogunyeong: Chong-yung-sa commander. |
| 37 | Kim Yang-u | 김양우 | Gu Seonbok | 구선복 | | 1762 accusator of CP Sado: general executed E01. |
| 38 | Sin Dong-hun | 신동훈 | Mak-soe | 막쇠 | | The cheokseodan pedler. |
| 39 | Kim Seung-hun | 김승훈 | Daedong gibsa | 대동 집사 | | Daedong attendant. |
| 40 | Yi Jae-ug | 이재욱 | Bae Jeong-tae | 배정태 | | . |
| 41 | No Ig-hyeon | 노익현 | Han Jang-bok | 한장복 | | The Daedong spy at Hwaseong Fortress. |
| 42 | Jeong Na-on | 정나온 | Young jumo | 젊은 주모 | | Tavern keeper. |
| 43 | O Seo-yeon | 오서연 | Han Mae | 한매 | | . |
| 44 | Seol Ji-yun | 설지윤 | Cheongyeon Princess | 청연공주 | 1754–1821 | First daughter of Prince Sado and Lady Heongyeong. |
| 45 | Park Gun-woo | 박긴태 | Jeongjo (child) | 어린 정조 | | Yi San, the Royal Successor, to become King Jeongjo. |
| 46 | Yun Yeong-min | 윤영민 | Jeong Bok | 정복 | | The King's Eunuch, brother of Jeong Hugyeom. |
| 47 | Seok Myeong-sik | 석명식 | Hanju gimsa | 한주 집사 | | Kim Hanju attendant. |
| 48 | Yang Jeong-hyeon | 양정현 | munjung (adult) | 문중어른 | | . |
| 49 | Yi Dong-yeon | 이동연 | Hong Suyeong (child) | 어린 수영 | | Hong Suyeong (child). |
| 50 | Kim Jin-hui | 김진희 | Hyegyeong (child) | 어린 혜경 | | Hyegyeong (child). |
| 51 | Oh Hyeon-sil | 오현실 | Hyegyeong sanggung | 혜경 상궁 | | Lady-in-waiting of Lady Hyegyeong. |
| 52 | Sin Gyeong-seon | 신경선 | Jeongjo sanggung | 정조 산궁 | | Lady-in-waiting of King Jeongjo. |
| 53 | Byun Yang-ho | | Seo Yubang | 서유방 | | Gyeonggi Governor, secretly helping the Noron faction |
| 54 | Son Yeong-gwon | 손영권 | Jeong Hu-gyeom | 정후겸 | 1750–1776 | Hwawan-ongju's adopted son |
| 55 | Han Hyeok-ju | 한혁주 | Kim Gwiju | 김귀주 | 1740–1786 | Queen Jeongsun's brother |
* When provided, birth and death years are given according to the real life of the character.

## Artistic license

* The Memoirs of Lady Hyegyeong are in fact a collection of four different documents, written at different times, for different audiences. The description of the controversial behavior of Crown Prince Sado occurs in the 1805 Memoir, ten years after the procession, and not in the 1795 Memoir.
* Mun Inbang 문인방 is described as linked to a peasant uprising in 1786 (byeongo 병오). In Jeongjo Sillok, the first mention of Mun Inbang is 1782-04-04 and his trial is 1782-11-20 under various charges, propagating Jeonggamnok among them. Thereafter, Mun Inbang's name is only used to imply guilt by association, not to describe a prison escapee.
* Hong Bonghan is described in the series as a Noron leader during both reigns of Yeongjo and Jeongjo, but he rather appears as a key Sipa in the Haboush's translation of the Memoirs.
* In the real Court, the red robe was for the highest ranks, the blue for the intermediate ranks, and green for the lowest ranks. In the series, the blue dress is the uniform of the villains, while the red dress is the uniform of the "good ones". This helps the viewer to identify who's who, but this can also be a POV-시파 joke from the screenwriter.