Lady Hyegyeonggung Hong

Lady Hyegyeong (1735-1816) was the wife of Crown Prince Sado, son of King Yeongjo, and the mother of King Jeongjo, living through one of the most turbulent periods of the Joseon court. She witnessed the tragic death of her husband and later became a central elder of the royal family when her son ascended the throne. Her memoir, the Hanjungnok ("Records Written in Distress"), vividly recounts her own life and the events of the palace, and is valued as a rare firsthand account of the inner world of the Joseon court.