In this blog post, I’d like to examine the life of Princess Deokhye—as depicted in the movie ‘Princess Deokhye’—and the darker aspects of modern and contemporary Korean history, as well as reflect on how the film sparks interest in history.
Like most science majors, I was a student who didn’t pay much attention to modern and contemporary history. I happened to have the opportunity to watch “Princess Deokhye” and ended up enjoying the film. The phrase “A story forgotten by history and concealed by the nation” appeared in the film’s title, which piqued my curiosity.
‘Princess Deokhye’ is a film that chronicles the life of Princess Deokhye, the last princess of the Joseon Dynasty. The title “princess” (ongju) refers to the noble rank bestowed upon daughters born to the king’s concubines during the Goryeo or Joseon periods. The film begins with Princess Deokhye—the beloved daughter of Emperor Gojong—being born as a late-in-life child and growing up surrounded by affection. The film then depicts Princess Deokhye’s life as she copes with the death of her father, Emperor Gojong, and is forced to go to Japan under Japanese pressure. While living at Crown Prince Yeong’s residence, she meets Kim Jang-han, who had been designated as her childhood fiancé. Through Kim Jang-han, she connects with independence activists, and a plan for exile is devised involving Crown Prince Yeong and his wife, as well as Princess Deokhye. However, as the plan gradually unravels, only Princess Deokhye and Kim Jang-han end up attempting to flee into exile on their own. Eventually, they are captured on the seashore; Kim Jang-han is dragged away after being shot, and Princess Deokhye is forced to marry Japanese Count Sō Takeyuki. While raising her daughter, Jeonghye, Princess Deokhye attempts to return home immediately after Korea gains independence but is denied entry. When Han Taek-su walks past her with a sneer, Princess Deokhye loses her mind. Time passed, and Kim Jang-han—now a journalist—obtained permission from President Park Chung-hee to bring Princess Deokhye back to her homeland. In the film, the story ends with Princess Deokhye passing away at Nakseonjae in Changdeokgung Palace. However, since the details of this escape attempt, Kim Jang-han’s role, and the characters and events involving Han Taek-su are a blend of actual history and cinematic adaptation, it is difficult to accept the film’s narrative as historical fact. In reality, Princess Deokhye moved to Japan in 1925, married Takeyuki So in 1931, and returned to Korea on January 26, 1962. After her return, she received treatment at Seoul National University Hospital and lived at Su-gwangjae, which is connected to Nakseonjae in Changdeokgung Palace, before passing away on April 21, 1989.
There were two scenes in the film that shocked me. One was the scene where Han Taek-su walks past Princess Deokhye, who had been denied entry. The film depicts it as if Princess Deokhye’s entry was denied because of Han Taek-su. In contrast, Han Taek-su is portrayed as returning to Korea and being treated as an honored guest. I found myself wondering how it was possible for Han Taek-su—portrayed as a representative figure of pro-Japanese collaborators—to return home with such dignity.
I looked into the historical facts regarding this scene. Princess Deokhye returned to Korea in 1962, during the Park Chung-hee administration—not the Syngman Rhee administration. In fact, Princess Deokhye was able to return to Korea following a meeting between Mrs. Lee Bang-ja and Park Chung-hee—who was Chairman of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction—during his visit to Japan in 1961. She returned to the Republic of Korea on January 26, 1962, the following year, after 38 years away. Therefore, the scene in the film depicting Princess Deokhye’s entry being denied under the Syngman Rhee administration must be distinguished from the actual process of her return. A look at the Syngman Rhee administration’s handling of pro-Japanese collaborators and the activities of the Special Committee for the Investigation of Anti-National Acts (hereinafter referred to as the Anti-National Acts Committee) confirms that the process of settling accounts with pro-Japanese collaborators in the Republic of Korea at that time was far from smooth. Although the Anti-National Acts Committee was established to investigate and punish pro-Japanese and anti-national acts, President Syngman Rhee issued a statement seeking to restrict the committee’s activities, and in June 1949, the police raided the committee’s offices. Subsequently, the Commission’s activities were effectively paralyzed, and it was dissolved in October 1949 following the amendment of the Anti-National Activities Act.
The second scene that struck me was the meeting between Kim Jang-han and President Park Chung-hee. In that scene, President Park Chung-hee says the following:
“Who is Princess Deokhye?”
It came as a shock to me that the person leading the nation was so ignorant of the country’s history. I felt that these scenes laid bare the reality of South Korea at that time. Of course, a disclaimer stating that the film was fiction appeared at the beginning. However, since it was based on real events, I assumed it would be true to a certain extent.
I was curious to know if President Park Chung-hee had actually spoken that way. It is difficult to verify whether there are accurate records of that scene, and it is reasonable to view the dialogue in the film as a dramatic device rather than a historical fact. While it is confirmed that President Park Chung-hee was involved in Princess Deokhye’s return to Korea, there are no definitive records to support the claim that he asked Kim Jang-han, “Who is Princess Deokhye?” during a meeting, as depicted in the film. In reality, a meeting between First Lady Lee Bang-ja and Japanese officials during Park Chung-hee’s visit to Japan in 1961 served as a crucial turning point in Princess Deokhye’s return.
Watching this scene in the film led me to reflect on the Korea–Japan Agreement signed by the Park Chung-hee administration. The Korea–Japan Agreement, signed in 1965, cannot simply be described as an agreement in which the Japanese government sent “independence congratulatory funds” to South Korea. The funds Japan agreed to provide at the time included $300 million in grants, $200 million in long-term, low-interest government loans, and more than $300 million in commercial loans. In particular, the $300 million in grants and the $200 million in loans were provided in accordance with the “Agreement between the Republic of Korea and Japan concerning the Settlement of Problems Relating to Property and Claims and Economic Cooperation.” At the time, the Park Chung-hee administration actively pursued the normalization of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan to secure the funds necessary for economic development, and the funds from claims against Japan were subsequently used as one of the primary sources of financing during South Korea’s economic development.
However, the Korea–Japan Agreement is complex in nature and cannot be simply assessed as having fully resolved all issues related to colonial rule and compensation for individual victims. Even after the conclusion of the Korea-Japan Agreement, differences in legal and political interpretations between the two countries regarding the issues of victims of forced mobilization and victims of the Japanese military “comfort women” persisted. In particular, tensions between Korea and Japan resurfaced significantly in 2018 when the Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea ruled in favor of claims for damages filed by victims of forced mobilization against Japanese companies. Therefore, there are limitations to understanding the Korea-Japan Agreement merely as an event in which South Korea received money from Japan and used it for economic development, or, conversely, as an event in which all historical issues were completely resolved.
In December 2015, an agreement regarding the issue of victims of the Japanese military “comfort women” was reached between the Park Geun-hye administration and the Japanese government. At that time, the two governments agreed that the Japanese government would acknowledge its deep remorse, Prime Minister Abe would express his apology and remorse, and 1 billion yen from the Japanese government budget would be contributed to establish a foundation to support the victims. Additionally, the South Korean government announced that it recognized Japan’s concerns regarding the “Statue of Peace” in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul and would strive to resolve the matter appropriately through consultations with relevant organizations. However, simply stating that “1 billion yen was received on the condition that the Statue of Peace be relocated” differs from the content of the official agreement at that time. Subsequently, the decision was made in 2018 to dissolve the Reconciliation and Healing Foundation, and it was finally dissolved in 2019. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between the terms of the 2015 agreement and the subsequent developments regarding this issue.
Through these two investigations, I felt I had gained a deeper understanding of the darker aspects of modern and contemporary history. As I am not an expert, I am not well-equipped to evaluate the two presidents mentioned above. However, I realized that there may be a hidden side to presidents whom I had previously viewed only in a positive light, and I was given the opportunity to reexamine historical figures and events without relying solely on one-sided assessments.
There is a great deal of criticism regarding the film ‘Princess Deokhye’. Among these criticisms are claims that, in reality, members of the royal family did not actively participate in the independence movement, and that Emperor Gojong is overly glorified, leading to a distortion of history. There are clear differences between actual history and the film’s narrative; in particular, the stories surrounding Kim Jang-han and Han Taek-su, as well as the exile process, are areas where cinematic imagination and adaptation played a significant role. However, whether these depictions are factual or not, one thing is certain: this film has sparked an interest in history. It has drawn attention to aspects that are important but are often overlooked in everyday life. I believe this is an excellent example of the positive impact that films based on historical facts can have. “Princess Deokhye” reminded us of the need to distinguish between historical facts and cinematic imagination, while also prompting us to reconsider the modern and contemporary history of South Korea through the life of a single individual.
