Who was Empress Myeongseong?
Q: Who was Empress Myeongseong?
A: Empress Myeongseong was the official wife of King Gojong, the twenty-sixth king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea.
Q: What was Empress Myeongseong's honorary name and how is it shortened?
A: In 1902, Empress Myeongseong was given the honorary name of Hyoja Wonseong Jeonghwa Hapcheon Honggong Seongdeok Myeongseong Taehwanghu, which is usually shortened to Myeongseong Hwanghu.
Q: Why did the Japanese feel that Empress Myeongseong was being politically unhelpful to them?
A: After China was defeated in the First Sino-Japanese War, Empress Myeongseong tried to get help from Russia instead, in order to stop Japanese influence from spreading in Joseon, where it was getting stronger.
Q: When did Empress Myeongseong die and how did she die?
A: Empress Myeongseong died on October 8, 1895. Men who said that they were commanded by Miura Gorō went into Gyeongbok Palace, and when they went into the Queen's Quarters (Okhoru), they killed three women whom they thought were Empress Myeongseong. When they proved that one of the women was Queen Min, they burned her body in a forest in front of the Okhoru.
Q: What kind of interest have people in South Korea shown in Empress Myeongseong recently?
A: People in South Korea have recently begun showing interest in Empress Myeongseong. Novels and musicals have been made about her.
Q: Who was King Gojong?
A: King Gojong was the twenty-sixth king of the Joseon Dynasty of Korea and the official husband of Empress Myeongseong.
Q: Why did Empress Myeongseong want to stop Japanese influence from spreading in Joseon?
A: Empress Myeongseong wanted to stop Japanese influence from spreading in Joseon because it was getting stronger and she believed it was politically unhelpful to her country.
