The Shadow of the Throne: Sukjong, Patron and Politician Sukjong (1661-1720), a name synonymous with both power and political intrigue within the Joseon Dynasty, was far more than just a king. Born Yi Sun in Seoul, he ascended to the throne at the tender age of thirteen, inheriting a kingdom teetering on the brink of internal conflict and external threats. His reign, spanning nearly half a century, witnessed a complex dance of shifting political factions – the Namin (Southerners), Seoin (Westerners), Soron (New Learning), and Noron (Old Learning) – each vying for influence at the heart of th…