List of Joseon Dynasty people

This is a partial list of people who lived during the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, 1392–1910.

Rulers

#	Personal name		Period of reign	Courtesy Name (C)/ Pseudonym (Ps)		Temple name (廟號) (T) / Posthumous name (諡號) (P)
#	Romanized	Hangul/Hanja	Period of reign	Romanized	Hangul/Hanja	Romanized	Hangul/Hanja
1	Yi Seong gye	이성계 李成桂	1392–1398	Junggyeol (C)	중결 仲潔 (C)	Taejo	태조 太祖 (T)
2	Yi Bang-gwa	이방과 李芳果	1398–1400	Gwangwon (C)	광원 光遠 (C)	Jeongjong	정종 定宗 (T)
3	Yi Bang won	이방원 李芳遠	1400–1418	Yudeok (C)	유덕 遺德(C)	Taejong	태종 太宗(T)
4	Yi Do	이도 李祹	1418–1450	Wonjeong (C)	원정 元正 (C)	Sejong the Great	세종 世宗(T)
5	Yi Hyang	이향 李珦	1450–1452	Hwiji (C)	휘지 輝之(C)	Munjong	문종 文宗 (T)
6	Yi Hong wi	이홍위 李弘緯	1452–1455			Danjong	단종 端宗 (T)
7	Yi Yu	이유 李瑈	1455–1468	Suji (C)	수지 粹之 (C)	Sejo	세조 世祖 (T)
8	Yi Gwang	이광 李晄	1468–1469	Myungjo/Pyeongnam (C)	명조/평남 明照/平南 (C)	Yejong	예종 睿宗 (T)
9	Yi Hyeol	이혈 李娎	1469–1494		(C)	Seongjong	성종 成宗(T)
10	Yi Yung	이융 李隆	1494–1506		(C)	Yeonsangun	연산군 燕山君
11	Yi Yeok	이역 李懌	1506–1544	Nakcheon (C)	낙천 樂天 (C)	Jungjong	중종 中宗 (T)
12	Yi Ho	이호 李峼	1544–1545	Cheonyun (C)	천윤 天胤 (C)	Injong	인종 仁宗 (T)
13	Yi Hwan	이환 李峘	1545–1567	Daeyang (C)	대양 對陽 (C)	Myeongjong	명종 明宗 (T)
14	Yi Yeon	이연 李蚣	1567–1608			Seonjo	선조 宣祖 (T)
15	Yi Hon	이혼 李琿	1608–1623		(C)	Gwanghaegun	광해군 光海君
16	Yi Jong	이종 李倧	1623–1649	Hwabaek (C)	화백 和伯(C)	Injo	인조 仁祖 (T)
17	Yi Ho	이호 李淏	1649–1659	Jeongyeon (C) Juko (Ps)	정연/靜淵 (C) 죽오/竹梧 (Ps)	Hyojong	효종 孝宗(T)
18	Yi Yeon	이연 李棩	1659–1674	Gyungjik (C)	경직 景直 (C)	Hyeonjong	현종 顯宗 (T)
19	Yi Sun	이순 李焞	1674–1720	Myungbo (C)	명보 明普 (C)	Sukjong	숙종 (T)
20	Yi Yun	이윤 李昀	1720–1724	Hwiseo (C)	휘서 輝瑞 (C)	Gyeongjong	경종 (T)
21	Yi Geum	이금 李昑	1724–1776	Gwangsuk (C) Yangseongheon (Ps)	광숙/光叔 (C) 양성헌/養性軒 (Ps)	Yeongjo	영조 英祖 (T)
22	Yi San	이산 李祘	1776–1800	Hyeongun (C) Hongjae (Ps)	형운/亨運 (C) 홍재/弘齋 (Ps)	Jeongjo	정조 正祖 (T)
23	Yi Gong	이공 李蚣	1800–1834	Gongbo (C) Sunjae (Ps)	공보/公寶(C) 순재/純齋 (Ps)	Sunjo	순조 純祖 (T)
24	Yi Hwan	이환 李奐	1834–1849	Muneung (C) Wonheon (Ps)	문응/文應 (C) 원헌/元軒 (Ps)	Heonjong	헌종 憲宗 (T)
25	Yi Byeon	이변 李昪	1849–1863	Dosung (C) Daeyongjae (Ps)	도승/道升(C) 대용재/大勇齋(Ps)	Cheoljong	철종 哲宗 (T)
26	Yi Myeong bok	이명복 李命福	1863–1897 (1907)*	Seongrim (C) Juyeon (Ps)	성림/聖臨(C) 주연/珠淵 (Ps)	Gojong	고종 高宗 (T)
27	Yi Cheok	이척 李拓	(1907–1910)*	Gunbang (C) Jeongheon (Ps)	군방/君邦(C) 정헌/正軒 (Ps)	Sunjong	순종 純宗 (T)

Royals

Scholar-officials

Scholar-officials, or munsin, held much of the power in the Joseon Dynasty bureaucracy. Many members of the intellectual elite, also remembered for their work as poets or philosophers, served as scholar-officials. Such service, however, was restricted to members of the hereditary yangban class.

Military officials

Military service was technically open to people outside the yangban class, but in practice most high posts were held by the aristocracy.

Others

The common classes of Joseon included the yangmin free farmers, the jungin technical class, and the cheonmin underclass. These constituted the bulk of Joseon society, but only a handful of them are known to us today.

Women

Prominent women of the Joseon period were usually either of the high aristocratic class or kisaeng female entertainers.

Hwang Jin-i
Non Gae
Jang Geum, royal physician
Yi Mae-chang
Seo Yeongsuhap, poet and mathematician

Popular leaders

Painters

Authors

Many of the best-known writers of the Joseon period were also scholar-officials; they are listed above.

Kim Jeong-ho
Kim Sat-gat

Inventors

Some scholar-officials, such as Jeong Yak-yong, also worked as inventors.

Jang Yeong-sil