Jeonju Yi clan

Jeonju Yi clan
Country	Korea
Current region	Jeonju
Founder	Yi Han [ko]
Website	http://www.rfo.co.kr/

The Jeonju Yi clan (Korean: 전주 이씨; Hanja: 全州 李氏) is a Korean clan with the surname Yi. Their bon-gwan is in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province.^[1] The clan includes the House of Yi that led Joseon and the Korean Empire.

Their founder was Yi Han [ko]. He was Minister of Works (사공; 司空) during the Silla Dynasty and became the ancestor of a prestigious and powerful clan that held influence from the Unified Silla period to the Goryeo period.^[2] On the other hand, there were records that he was an immigrant from China. This is because the Jeonju Yi clan's record named Wansan Sillok said that Yi Han originally lived in China, but he later came to Silla. Moreover, another record named Origin of Yi Clan (이씨 득성의 유래; 李氏得姓之由來) said that Yi Han was originally a descendant of the Tang dynasty's imperial family and lived in Jeonju after he came to Silla.^[3]

Yi Han's descendant, Yi Seong-gye, seized power in a military coup and founded Joseon in 14th century.^[2]

In the 21st century, the Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association manages the affairs of the clan.

Notable people of history

• Heungseon Daewongun, father of Emperor Gojong and regent of Joseon
• Lee Beom-seok, Korean independence activist and politician
• Lee Bong-chang, Korean independence activist^[4]
• Prince Imperial Heung, prince of the Joseon dynasty and of the Korean Empire
• Yi Eokgi, Joseon naval commander during the Imjin War
• Yi Je-ma, Korean medicine scholar during the late Joseon period
• Yi Su-gwang, Joseon military official and diplomat
• Yi Ui-bang, military ruler of Korea during the Goryeo period

Notable contemporary people

• Lee Ahyumi, South Korean singer and actress^[5]
• Lee Chae-yeon, South Korean singer^[6]
• Lee Hoi-chang, South Korean lawyer and politician^[7]
• Lee Ji-eun, (better known as IU), South Korean singer-songwriter and actress^[8]
• Lee Jun-ho, South Korean singer-songwriter and actor, member of boy band 2PM^[9]
• Lee Kyung-kyu, South Korean comedian and actor ^[8][9]
• Lee Man-hee, founder and leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a new religious movement ^[10]
• Syngman Rhee, South Korean politician
• Yi Seok, South Korean entrepreneur
• Yi Tjoune, Korean prosecutor and diplomat

Fictional characters

• Ri Jeong-hyeok, a character from the South Korean television series Crash Landing on You

See also

• House of Yi
• Lee (Korean surname)

References

1. "전주 이씨". Encyclopedia of Korean Local Culture. Retrieved June 10, 2024 – via Naver.
2. "전주 이씨(全州李氏) - 부산역사문화대전". Encyclopedia of Korean Local Culture. Retrieved 2024-06-11.
3. 김성회의 뿌리를 찾아서 <17> 전주이씨(全州李氏). Segye Ilbo. 2013-04-02. Archived from the original on 2017-09-16.
4. "이봉창 (李奉昌)" [Lee Bong-chang]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
5. "아유미, 韓 비하 루머 해명…눈물의 日 연예계 활동기". The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 30 July 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
6. Lee, Chae-yeon. "나는 전주 이씨 20대손 李彩演". Instagram. Retrieved 8 September 2023. Note: Information taken from Chae-yeon's official Instagram account.
7. 조, 성식 (22 March 2005). "예산의 이회창家｜신동아". 신동아 (in Korean). Retrieved 29 August 2024.
8. "Season 1, Episode 2". Eat in Style (in Korean). SBS TV.
9. "이준호 "이경규와 같은 '전주이씨'‥왕족 로열 패밀리"". OSEN (in Korean). 27 December 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
10. "'효령대군 후손' 과시 이만희…생일에 마지막 황손은 "비둘기집" 축가". News1 Korea (in Korean). 12 March 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2023.