Yi Bangja

Yi Bangja (Korean: 이방자; November 4, 1901 – April 30, 1989) was a member of the Korean royal family and the wife of Crown Prince Euimin of Korea, the last Crown Prince of the Korean Empire. She was born as Princess Masako of Nashimoto, a member of the Japanese Imperial Family.

Birth and Family Background:

She was born on November 4, 1901, as Princess Masako of Nashimoto (Japanese: 方子女王). She was the first daughter of Prince Nashimoto Morimasa, a member of the Japanese imperial family. Prince Nashimoto Morimasa was the seventh son of Prince Kuni Asahiko. Her mother was Princess Itsuko, who was a daughter of Marquis Naohiro Nabeshima. She was a first cousin of Empress Kōjun (formerly Princess Nagako) of Japan. On her maternal side, she was also a first cousin of Princess Setsuko.

Marriage:

Princess Masako was initially considered a leading candidate to marry the future Emperor Hirohito of Japan, alongside other candidates such as Princess Nagako of Kuni and Tokiko Ichijō. Due to concerns over her potential infertility and the political influence of her family, she was removed from the list of suitable brides for the Japanese crown prince.

Instead, in 1917, she was selected to marry Crown Prince Euimin of Korea, who was then studying abroad in Japan under the pretense of academic studies. The marriage took place on April 28, 1920, at the Korean royal residence in Tokyo. At the time, she was still a student at the Girls' Department of the Gakushūin Peers' School. Upon her marriage, she received the title Her Royal Highness Crown Princess of King Yi. She retained her birth title, Princess Masako, after the marriage.

They had a son, Yi Jin, born on August 18, 1921. Her husband, Crown Prince Euimin, was the last Crown Prince of Korea. Her son Yi Jin died under suspicious circumstances on May 11, 1922, during a visit to Korea with his parents. She was diagnosed with infertility prior to her marriage but still bore another son, Yi Ku, born on December 29, 1931.

Titles and Later Life:

Following the death of Emperor Sunjong on April 24, 1926, Princess Masako received the formal title Her Royal Highness Princess Masako, Queen Yi. However, due to the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty, the Korean royal titles were downgraded from "Emperor" to "King," and Crown Prince Euimin was never formally crowned as a monarch. She was later referred to in Korea as "Bangja, Crown Princess Euimin."

After World War II, the Allied occupation abolished all remaining royal and peerage titles. Subsequently, she adopted the Korean name Yi Bangja. The Korean government under President Rhee Syng-man prohibited her family from returning to Korea immediately, and they lived in economic hardship as residents in Japan. In November 1963, under an invitation from President Park Chung Hee, she returned to Korea and resided in Changdeok Palace in Seoul. At that time, her husband, Crown Prince Euimin, was already gravely ill with cerebral thrombosis and was hospitalized.

Philanthropy and Public Life:

Yi Bangja dedicated her later years to charitable work, focusing on the education and welfare of the disabled. She served as chairman of several committees, including the Commemorative Committee of Crown Prince Euimin, and was actively involved in organizations supporting deaf, mute, and infantile paralysis patients. She founded the Jahye School and Myeonghye School, institutions aimed at helping disabled individuals integrate socially. She was known for her advocacy and was referred to as the "mother of the handicapped in Korea." Despite historical tensions due to Japanese-Korean relations, she was generally respected in Korea.

Death:

Yi Bangja died on April 30, 1989, at the age of 87, at Nakseon Hall inside Changdeok Palace, from cancer. Her funeral was conducted as a semi-state funeral, attended by Japanese dignitaries including Prince Mikasa and Princess Mikasa. She was interred beside her husband, Crown Prince Euimin, at Hongyureung in Namyangju near Seoul.

Children:

Her first son, Prince Yi Jin (August 18, 1921 – May 11, 1922), died shortly after birth under suspicious circumstances. Her second son, Prince Yi Ku (December 29, 1931 – July 16, 2005), became the 29th Head of the House of Yi after her husband's death.

In popular culture, Yi Bangja was portrayed by Naho Toda in the 2016 film "The Last Princess."