Crown Princess Hwibin Kim

Deposed Crown Princess Kim , of the (old) Andong Kim clan, also known as Crown Princess Hwi, was the first wife of Crown Prince Hyang (King Munjong), later the fifth monarch of Joseon. She was demoted to commoner status and banished from the palace after using witchcraft to gain her husband's affection.

Court records indicate that in the winter of 1428, Lady Kim asked her maid, Ho-cho , how she could gain a man's love. Ho-cho told her to burn her rivals' shoes to ash, grind them into powder and have the man drink it. She recommended that Lady Kim test the method on two palace ladies of whom she was already jealous, Hyo-dong and Deok-geum , which she promptly did. When this didn't work out, Lady Kim then requested further methods. Ho-cho instructed her to drain the fluids from a snake and rub those essences onto a cloth, claiming that if Lady Kim wore that cloth in the crown prince's presence, he would love her. Meanwhile, another maid named Sun-deok , whom Lady Kim had brought to the palace from her natal home, found remains of the burnt shoes in her perfume pouch and reported the matter to Lady Kim's mother. After Sun-deok presented the shoe remains and all testimonies were clear, Ho-cho was executed by beheading and Lady Kim was demoted to commoner status, while her father's official titles were revoked and her brother was removed from his position.

There are no surviving records about Lady Kim's life after her banishment from the palace; as such, it remains unknown when she died and where her tomb is located.

Titles

During the reign of King Taejong : Lady, of the Andong Kim clan Kim O-mun's daughter Lady Kim During the reign of King Sejong : Crown Princess Hwi (; from 14 May 1427) Commoner (; from 27 August 1429)

Family Father: Kim O-mun Mother: Lady, of the Hadong Jeong clan Sibling(s) Brother: Kim Jung-eom Husband: King Munjong (; 15 November 1414 – 10 June 1452) — No issue. Father-in-law: King Sejong (; 15 May 1397 – 8 April 1450) Mother-in-law: Queen Soheon , of the Cheongsong Shim clan (; 20 October 1395 – 28 April 1446)

Ancestry