Entertainer Seo Kyung-seok named King Sejong as the ultimate doting father in history!
During the May 8 broadcast of SBS Power FM’s ‘Cultwo Show,’ with Winner’s Kang Seung-yoon serving as the special DJ, Seo Kyung-seok appeared as a guest on the ‘Jul-Gyoyang’ segment.
When asked about filial sons or doting fathers that come to mind on Parents’ Day, Seo mentioned the recently trending ‘Man Living with a King’ (왕사남). He explained that King Sejong truly cherished his son, King Munjong (the father of King Danjong). He joked that Sejong loved him so much that he didn’t pass the throne right away, keeping him as the crown prince for 30 years and giving him all the work, which eventually took a toll on his health.
Seo added, “His love for his grandson, King Danjong, was also immense.” He noted that since Danjong was the eldest son of the legitimate wife of the eldest son of the legitimate wife, the level of affection must have been incredible.
When Kim Tae-gyun expressed sadness, asking how Sejong would have felt seeing Danjong die young, Seo replied, “It would have been absolutely heartbreaking. Though it’s not exactly a good thing, he fortunately passed away first,” to which Kang Seung-yoon added, “So he didn’t have to witness that.”
When asked if there were any ‘papa boys’ in history, Seo pointed to King Gojong, explaining that because he ascended the throne at such a young age, his father, Heungseon Daewongun, handled the politics on his behalf. He also mentioned that King Jeongjo was an incredibly filial son to his father, Prince Sado.
Showing off his deep knowledge of Korean history, Seo even corrected Kim Tae-gyun regarding the ‘isolation policy.’ He explained that the term ‘isolation policy’ (쇄국정책) is Japanese-style and that ‘policy of refusing trade and diplomatic relations’ (통상수교거부정책) is the more accurate term.
Meanwhile, Seo Kyung-seok, a graduate of Seoul National University’s Department of French Language and Literature, made headlines in 2021 after passing the certified real estate agent exam. He is also the first celebrity to achieve a perfect score on the Korean History Proficiency Test and has even authored and published a book on Korean history.
