Actor Ji Seung-hyun meets the owner of the ‘Sontag Hotel,’ a place even Ito Hirobumi frequented.
Episode 21 of KBS1’s ‘History Special – Time Traveler,’ airing May 10 at 9:30 PM, presents the first part of a two-part series titled ‘The Stranger Who Loved Joseon: Part 1 – The Emperor and Her, Marie Antoinette Sontag.’
The first part of this series highlights the ‘Sontag Hotel,’ located in Jeong-dong, the diplomatic heart of the Korean Empire, and the life of its owner, Marie Antoinette Sontag. Who was this woman who spent 24 years in Joseon, working closest to Emperor Gojong? By tracing her mysterious footsteps, the show examines Gojong’s struggles to dream of a modern, independent nation amidst the competition of global powers.
Who is the European woman who became the ‘top court lady of Joseon’?
In October 1885, Marie Antoinette Sontag, a German born in France, arrived in Joseon as part of the Russian legation. At the time, the Joseon royal family desperately needed professional protocol experts to host the influx of foreign ministers and guests. Fluent in English, French, and German, and possessing refined manners and excellent culinary skills, Sontag was the perfect candidate. Gaining Emperor Gojong’s trust, she managed Western-style protocols and banquets, shared Western information, and became a key link connecting the inside and outside of the royal palace.
Among foreigners, she was known as the ‘top court lady of Joseon,’ ‘head chef,’ ‘palace manager,’ and the ‘uncrowned empress.’ What was her true role behind these glamorous titles? The show follows her journey to see how she became a central figure in the royal court.
Sontag Hotel, the diplomatic center of the Korean Empire.
After being granted a house in Jeong-dong by Emperor Gojong, Sontag established the ‘Sontag Hotel,’ a two-story brick building. The hotel, frequented by diplomats from various countries, Ito Hirobumi, and US presidential envoys, was more than just a place to stay. Using her linguistic skills, Sontag turned it into a social club and an information hub where diplomatic intelligence gathered.
Starting as an informant in the diplomatic arena, her role evolved into that of a ‘secret envoy’ trusted deeply by Emperor Gojong. As Gojong accelerated modernization reforms in mining, railroads, and banking, he used Sontag as a secret channel to transfer private funds (naetanggeum) to operate the Korean Empire’s independence funds.
Sontag was a hidden helper who worked for the independence of the Korean Empire as one of Gojong’s closest confidants. Based on records from the time, the production team tracks the missions she performed and delves into Gojong’s diplomatic policies aimed at creating a sovereign independent state.
Her disappearance: the final traces of Sontag.
After Emperor Gojong’s forced abdication in 1907, Sontag left Joseon and returned to Cannes, France. Having left no personal records, her life remains a historical mystery. The production team tracks Sontag’s remaining traces in Cannes and follows her final moments through her descendants.
Marie Antoinette Sontag, the woman who shared the fate of the Korean Empire by the side of Emperor Gojong. In a turbulent era where new things poured in after the opening of ports, what did the end of the Korean Empire look like through the eyes of a stranger? The story of Emperor Gojong, who never gave up on a modern independent state despite pressure from great powers, and his helper Sontag, can be seen on KBS1’s ‘History Special – Time Traveler’ this Sunday, May 10, at 9:30 PM.
