16. Spoiling a Prince Rotten Leads to Tragedy
Crown Prince Sado (1735 – 1762) was the son of Korean King Yeongjo. He was the king’s second son, but the first one had died in 1728. For years, the king’s wives and concubines had given him only daughters, and he despaired of ever getting another male heir. When Sado was born in 1735, his arrival was greeted with great rejoicing throughout Korea. According to tradition, the infant was set up in his own palace with an army of maids and governesses and servants. However, his father took little part in raising and looking after his upbringing, so Sado was spoiled rotten and grew up doing what he liked. The result was a royal family tragedy.
When Prince Sado’s father bothered to stop by and visit his son, he was often highly irritable, and grew angry at even trivial missteps by his son. Sado grew up oscillating between a great fear of his father, and a desperate need to please him. Pleasing King Yeongjo was difficult, however, for his father was not given to displays of affection, and whenever the two met, the king was far more critical than affectionate. As a result, Sado grew up feeling unloved and resentful.