In Joseon, the king was served five meals every day, each course a lavish compilation of various banchans (side dishes), soups, and rice. They were meals fit for a king; yet no man, even a monarch, could eat such copious amounts of food every day. Instead, the king would take his share of the prepared food, and the plentiful leftovers served as the meals of the cooks and other workers.
Gejang, soy-fermented crab, has long been a favored food of the Korean people. In the past, it was typically eaten during winter, as it was thought that consumption during the summer—of the quickly rotting crab—would lead to food poisoning. Yet suspicion lingers around the dish, as it is whispered that eating it with persimmons can lead to death, a superstition bolstered by the death of King Gyeong-Jong—or was it an assassination?
King Gyeong-Jong, the eldest son of the late King Sukjong, had a younger half-brother, the crown prince Yeongjo. The king had always been sickly throughout his reign, and his illness was thought to be exacerbated by the difficult tragedies he endured, such as the death of his mother.
In August 1724 (4th year of King Gyeong-Jong's reign), the king received a combined dish of gejang and persimmons from Yeong-Jo. It was said that he ate the meal heartily, with no signs of discomfort. However, over the next five days, his condition would rapidly deteriorate, plagued by symptoms such as fever and stomach pain. Then he passed away, despite the efforts of the royal physicians. Yeong-Jo ascended to the throne.
During this time, two political parties—So-Lon, led by Gyeong-Jong and No-Lon, led by Yeong-jong—reigned. It is speculated that conflict between these two parties was one of the leading factors that led to Gyeong-Jong’s death. Some people, upset with the suspicious circumstances of Yeong-Jo’s succession to the throne, protested, and rebellions broke out in the provinces.
Whispers circulated throughout the court, and the person most suspected to be behind Gyeong-Jong’s death was his younger brother, Yeong-Jo. Some suggested that Yeong-Jo had poisoned the crab sauce, or even that he fed his older brother ginseng—typically thought to have medicinal properties, despite the royal physicians’ concern that doing so would worsen Gyeong-Jong’s illness. Because of this tale, it is said that eating persimmons with gejang will result in death.
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