Kim Sun was a Confucian scholar who served as the Chief Scholar of Sungkyunkwan, the highest educational institution in Joseon. Chief Scholar Kim believed that the Confucian elite were the foundation of the country, and was the main opponent of Chief State Councilor Cho Hak-ju in the cabinet.
Season 1[]
When the King of Joseon mysteriously fell ill, Lord Cho and his daughter, the Queen, refused let anyone see him. The Chief Scholar suspected Lord Cho was covering up the King's death to maintain his power, so he supported the Crown Prince in plotting a coup to take over control of the government. However, Lord Cho found out about the plot and had the 89 scholars involved arrested, though the Crown Prince managed to escape. Lord Cho did not, however, immediately go after the Chief Scholar as he did not have evidence he was involved. Some of the Chief Scholar's accomplices believed that Lord Cho hoped the Chief Scholar would convince the other Confucian scholars in Sunkyunkwan to support him.
Even after the plot was discovered, the Chief Scholar continued to defend the scholars and convince the other ministers to find out the truth about the King's condition. However, he did not realize that Lord Cho had secretly asked physician Lee Seung-hui to resurrect the King. When the Chief Scholar brought several other officials and demanded to be shown the King, Lord Cho accepted, even over the protests of his daughter, the Queen. The Chief Scholar and other officials were horrified by the King's state, but Lord Cho explained that although the king had become a mindless, man-eating monster as a result of the "severe illness" he had contracted, he was still alive and king of the nation. He then accuses the Chief Scholar of conspiring in treason with the Crown Prince, and produces the pact they had signed as evidence for the other ministers. Lord Cho orders that the Chief Scholar be arrested and beheaded immediately, and he is dragged off by the King's guards.
Season 2[]
The Minister of Defense has Kim Sun released from prison after learning how the Cho family had covered up the former king's death and switching his allegiance to Prince Chang. After the massacre in the palace, the former chief scholar is the only high government official left alive. Prince Chang consults with him over the best way to proceed for the sake of the kingdom.
Trivia[]
- The hanja for the Chief Scholar's name, Kim Sun (金盾), can be seen on the pact. "Kim" is the most common Korean family name, and means "gold". "Sun" means "shield" or "coin".