After watching ‘The Man Who Lives with the King’, many moviegoers left the theater wondering: what became of the characters afterward?
Eom Heung-do defied a royal decree threatening the execution of three generations of anyone who dared collect the body. What happened to him and his son? What about the other villagers from Gwangcheongol?
While many characters in the film are fictional creations, Eom Heung-do was a real person, and records about him and the residents of Yeongwol during that time can be found in official documents like the Joseon Dynasty Annals, as well as in folk histories and unofficial accounts.
Historical Records of Eom Heung-do
The first official mention of Eom Heung-do appears in the Annals of King Jungjong, recorded in 1516—about 60 years after King Danjong’s death in 1457.
The annals describe how an official named Shin Chang was sent to locate and perform rites at the grave of Prince Nosan (Danjong’s demoted title). Upon returning, Shin Chang reported that “a local clerk named Eom Heung-do wept and prepared a coffin to properly bury him.”
Eom Heung-do served as a clerk—a middle-class administrative officer in the regional government. Some sources refer to him as hojang, the highest-ranking position among clerks in early Joseon. The film, however, portrays him as the village headman of Gwangcheongol rather than a government official.
Folk Tales and the Deer Legend
Unofficial histories provide more vivid details. One account describes how Eom Heung-do carried the body into the snowy mountains. A sleeping deer was startled and fled, leaving behind a patch of ground free of snow—where Eom secretly buried the prince.
This deer motif appears repeatedly in the film: scenes of Eom hunting deer, references to a village called Noругol (Deer Valley), and his efforts to make his own village a suitable exile location.
What Happened to Eom’s Family
The royal decree threatened to exterminate three generations of anyone who collected the body. According to folk histories, Eom used a coffin and burial garments he had prepared for his elderly mother to give Prince Nosan a proper funeral, then disappeared from Yeongwol.
To protect his family from the decree, Eom scattered his relatives across different regions. He had three sons: the eldest went to Yecheon, the youngest to Ulsan, and Eom himself fled to Gunwi with his second son. This explains why Eom clan settlements formed in these areas.
In the film, Eom has only one son named Taesan, who presumably went into hiding in another region.
Eom Heung-do spent his final days in Gunwi, where his tomb still stands today in Hwabon-ri, Sanseong-myeon.
Posthumous Honors
In 1698, when King Sukjong restored Danjong’s royal title, Eom Heung-do received posthumous honors as a 6th-rank official. He was later enshrined alongside the Six Martyred Ministers at Changjeolsa Shrine in Yeongwol.
His rank was progressively elevated: to 3rd rank under King Yeongjo, then 2nd rank, and finally to 2nd rank senior grade in 1833. In 1876, he was granted the posthumous title “Chungui” (Loyal and Righteous).
The Villagers of Yeongwol
The people of Yeongwol appear to have lived without persecution. While the film’s characters are fictional, historical records suggest the real townspeople deeply mourned Danjong’s death.
The same 1516 report mentions that “the townspeople continue to grieve to this day.”
Folk accounts say that when authorities searched for Eom Heung-do and his family, no villager reported their whereabouts, even though many likely knew. The locals also knew the location of the grave and called it the “King’s Tomb.”
Shin Chang’s report notes: “Though the mound is barely two feet high, the townspeople call it the ‘Royal Tomb,’ and even children can identify it.”
How Did Danjong Die?
Historical accounts differ on the manner of death. The Annals of King Sejo claim Prince Nosan hanged himself, but this is likely untrue.
Other records indicate King Sejo sent poison to Yeongwol, though many sources say Danjong refused to drink it and was killed by servants instead. One account describes a low-ranking attendant using a bowstring to strangle him.
The Bond Between Eom and Danjong
The film’s portrayal of their relationship—a village headman and an exiled prince forming a deep bond—is largely creative storytelling.
However, some family records suggest a genuine connection existed. Documents compiled by Eom’s descendants describe how Prince Nosan once dreamed of the Six Martyred Ministers and wept inconsolably. Eom, who was on a nearby mountain ridge, heard the crying and went to comfort him. According to these accounts, they met almost daily afterward.
These stories, passed down through the Eom clan via oral tradition and genealogical records, are difficult to verify completely—but they hint at a friendship that may have truly existed between the loyal clerk and the tragic young king.