Hwang Hyeon, in his work *Maecheon Yarok*, harshly criticizes Gojong and Empress Myeongseong, attributing to them the downfall of the nation. He recounts U.S. Minister Allen’s remark: “The Korean people are pitiful. In all my travels of ninety thousand miles and through four thousand years of history, I have never encountered a person like the Korean Emperor. He is a breed entirely unfamiliar to me.” What kind of person was Gojong, the king who lost his country?
Gojong left behind many examples of his handwriting, but to put it simply, his script is clumsy and weak. The writing in the plate was produced in 1915, when he was 63 years old. It is difficult to believe that someone who led a nation for 44 years could produce such immature handwriting. While one wouldn’t expect his penmanship to match that of Sejong or Jeongjo, it certainly falls short of the standard for a king, especially a king who ruled in a time of crisis. Gojong was no match for Itō Hirobumi, whose judgments were quick and actions decisive. He likely found himself harassed by opportunistic ministers like Yi Wan-yong and Jo Jung-woong.
The sharp endings of vowels, the strong closure of the final stroke in the character “ㅁ,” and the long vertical lines suggest that Gojong handled ordinary administrative matters with meticulousness. However, in times of chaos, a leader needs strong resolve and extraordinary abilities—qualities that his handwriting does not reflect. His characters are square-shaped, rigid, and lack flexibility. This kind of person may be pure and upright, but their inflexibility makes it difficult to overcome challenging circumstances. The stiff upper part of the character “ㅁ” particularly indicates that Gojong was unable to view the world with an open mind. The gaps between the lines, the shape of the characters, and the light pressure of his strokes all reveal a lack of courage, assertiveness, and strength.
Gojong was not quite as pitiable a figure as Allen’s assessment would suggest. In fact, few nations managed to survive the imperialist vortex of the time. Thus, it is difficult to place the blame for everything solely on Gojong. However, one cannot help but sigh at the thought: *Why did it have to be Gojong, at that particular moment, in that place?*
