♔ | general information
name
Yi Jin-Kyu

title
His royal majesty the king

nickname
Pretty boy
Entitled brat
Tyrant

gender
Male

pronouns
He/him

age
23

sexuality
Closeted homosexual

♔ | appearance
general appearance

♔ | personality
general personality
Given his nickname is tyrant it is not hard to guess what Jin-Kyu is like as a king. His looks might deceive you as he has such a fair skin, extremely soft and no scars anywhere to be found. He has a small face and isn't too tall in it's whole. His hands are not too big and his fingers are long and slim. Should you ever see him while he's out in disguise, you might indeed be tricked into thinking this young man must the the most gentle soul. Rumours even say he really is sent by the heavens. Those rumours might actually be true if his majesty had some kindness in his heart, but unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case.

While his appearance is all soft, Jin-Kyu isn't like that at all. He has a dominant personality and absolutely hates being ordered around. He finds it difficult to open up and see things from other perspectives and really is just a stubborn man who thinks he knows best. He isn't a pushover and seems to always see through people's tries to manipulate him easily.

You might be surprised to see how much power and authority such a vulnerable looking man can have. As a king he is considered a tyrant for multiple reasons. Not only is he merciless to those who violate his laws and dare to disrespect him, he also doesn't seem to considerate of his people. He abuses the power his title gives him to get exactly what he wants and pays no mind to any victims that might be made.

He isn't a bad person at heart though, all Jin-Kyu wants is to show he is a powerful man, worthy of sitting on the throne. He doesn't want to be undermined in fear that might cost him his throne and his only resource to protect his younger brother. He wishes to be respected by all and due to his late mother's behaviour, he believes showing no mercy and looking down on those beneath you was the only way to gain people's respect.

Of course, he will never turn into a submissive and shy man, but if shown different ways Jin-Kyu might turn around. How much he cares for his brother shows that the man is not completely heartless and definitely is capable of loving and caring for someone. As a lover he would be most affectionate, making sure his beloved is comfortable. Whilst he does not want to be told what to do, he will honour his loved one's every request and fulfil their wishes the best that he can.

To win this man's heart though, you will have to endure his distancing and coldness. He finds it hard to open up as trust is an issue for him. Due to betrayal in the past, the man finds it hard to believe someone genuinely chooses for him instead of power and wealth. If shown this though, perhaps his royal majesty might actually change for the better.

best traits
Determined
Confident
Ambitious
Not easily swayed

worst traits
Cold hearted
Arrogant
Short tempered

fears
Losing his throne
Betrayal
Losing his brother

hopes/wishes
Finding true love; since homosexuality is seen as a sin in Joseon, it is challenging for the king to find true love. He really hoped that one day he'll find a man he can give all his heart to though.

Being able to make his late father and mother proud; he hopes to make the former king and queen proud, showing them he is more than worthy to be king and lead the nation.

♔ | past
childhood
Jin-Kyu was born as the eldest son of the ruling king and queen. Her royal majesty was the second daughter of the left state councillor, the most powerful man in court apart from the king. Just like her father, she was a manipulative, dominant and selfish woman who was after power no less than her father was. Her marriage to the king was simply out of political benefit for both of the families. The king wished to keep a man like the left state councillor on his side while the man wished to keep the king in line by using his daughter. Unlike his wife, the king wasn't a man with a strong personality. He was easily swayed and that lead to the fact that while the king officially was the one with power, it was the queen who made all the decisions. She'd tell her husband what to do and he followed her advice blindly.

When Jin-Kyu was born, her majesty was overjoyed. She gave the king a son, meaning she would be the mother to the future king. While it wasn't customary for the queen to raise her child personally, she chose to do this anyway. She couldn't risk her son's mind being polluted with the ideas of stupid court maids and perhaps even daughters of other officials. No, her son would be raised by herself.

Because of this, Jin-Kyu quickly grew up to be just like his mother, full of himself and manipulative. The young crown prince got everything he wanted, even things that went against his father's orders, by threatening servants and bribing people to do as he said. By the time he was only five years old, his highness already had plenty of power in the royal palace. No one dared to go against him, knowing the prince would lie to get them into trouble with his mother. The queen was feared by many and so grew Jin-Kyu to be.

The young prince never had much contact with his father, though whenever the two met, the king couldn't be any prouder. He was just like his mother, he even looked like her! Often the king would beam with pride as he spoke to ministers about the crown prince. No one dared to criticise, given the queen would get to know about it and she'd find a way to make them pay.

teen years
Things went rather smoothly in the prince's life and when he turned thirteen years old, he was blessed with a little brother. The queen's new boy was mostly adorable and soon enough loved by the entire royal palace. In no time, Jin-Kyu as well loved his brother more than anything.

As years went by and Jin-Kyu's brother, who was named Beom-Soo, grew older, the two brothers became even closer. Whilst the young prince was around his mother and brother so much, he never got their harsh personality and tendency to make others submit to him. The young prince was always friendly to whomever he met and never raised his voice.

Because of his soft nature, Jin-Kyu started opening up around him more and more to the point that when it was just the two brothers, the crown prince would actually laugh with pure joy and not care about royal etiquette and status anymore.

His teen years were mainly filled with him teaching his brother all sort of things, like archery, horse riding, sword fighting. Everything a prince needed to know and was normally taught by someone hired by the king, Jin-Kyu taught his beloved brother.

When Jin-Kyu was sixteen years old though, and his brother six, disaster struck the royal family. One peaceful afternoon the queen was having tea with a friend in the gardens when she consumed poison and died right on the spot. The doctors tried to figure out what poison it was, but the exact plant and criminal who poisoned her have never been found.

The whole family was devastated by her death and Jin-Kyu tried desperately to fulfil the parenting role for his brother. He had to stay strong for him and so he did.

One loss had not yet been fully grieved for and yet another death pestered the royals. This time it was his royal majesty the king himself who drew his last breath. The death of his wife had become too much for him, the lady who always told him what to do, what to say and whom to trust was gone. The anxiety of her being poisoned and not being around anymore became too much.

Naturally, Jin-Kyu now prepared himself to take over the throne, but before his coronation could even take place, his uncle invaded the palace and declared himself king instead. He had been wanting to take power for years now and the death of the king seemed like the best opportunity.

Jin-Kyu and Beom-Soo were taken away from the palace and sent to exile to remote corners of the nation.

adulthood
Of course, Jin-Kyu would never leave it like this. He was here with his little brother, struggling to survive the cold winters and dry summers, while his uncle claimed to be the rightful king. The day he turned eighteen he finally finished up his plan to take back over the throne. He was of age now and he would succeed, no matter what.

All on his own, he made the way back to the capital, to the palace. He would defeat his uncle and his family and so he did. Dressed as a palace guard, he snuck inside of the king's quarters and killed him right on spot. The guards he had managed to contact before his return and were on his side did the same to the now dead king's family and closest allies.

After this all succeeded and Jin-Kyu ascended to the throne, he let his brother come back home and promised the boy that no one would ever harm him again.

Ever since, Jin-Kyu has been ruling quite cruelly. Not again will he ever allow anyone to take away his right to be king, to have the throne.

♔ | interests
likes
White tea; while his majesty will not refuse an alcoholic drink, he enjoys to have freshly boiled white tea a lot more. Perhaps it is just the taste that pleases him so much, or the fact that his late mother used to drink it all the time.

Being king; unsurprisingly, Jin-Kyu quite likes being king. The power it gives him allows him to keep his brother safe and eliminate those who stand against him.

Flowers; believe it or not, the cold hearted ruler is incredibly fond of flowers. The palace garden is filled with all kinds in lots of different colours. He has only the best gardeners working in there and he does not permit anyone in his favourite garden spot.

dislikes
Disrespect; Jin-Kyu has worked incredibly hard to get where he is now and now he finally has the throne he accepts no disrespect. He does not tolerate anyone speaking badly of him and arrests them without exception.

Assemblies; the king finds the morning assemblies with the court officials incredibly boring. Old men trying to get their appeals through. It usually results in him walking away after having lashed out at someone for being incapable again.

Dogs; he is not a big fan of dogs, especially not those used during the royal hunts. He has once been bitten as a child and ever since he just doesn't like them so much anymore.

hobbies
Archery; his royal majesty is quite skilled with a bow. He never, or at least rarely, misses a target. Whenever he feels restless, day or night, he goes out to the training field to practice and clear his mind.

Listening to music; while Jin-Kyu doesn't play any instruments himself, he often summon's musicians from all over the nation to play for him. The sound of the mandolin is his favourite.

♔ | relationships
family
Younger brother, Beom-Soo; Beom-Soo is Jin-Kyu's whole world. The young prince means so much to him and whoever dares to lay a finger on him can be assured their head will roll. The prince is nothing like his brother though, instead he is the sweetest, most cheerful child you will ever meet. He cares little about formality and honourifics and often interrupts his brother's assemblies with the ministers. Not once is he told off though, as no one would dare to go against the king's beloved little brother.

friends
None; sadly enough, his royal majesty does not have anyone he considers a friend. Most people who try to get close to him just try to use him for his power. He doesn't have enough trust in people to let them get close to him, perhaps the future will change this.

enemies
There are many he considers his enemies, but fortunately there is no one in particular that is still alive. Those who used to support his uncle are his biggest threat and enemy at the moment

past lovers
None; Jin-Kyu has never had someone to love before. While there are many ladies who try to win his favour in order to become the new queen or even just a royal concubine, the king is not interested in any of them. He does hope to find love one day though.

other relationships
The left state councillor; after his maternal grandfather resigned from the position it was given to a man who was quite a bit older than Jin-Kyu. He could have been his father in that sense. Unlike the former councillor though, this man is not after personal gain, he has enough wealth already and is a proud father. He has played a big role in executing the king's uncle and his family and has been loyal to Jin-Kyu ever since. The man is completely under his protection and he really considers him as family. He might even be the only one the king trusts.

His eunuch; the king's personal servant is really nothing you would expect the one serving the king to be like. He is anything but perfect, instead he is rather clumsy and forgetful. He annoys Jin-Kyu to the point where he has once wanted to take the man's life right on the spot. The reason why the man still serves his majesty is because Beom-Soo is incredibly fond of him. Aside from his lack of perfection as a servant, he is a very loyal guy around Jin-Kyu's age who is very patient and seems to genuinely care for the king. Beom-Soo loves him for his kindness and care for his brother and convinced him to keep him around.

♔ | other information
occupation
King of Joseon

what does he seek in a lover
What Jin-Kyu needs is someone who looks past his cold behaviour and harshness. Someone who fears him as the king will not get far, because who likes someone he is feared by? A confident, yet not overly self-centred person who can remain calm and collected would be most suitable for him. A too sensitive person would not work as their hearts are certain to get crushed during the time Jin-Kyu's trust and heart is not yet won. Being all submissive won't bring you anywhere with him as he'd mistake it for simple flattery, but thinking you can dominate him is a mistake as well. Preferably a well mannered, kindhearted and confident man would be good for him. He could learn how to love and make decisions together instead of demanding everything himself. If he is left speechless by someone's ease and remaining calm during a tricky situation with him it's definitely a good sign. Just remember, do not go too fast with him or you will not gain his trust.

other
This roleplay takes place in Joseon
Homosexuality is not openly allowed, so this might make it harder for Jin-Kyu to confess his love

scenarios
♔ | one
As the son of a poor farmer the future was not so bright for you. The class system in Joseon was awfully strict and people like you just never got far in life. If anything, you could take over your father's small farm, if it survived until your father resigned. Ever since you were a young boy, this had seemed so unfair to you. Why couldn't people like you work hard to better their position? You have asked many people about it, but none of the answers satisfied you. Determined to follow your own dreams, you started training yourself in material arts at a young age. Teaching yourself all the difficult things about politics that would be asked in the state exam might be hard, but you could at least teach yourself how to fight.

Now you were in your mid-twenties and one of the most skilled swordsmen in whole Joseon. No one knew of your existence, no one of importance at least, but you were satisfied. One day your capability would take you someone no one would have ever expected. It appeared as though you were right. As you were walking through town, just getting a new farming equipment for your father, you noticed a poster being put up by patrolling officers of the king. Filled with curiosity, you went over to read it and once you did, your heart started beating faster. The king was hiring a new guard, and not just a guard, his new bodyguard!

It quickly became known all over the nation that the king's previous bodyguard had committed treason and was put to death by beheading and therefore his royal majesty was in need of another guard. With only leaving a small note behind for your father, you took off to the capital that night. This was the chance you had waited for, this was your chance to become more than the simple farmer.

You were well aware only noblemen were allowed to apply for the job, but all you had to do was say you came from the Kim family and no one would suspect anything. Most officials came from that family, surely they couldn't track back the whole family, it was huge after all. Once again you were right because you were let into the palace by simply saying you were Kim y/n.

A nervous chuckle escaped your lips as you followed the guard in charge of the selection. You were actually in the palace!

Instructions were given to you all and after a few physical tests to make sure you were physically capable of protecting the king, it was time for the duels. They needed to see how you fought. Was it good enough, quick enough and smooth? You were quite certain of yourself. You have trained for this your whole life.

You were paired to a very muscular male, though that didn't bring down your mood. Even though he was bigger, you'd beat him. As the duel started, you realised the man in front of you was really only strong by looks. You managed to hit him a few times and when you made a spin to hit him one last time, your wooden sword was suddenly blocked by another's.

You lifted your head in surprise only to see you were now facing a petit male, the man you had been fighting before having passed out.

'He is eliminated, leaving you without a partner.' The man grinned. 'I hope you do not mind me taking his place?'

Before you could answer, the other continued the duel. He was so much smaller than your former partner but his skills were much better. It took you quite some energy and you really had to fight using your technique, but you managed to hold your stance. You hadn't been able to take a good look at your new partner before, as he suddenly charged forward in the beginning, but now the fight was going more smoothly you had a chance to.

You let your eyes glide over him and then you finally noticed. The man in front of you was not dressed in regular clothes like the other. He wore a red training outfit, but no regular one. There were dragons embroidered on it. Then it hit you, only the king was allowed to wear any clothing with dragons on it, as it was a royal sign-

Continue from there

♔ | two
Life as the left state councillor's son has always been rather easy. You didn't have to worry about money or anything else in fact. You could consider yourself safe as your father was completely under the king's protection. Being his most trusted man, the kings took any offence against your father as one against himself and that was always harshly punished.

You were like your father in the sense that you had a kind heart and weren't one to betray the one you have sworn loyalty to. While he worked hard advising the king and spending his days at the palace, you spent your days studying hard to perhaps one day get a position like your father's at the king's side.

The man had told you so much about your king that you really wanted nothing more than serve the man like your father did. It was most honourable to be at the king's side to help him with state affairs or whatever else he might need. You didn't care, really.

One beautiful day in spring, you went for a walk at the riverside, finding yourself enjoying the view so much that you allowed yourself to sit on a flattened stone to look at the beautiful waters. As you were sitting there, you noticed a beautiful man approach. A smile appeared on your face and when you realised the man kept coming closer, you moved a bit so he could sit too, which he did. The two of you sat in silence, the backs of your hands touching slightly due to the lack of space. No word was said, yet it felt so magical.

Once the sun had finally set, the stranger left you with the most strange feeling in your stomach. Was this love? You went home and straight to bed. How could you stay up when your head was not allowing you to get rid of the thoughts of the stranger you met today.

The next morning you were woken up by a servant's rather panicked voice. 'My lord! My lord, there's a messenger from the palace saying the king demands your presence.' You immediately got up. The king? What on earth could it be for. You hesitated not and made your way to the palace on horseback. It was the quickest way.

Once you arrived, the king's eunuch lead you over to the assembly hall, which was now empty except from the king sitting on his throne. 'Your majesty, the left state councillor's son is here to see you.' The man gave you a nod and you walked in. As was required of you, you respectfully knelt down and bowed your head. 'You wished for my presence, your majesty?' Your voice was calm and collected, like always, but you'd lie if you said you weren't nervous.

The king got up from his throne and walked over to you. 'The view was beautiful, was it not?' You found yourself confused for a moment. 'The river.' Those simple two words made your realise. The stranger from yesterday was the king! Of course you hadn't recognised him as you have never seen the king before and he was out in disguise.

Continue from there