Julia Mullock
Encyclopedia
Julia Mullock became a disputed member of the Korean Imperial Household
with the title Her Imperial Highness Princess Julia Lee of Korea when she became the de-facto wife of Gu, Prince of Korea. The two were never legally married by Korean custom, in that Mullock was not included in the Yi family registry, and because of this Mullock later had trouble processing a divorce application in the United States from Prince Gu.
Born in Pennsylvania
, United States
, Julia came from a Ukrainian
–American
family. She was working in the architectural practice of IM Pei when Prince Gu, fresh out of MIT
with architecture degree, joined the New York
firm. Tired of the work, she made a decision to move to Spain
, and taped a sales ad on the firm's notice board for her apartment. Gu saw the notice, visited the apartment, and instead of purchasing it, he persuaded Julia to stay. Julia, whose parents were from Ukraine
, was deeply moved when Gu uttered a few words in clumsy Russian
he was taught by Ukrainian college roommates.
In 1958 she met his parents, Prince Eun and Princess Bangja. In May 1958, Julia and Gu were engaged; they were married at St George's Church in New York
on 25 October 1959. The happiest time of their marriage was when the newly-weds lived in Hawaii
near her parents-in-law.
On 15 June 1963, Julia visited Korea
with her husband, arriving at Gimpo Airport on 22 November 1963. She lived in a new building in Nakseon Hall, Changdeok Palace
, Seoul
with her husband, and with her mother-in-law, Princess Bangja, she worked for many charities. Her husband divorced her in 1982 under pressure from the imperial family, as she had produced no heir.
In 1995 she left for Hawaii. On 1 May 2005 she attended religious ceremonies at the Royal Ancestors' Shrine (Jomngmyo Jerye) with Mrs Gwon Heesun, her lady-in-waiting, and Princess Lee Haewon, a daughter of Prince Gang of Korea.
Prince Gu, her former husband, who spent his time travelling back and forth between Japan and Korea, died of a heart attack at the age of seventy-four.
She currently lives in an apartment in Gangnam-gu
, Seoul, Korea.
In April 2006 Universal Studios
division Focus Features
announced that it would be producing a biographical film
of Mullock with a working title of The Julia Project in partnership with South Korean LJ Film. In August 2006 Focus announced that Deepa Mehta
had been chosen to direct the film.
Korean Imperial Household
The House of Yi, also called the Korean Imperial Household, was the household of the Joseon Dynasty and Korean Empire, consisting of the descendants of the Yi Seong-gye, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty. Yi Seong-gye is known as Taejo: The Great Ancestor...
with the title Her Imperial Highness Princess Julia Lee of Korea when she became the de-facto wife of Gu, Prince of Korea. The two were never legally married by Korean custom, in that Mullock was not included in the Yi family registry, and because of this Mullock later had trouble processing a divorce application in the United States from Prince Gu.
Born in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Julia came from a Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
–American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
family. She was working in the architectural practice of IM Pei when Prince Gu, fresh out of MIT
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
with architecture degree, joined the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
firm. Tired of the work, she made a decision to move to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and taped a sales ad on the firm's notice board for her apartment. Gu saw the notice, visited the apartment, and instead of purchasing it, he persuaded Julia to stay. Julia, whose parents were from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, was deeply moved when Gu uttered a few words in clumsy Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
he was taught by Ukrainian college roommates.
In 1958 she met his parents, Prince Eun and Princess Bangja. In May 1958, Julia and Gu were engaged; they were married at St George's Church in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on 25 October 1959. The happiest time of their marriage was when the newly-weds lived in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
near her parents-in-law.
On 15 June 1963, Julia visited Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
with her husband, arriving at Gimpo Airport on 22 November 1963. She lived in a new building in Nakseon Hall, Changdeok Palace
Changdeokgung
Changdeokgung, also known as Changdeokgung Palace or Changdeok Palace, is set within a large park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the "Five Grand Palaces" built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty. Because of its location east of Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeokgung, with Changgyeonggung,...
, Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
with her husband, and with her mother-in-law, Princess Bangja, she worked for many charities. Her husband divorced her in 1982 under pressure from the imperial family, as she had produced no heir.
In 1995 she left for Hawaii. On 1 May 2005 she attended religious ceremonies at the Royal Ancestors' Shrine (Jomngmyo Jerye) with Mrs Gwon Heesun, her lady-in-waiting, and Princess Lee Haewon, a daughter of Prince Gang of Korea.
Prince Gu, her former husband, who spent his time travelling back and forth between Japan and Korea, died of a heart attack at the age of seventy-four.
She currently lives in an apartment in Gangnam-gu
Gangnam-gu
Gangnam-gu is one of the 25 gu which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the most affluent areas of Seoul and is located in the southeast of the city...
, Seoul, Korea.
In April 2006 Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
division Focus Features
Focus Features
Focus Features is the art house films division of NBC Universal's Universal Pictures, and acts as both a producer and distributor for its own films and a distributor for foreign films....
announced that it would be producing a biographical film
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
of Mullock with a working title of The Julia Project in partnership with South Korean LJ Film. In August 2006 Focus announced that Deepa Mehta
Deepa Mehta
Deepa Mehta, LLD is a Genie Award-winning Indian-born Canadian film director and screenwriter, most known for her Elements Trilogy, Fire , Earth , and Water , among which Earth was submitted by Indian government for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film...
had been chosen to direct the film.
External links
- Digital Chosunilbo — English edition
- An interview, 2006, with Princess Julia