Park (Korean surname)

According to a legend, the leaders of the six clans of the Jinhan confederacy were gathering on a hilltop to choose a king, when they looked down and saw lightning strike at the foot of the Yangsan mountain and a white horse bow at the same place.

They bathed the boy in the nearby stream and he was emitting bright light and the sun and the moon rose at the same time, indicating the divine birth of the child.

[2][3] According to Yang Ju-dong's (梁柱東) research, both 'no: 赫' and '朴' in '朴赫居世' are repeatedly written with the meaning of 'ᄇᆞᆰ' (밝다; lit. bright).

[citation needed] As with other Korean surnames, different lineages, known as bon-gwan or clans, are inherited from a father by his children.

All of these historical records imply that the three lineages of Pak, Seok, and Kim worshipped Bak Hyeokgeose as their founding ancestor.

[8] When Seonggols have died out followed by two consecutive queens, Kim Chun-Chu from Jingol began to monopolize the throne, which lasts 258 years.

During the last century of the dynasty, the Pak clan from Jingol regained the ruling house position in 728 years.

However, the Pak dynasty was cut off when Gyeongae of Silla was forced to commit suicide by King Kyŏn Hwŏn of Later Baekje.

As Seonggol, or Divine bones died out through intermarriage, these two clans became the dominant noble houses on the peninsula following the conquest of rival dynasties.