The future Queen Sinhye was born into a rich family as the daughter of Yu Ch'ŏn-gung, a local chief from Jeongju.
According to legend, Wang Kŏn, a general commander under Kung Ye was passing through the land of Chŏngju with his armies to invade Later Baekje.
While he seeing her virtuous face, he asked: And that girl said: Wang immediately fell in love with her beautiful appearance and wisdom at first sight and stayed at her father's mansion that day where he prepared and served food to all the army members in a very prosperous manner.
At the end of the Taebong period, when Sin Sung-gyŏm, Hong Yu (홍유), Pae Hyŏn-gyŏng (배현경; 裵玄慶), and Pok Chigyŏm (복지겸; 卜智謙) came to seek to drive out Kung Ye in protest against his tyrannical reign and wanted to appoint Wang as the new king, he stubbornly refused and didn't accept it, but hesitated at the same time.
She also achieved integrity, docile and wise in serving her husband, that made her honoured as Princess Consort Hadong (하동군부인; 河東郡夫人).