The future Queen Uihye was born in 1304 into the Yeongheung Ch'oe clan as the youngest daughter of the Korean chiliarch of the Yuan dynasty called Ch'oe Han-gi (최한기; 崔閑奇), who was later posthumously honoured as the Duke Jeonghyo and Internal Prince Yeongheung (영흥부원군 정효공 최한기; 永興府院君 靖孝公 崔閑奇) and Grand Lady Yi of Joseon State (조선국대부인 이씨; 朝鮮國大夫人 李氏).
[1] Her family long resided in today's Anbyon County, Kangwon Province, North Korea, which was once called Deungju (등주; 登州)[2][3] during the Goryeo period.
When her parents reached the age of poverty, they wanted her to marry the son of Kim Rin (김린; 金麟), but when she did not listen, they offered to divide the household goods in half.
Knowing this, Ch'oe cried sadly and said, "How can someone unexpectedly marry Kim Rin's son when they are born into this world and have a great relationship?
(사람이 세상에 태어나서 큰 인연이 있는데 어찌 뜻밖에 김린의 아들에게 시집갈 수 있겠는가.