Gyokuen was a slim, youthful woman of average height. She had pale blue eyes, which turn black when she reveals her more sinister side, and short, dark blue hair, with two longer braids tied in loops. She has thin eyebrows, a mole on her chin, and usually wears red lipstick. She also wears a small hat decorated with a flower-shaped jewel, and floor-length pink and white robes. She is noted as being a great beauty, especially in her youth.
When she was King Solomon's Magi, she had long messy brown hair that is tied in pigtails, until her right one was cut off. She wore a white robe with various items of jewellery. Her Divine Stave was topped with a winged spherical jewel. She later held a staff with a crescent moon-shaped head that previously belonged to Sheba.
In Hakuryuu's memories, Gyokuen appeared as a very gentle, loving mother, protecting and showing great care towards Hakuryuu and Hakuei after they survived the fire that killed their father along with Hakuyuu and Hakuren. Later, she started to show her devious and deceitful side, smiling sinisterly while crying as she is appointed the Third Emperor, and flirting with her stepson Kouen. As mentioned by Hakuryuu, Gyokuen is a woman who cares nothing for her children, and she is willing to do anything to gain and maintain power - going so far as to kill her own children and husband.
Gyokuen (then known as Arba) was born in Alma Torran and helped raise King Solomon from young and was one of his first friends. Arba fought alongside him as a fellow magician until the day where Solomon "killed god" where she eventually became one of his three magis. However, overcome with the oppressing "cage of destiny" she established Al-Thamen in order to challenge and defeat Solomon's Will. Her grudge carried over to the next world in her reincarnation as Gyokuen Ren.
When Sinbad was born, Gyokuen, Scheherazade, Matal Mogamett and Yunan sensed the strong resonation of Rukh.
Gyokuen probably married her first husband, Hakutoku Ren, and began bearing his children in her teens. They had three sons and a daughter together (from oldest to the youngest): Hakuyuu, Hakuren, Hakuei and Hakuryuu. Her first two sons and husband died in a fire fighting against Al-Thamen, whose members were probably sent by Gyokuen herself. After her husband's death, she later remarried Hakutoku's brother, the Second Emperor, Koutoku Ren.
Gyokuen is first seen in Hakuryuu's memories. The first memory shows Hakuryuu crying after he had a nightmare. Gyokuen calms him and says that he does not need to be worried because his father is an incredible person and unified three countries for the sake of the people. When her husband and two of her sons died in the fire planned by herself, Koutoku Ren is appointed as the Second Emperor of the Kou Empire. Displaying a depressed face, Gyokuen explains to Hakuei and Hakuryuu that she will marry Koutoku and they will be able to live as Imperial Prince and Princess. Then Hakuei tries to comfort her.
In another memory, Hakuryuu asks her about if she really killed his brothers and father, since her oldest son had told him that before he died, but Gyokuen only smiles and says that even if it is true he is powerless and can not do anything.