The Story of Hong Gildong
SynopsisPlot
The Story of Hong Gildong is arguably the single most important work of classic Korean fiction. A fantastic story of adventure, it has been adapted into countless movies, television shows, novels, and comics in Korea. Until now, the earliest and fullest text of this incredible fable has been inaccessible to English readers. Hong Gildong, the brilliant but illegitimate son of a noble government minister, cannot advance in society due to his second-class status, so he leaves home and becomes the leader of a band of outlaws. On the way to building his own empire and gaining acceptance from his family, Hong Gildong vanquishes assassins, battles monsters, and conquers kingdoms. Minsoo Kang’s expressive and lively new translation finally makes the authoritative text of this premodern tale available in English, reintroducing a noble and righteous outlaw and sharing a beloved hallmark of Korean culture.
Story
About this book
Hong Gildong is the son of a high-ranking government minister in premodern Korea, but because he was born to a concubine rather than a primary wife, he is considered illegitimate. Under the rigid social hierarchy of the Joseon period, this status bars him from holding office or rising through official channels, no matter how talented he may be. Frustrated by these limits, Hong Gildong leaves his family behind and falls in with a group of outlaws, eventually becoming their leader.
From there the story takes on a larger scale. Hong Gildong fights assassins and supernatural creatures, and sets out to establish a domain of his own. The tale mixes martial adventure with questions about inherited rank, family loyalty, and what a capable person owes a society that refuses to recognize him. It has been adapted many times in Korean film, television, novels, and comics, and remains one of the most widely known works in Korean literary tradition.
This English edition, translated by Minsoo Kang, draws on what is identified as the earliest and most complete surviving text of the story. Kang is a historian and translator whose work focuses on Korean cultural and intellectual history.
