Song Su-kyung; Wisdom House: 316 pp., 12,000 won
The Joseon’s classical novel “Hong Gil-dong,” the first of its kind written in “Hangeul” (Korean alphabet) by Heo Gyun, features a fictional hero pulling Taoist magical tricks — such as flying — in the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). The character is often likened to the Korean version of Robin Hood, punishing the evil “yangban,” the noble class, by robbing them to help the poor.
Hong was the son of a “yangban” and his concubine born in the mid-15th century. The Confucian state of the time forbade sons of concubines from attaining government positions.
As the rigid social hierarchy blocked any opportunity for success, he harbored a grudge against the system and learned Taoist magical tricks in order to punish corrupt officials, stealing their illicitly gained property and distributing them to the underprivileged.
This new work, “Dangerous Novel” sheds new light on the original, which was said to be “modified” for public distribution as its original story was more threatening to the basic principles of the then Joseon society in the eyes of the ruling class.
The author tries to reveal the original intentions with the more radical idealism conceived by Heo Gyun. The new book tells of Hong’s mysterious birth through bringing out hidden stories.
— CHUNG AH-YOUNG