Honggildong, Joseon Dynasty’s Robin Hood

Many people know of the story of Robin Hood, the English folk hero who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. But, did you know that Korea also has a similar tale? This story is about Hong Gil Dong and is the first story written in Hangeul. Also, the story was inspired by a man from the Joseon Dynasty named Im Kkeokjeong.

Although the tale of Hong Gil Dong is similar to that of Robin Hood, there are significant differences due to the different cultures of Britain and Korea. Although there are various versions in the story of Robin Hood, in the oldest version, Robin Hood is of the higher class and loses his riches after he goes to war. But, in the story of Hong Gil Dong, he is unable to work in any high-paying jobs and received large amounts of discrimination because he was born of a concubine and is the second son of his family. In  Joseon Dynasty, because of Confucius’ teachings, only the first son of the family could take the test to work for the King as a scholar or soldier. Even if a man of high standing is more skilled than that of the first son, he would not be allowed to take the test. This was the case for Hong Gil Dong.

The story of Hong Gil Dong is split into three parts. The first part starts with his mother and his father. One day the father of Hong Gil Dong, Hong panseo(minister), has an auspicious dream, lies with lowborn maid Chun Seom, and gives birth to Hong Gil Dong. The story shifts to Gil Dong’s childhood, where he masters his physical, mental, and magical abilities. But, because of his lowborn status, he could not join any field in which he was strong. If you think about it, this is similar to the discrimination we see today.

The second part of the story starts with Gil Dong leaving his home. He then became the leader of a band of outlaws called ‘Hwalbindang.’ There, Gil Dong and his band of outlaws started to steal from the rich and give to the poor. They start small, stealing from temples and storehouses. Still, later after getting bolder with their robberies, he catches the attention of the King. Because of this, he ends up leaving the country in self-imposed exile. After his removal, the third section of the story starts in the land of Yul. Near Yul on the Island of Jaehong, Gil Dong restarts ‘Hwalbindang.’ He then, with his band of merry men, overthrows the King of Yul to become King. He is said to have ruled as a benevolent king. The latter, when starting his own family, did not discriminate against his first and second son.

The story of Hong Gil Dong is significant to Korean culture for many reasons. It was the first novel to be made using Hangeul. Also, the character of the story’s name Hong Gil Dong is like the American use of John Doe, a common place holder name.

 

 

Written by : Mariah Abdelfattah
From Southern California, United States. Currently a senior B.A Candidate in Korean Language Flagship at the University of Hawaii Mānoa. Attending Korea University as an exchange student and a Intern at VANK(Voluntary Agency Network of Korea).