The Legend of Hong Kil Dong: The Robin Hood of Korea

by Anne Sibley O'Brien

In this classic tale from early seventeenth-century Korea, Hong Kil Dong, the son of a powerful minister, is not entitled to a birthright because his mother is a commoner. After studying the martial arts, divination, swordplay, the uses of magic, and the wisdom of the I Ching, the Book of Changes, Hong Kil Dong sets off on a quest for his destiny. He leads a band of men to right the injustices shown to the peasants by some powerful and corrupt merchants, ministers, and monks. Hong Kil Dong can then claim his rightful role and become a wise and just leader. This graphic book captures the drama and pageantry of sixteenth-century Korea during the Chosun dynasty and pays tribute to the adventure story that became the first novel written in the Korean language.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Asian Literature, Childrens, Asia

48 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2006

Reviews

[Vannessa Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Korean take on a popular story. I enjoyed everything about the story as well as the well drawn and colorful illustrations. I liked it better than the original story because it had heart.

[Britney Padilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hero – Grades 4-7.
Motif- mountain spirit/ancient sage.

This story takes place in Korea and is about a boy named Kil Dong. Kil Dong was the son of a Minister of the king and of a maidservant. Since his mother was not noble, Kil Dong was not able to call Minister Hong his father. Kil Dong was fond of learning and took on to learning many subjects. Although, he was considered a commoner, he felt he had a great destiny to fulfill. Even so Kil Dong continued studying while servants abused him until he could stand it no longer. He left his birth home to see the wisdom of the monks. One day while wondering the mountains he came across an ancient sage or mountain spirit, who taught him secrets of martial arts, swords, and how to use magic. Sometime later, Kil Dong returned to his birth home but even though he was very skilled he could not claim his father. One of the servants, Cho Ran, did not like Kil Dong so she spread rumors about him and even set up to have Kil Dong assassinated. Once more, Kil Dong left his home to wonder in the mountains. He came across a group of bandits who challenged him to lift a big rock. Kil Dong used his magic powers that he learned from the mountain spirit to do so. The bandits were amazed and decided to make Kil Dong their leader. These bandits were all victims of tax abuse from their hometowns and Kil Dong decided he wanted to help them bring about justice. He took on the task in training these bandits until they were highly trained in fighting. Kil Dong and his group of bandits then went around Korea to help gain back what rightfully belonged to the people. He became a wanted man and was charged with stealing like a bandit. News about him spread and the king sent word out to have Kil Dong arrested. Towards the end, the king requested the presence of the real Kil Dong to inquire of his true nature. Kil Dong said he would let himself be taken to the king only if he was made Minister of war. He was taken in a procession towards the king’s palace where a ceremony would be held to appoint him as minister of war. Soon after he was appointed he used magic to hurl himself into the sky saying that he had “accomplished what [he] set out to do.” A strength of this story was the character development of Kil Dong. He started out so eager to learn and elevate himself to be worthy of being able to claim his father. He was shown as disciplined and motivated as he sought out the monks and the mountain spirit. A weakness in this story was the ending. I was confused as to what he claimed to have accomplished. It felt like the story was reaching a climax and it just abruptly ended. There was a note describing what he did after but it still felt incomplete. I would recommend this title because it was interesting to see how the Korean culture portrays their version of Robin Hood. The illustrations in this graphic novel are done in ink and watercolor. The majority of the colors are primary colors with greens and oranges here and there. The panels are a variation of moment-to-moment, action-to action, subject-to-subject, and scene-to-scene. Some panels are even layered over full pages of scenery illustrations.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, the tone of the story and the illustrations, were charming. I really enjoyed it. O'Brien calls Hong Kil Dong the Robin Hood of Korea, and I think it's an apt comparison! Hong Kil Dong, after being thrown out of his home, takes to the mountains where he confronts a group of bandits. He shows a feat of strength and is taken as their leader. In learning about the bandits, Hong Kil Dong discovers that many of the men were abused by men in power.

So he organizes them; they fight for justice and are honored by the King.

In many ways, however, this is a Korean story, with the importance of filial devotion, the nine standards, and the eight virtues of the Classics of this period and region. And of course, this legend far predates the "Robin Hood" legend. According to O'Brien, it is the first novel to be written in Korean!

A great little tale, maybe for older readers, around seven or eight, when concepts of social justice can be introduced.

[Keir Bridges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne Sibley O'Brien's graphic novel is an adaptation of a Korean novel written between the late 16th and early 17th centuries by Ho Kyun. It tells the story of "The Korean Robin Hood," a young man who cannot follow in his father's footsteps and become a minister to the king, because his mother is a commoner. Despite this, Kil Dong sets out to make a destiny for himself, ultimately helping to bring an end to the injustices caused by corrupt ministers throughout Korea. Kil Dong is a hero to be admired, a compassionate, hardworking and clever young man who stops at nothing to help others. The illustrations are bright and the plot is action-packed and engaging. The author includes some interesting informational pages in the back about the author of the original novel, his reasons for writing the book and the time period in which the story is set.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-known legend in Korea, daring from the 17th century, and thought to be the first novel written in Korean -- using Han Gul, the Korean alphabet, rather than Chinese characters. Since it was written in Korean, it could be read by the people. Interestingly, the story was set during the reign of king Se Jong, who encouraged scholars to create Han Gul. Hong Kil Dong is denied a place in the ministry because his mother is a commoner. He seeks alternate ways to develop his talents and then employs them in seeking justice for the people from corrupt ministers -- much like Robin Hood. The author grew up in Korea, so has a deep understanding of the culture. Beautifully illustrated with ink and color paintings.

[May · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting story but I found the pacing to be very hectic and characterizations one-dimensional. Peasants are portrayed as hardworking and virtuous while the nobles are corrupt and weak. I had to reread the last couple of pages a couple of times because the author ends the story too abruptly--e.g. what happened to the assassin after the Hong Kil Dong has entered the palace and is meeting with the emperor? As for calling this book a graphic novel, I would say that is a more stylized picture book for older readers. If this was a graphic novel, I think the story and the characters would have been better fleshed out with a slightly better ending.

[James Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

A graphic novel of a hero, adventure, politics, and oriental traditions of a classical period (1400s)in Korea. Folktales and heroes are part of the histories of early Asia. The main character, Hong Kil Dong of the story was compared to the folktales of Robin Hood, who was the champion of the poor. The story bring to light the social and political inequality of an unjust society. The hero was born with a disadvantage in a circle of nobility and through hard work and fate overcame adversity. the illustrated artwork was oriental in nature, it had a touch of mysticism, animation, and human expressionism, that bought life and excitement to the story. Very good story!

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really well done book. I think any time you can get a culturally sensitive, traditional story into popular circulation, you are doing something right. The best part is the "Notes from the Author-Illustrator" in the back. There is everything from the author's personal encounters with the story to notes on spelling, pronunciation, and meanings of some Korean words and some pictures of clothing styles and symbols. The author even includes her sources.

[Meri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This guy was all right! Hong Kil Dong was Robin Hood with super kung fu powers. The bastard son of a noble and a serving woman, Hong Kil Dong was extremely talented and destined for obscurity, until he overcame medieval Korea's rigid social order (no small feat)! He did this by gathering a Korean band of merry men and taking down corrupt politicians, becoming a folk hero. The drawings of people in contemporary dress and medieval structures are very helpful.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will preface by saying that I am not a big fan of Graphic Novels, so I'm sure that influenced my rating. This is a graphic retelling of a Korean Folk Legend that resembles Robin Hood. Fans of the format will no doubt enjoy this book, but I found it hectic. The tale is nice, however, and I did enjoy it for the story.

[Shu Xiao · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book can be described as text-heavy, but the story is very interesting. The art is pretty and authentic. I especially love the author's note at the end of the book, explaining her own background and the origin of the story. A perfect example of how a children's book on diverse culture should be made.

[Lucero Ochoa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pg 1-4

There was once a boy named Kil Dong. He was the second son of a wealthy and powerful adviser to the King.

But Kil Dong's mother was a servant of the minister, and Kil Dong did not like the way She was being treated, just as Minister Dong (Kil Dong's father) did not want it and always had a preference for Hold (eldest son)

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's a cute graphic novel version of a Korean Robin Hood - story is better with illustrations right?

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars- interesting legend- the author's commentary in the back is worth a half star by itself. Lovely little book.

[Sam's Happy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked all the magical powers. I didn't like everything except the magical powers and the bandits. I definitely did not love it. I liked it.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well illustrated, well written. Novel material (to me, at least). Not life changing, but well done.

[future faith freedom homeschool]

the kids liked the story especially when magic was involved. a great lesson on virtue.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This children's book is not necessarily bad, it is just a little different and I do not like the fact that it is set up like a comic book.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a fun and quick read - fun to get to enjoy some old Korean folktale as an adult :) Mini review for this will be coming up at the end of the month! :D

[thistle]

Child really enjoyed this.

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny book

[Elizabeth]

This is more text-heavy than I was expecting from a picture book -- it's done in graphic novel format -- so I'm not quite sure what the target age range is (okay, Pyramid Books lists it as for ages 9-12/grades 4-7).

I felt like a few plot threads got dropped (e.g., when Kil Dong first leaves the palace, he tells his mother, "Please preserve your health so that someday I may return to you to care for you as my father's son," and she does find out that he's been appointed minister to the king, but soon after that appointment he leaves in a puff of smoke), but the pacing generally feels okay (except for some of the ending) -- and I know distilling an entire (adult) novel into a children's book is a significant labor.

On the edge of each page is an "I Ching hexagram and interpretation" -- which I didn't notice until a few pages in.  What the I Ching actually is doesn't get explained until the backmatter, and it simply calls it a "divination manual," which I was bummed about.  Like, it could have at least said something about the hatchmarks that create the hexagram we see on each page.

The backmatter includes some background on the author-illustrator and then transitions to more detail about the novel The Tale of Hong Kil Dong (she had grown up knowing the story, and encountered an English translation of the novel as an adult).  Excerpt:

It was a reaction against the strict rules of Confucian society that divided people by social class.

[...]

Ho Kyun chose to write his story not in the Chinese characters that were traditionally used for literature, but in Han Gul, the Korean alphabet that had been created 150 years earlier.  The novel, possibly the first written in Korean, could easily be read by Koreans of all classes. Ho Kyun also decided to set the story during the reign of the historical king Se Jong. I love the circle that is made by the first book written using the Korean alphabet having as a character the very king who gave his people that alphabet.

The backmatter continues to have a section on Se Jong himself, though I was bummed that while the author lists some of her major sources at the end (along with a plug for the Harvard-Yenching Library), she didn't list any resources aimed at the child-reader of this book, so they could learn more about Se Jong, etc.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic novel retelling the classic Korean legend of Hong Kil Dong, an illegitimate son of a noble who was treated unfairly in his own home, and then decided to do something about the corruption and injustice he saw in the land. He trained a band of warriors, and using his magical powers, took back the food and wealth those in power took unfairly and returned it to those who were robbed.

O'Brien's back note about the origins of this story and the base text she used for inspiration are quite interesting as they also tell a bit about the history of Korean text and language use. This tale definitely has Robin Hood vibes, but based on the historical notes it appears that this and the English versions developed independently. The magical elements definitely makes this distinct from the tales of an archer dressed in green. This would be a great tale to use when studying legendary figures from around the world or Korean folklore. Though it looks like a skinny picture book, there's quite a bit of text thanks to the graphic novel format so I'd actually say this is more aimed at middle grade readers.

Notes on content: There are some Korean exclamations but they aren't swears. Hong Kil Dong is the son of a noble and the noble's maid. There are no sexual details but it is brought up repeatedly that he can't inherit from his father because of who is mother is. Another female character is a companion of the noble but not his wife. Again, no sexual details. There are attempts on Hong Kil Dong's life, but he usually magically gets away. There are battles, but mostly martial arts kicks and such are shown. Nothing gory.

[Nadina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a little wordy and I'll admit I'm rounding it up from a 3.5 to a 4 mainly because I am obsessed with korean culture at the moment and this was a really interesting read.
I liked the story over all, if felt very accessible, though I would like the read the original "The Tale of Hong Kil Dong" that this was based on.
I liked the illustrations over all, the style felt very appropriate to the story.
I do with that the I-Ching hexagrams had been explained a bit at the end, given various other elements of the book had been explained.
I am glad I read this, over all I really enjoyed it and read it in one sitting. I think to the right person this is something I would recommend.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun graphic novel as the legend of Hong Kil Dong is full of magic and fantasy elements set to the historical backdrop of Korea under King Sejong's rule during the Chosun dynasty in the 16th century. From a very young age, Hong Kil Dong is sharp and gifted in every way (magic included) and yet he is not allowed to grow in position to serve his country because of his social status of having a commoner for a mother. To fulfill his destiny he fights the injustices done to the poor by the rich. I appreciated that this was the first story ever written in the Korean language and that the one who created the language was King Sejong, who is also a character in the story.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two sons are born to a nobleman, one by his wife, the other by a servant in his household. This child of the servant grows up to become "the Robin Hood of Korea", a leader of a gang of bandits living in the woods. They make strikes against nobleman and monks who are hoarding food to the detriment of commoners. Author's note describes more detail about the legend. Issues of class, greed and justice are themes.

Interesting legend, but I found the format a bit odd. It appears to be a picture book, but it's more like a graphic novel. I found the text to be a bit difficult on my eyes.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This traditional tale of Korea is told in graphic novel style and highlights the importance of the rights of the people and standing up against government corruption. Although the title says that he is the Robin Hood of Korea, the story actually has a lot more to it, including much more magic. A great pick for international folklore.

[Maggie Panning · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to force myself to keep reading this to my son, it was a slog. The way it was written was just so boring. That coupled with numerous mentions of things like children being born to women who are not wife of the man (but he has a wife), women being a favorite companion, and men spending money on dancing girls made this a book I definitely would not read again.

[techchick94 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well done! Loved the story and the illustrations, and it was interesting to see the similarities and contrasts to the traditional version.