Hong Gildong, who is sometimes referred to as the Korean Robin Hood, is by far the most famous literary character from classic Korean literature. His story as a maverick outlaw, powerful magician, and a wise king is told in the Joseon dynasty novel The Story of Hong Gildong. Unfortunately, there has been a great deal of miscomprehension about the origin and nature of the famous work, the complexity of which has only recently been explored by scholars. In this lecture, Professor Minsoo Kang offer detailed examination of the history and literary significance of the novel and reveal little-known facts behind its authorship.
Hong Gildong, the Invincible and Righteous Outlaw
by
Professor Minsoo Kang
Thursday, September 12, 2019 | 6 PM
The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
About the Speaker
Minsoo Kang is associate professor of history at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He is the translator of the Penguin Classic The Story of Hong Gildong, the first book in the series to be rendered from Korean, and the author of Invincible and Righteous Outlaw: The Korean Hero Hong Gildong in Literature, History, and Culture, the first book-length study of the novel in English.
