The Tale of Hong Gildong

by Heo Gyun · 2026-08-25

After his appointment, the governor set aside his official duties.

He spent his days in sorrow, worrying about His Majesty's troubles and his father's illness.

He merely waited, hoping Gil-dong might come.

Then, one day, a servant reported,

"A young boy is outside, requesting to see you."

He was immediately admitted, and the person prostrated himself on the stone steps, begging for forgiveness.

The governor, finding it strange, asked for the reason, and he replied,

"Brother, how can you not recognize your younger brother, Gil-dong?"

The governor, a mix of surprise and joy, took Gil-dong's hand.

He led him into the room, dismissed everyone, and then sighed, saying,

"Oh, my fleeting younger brother."

"After you left home when you were young, to meet you now, my joy is instead sorrowful."

"With such a presence and talent, why do you delight in such unfathomable deeds, seeking to sever the affection of your father and brother?"

"Even the foolish commoners in the countryside know how to be loyal to their king and filial to their father."

"Your nature is intelligent, and your talent is great, vastly different from ordinary people, so aren't you precisely the one who should uphold loyalty and filial piety even more?"

"Yet, you cast yourself into the wrong path, and when it comes to loyalty and filial piety, you are even worse than ordinary people; how can this not be regrettable?"

"A father and brother, having such an outstanding son, rejoiced inwardly, yet you only bring them worry?"

"Even if you were to follow righteousness and go to your death now, your father and brother would feel pity."

"How much more so now that you bear the name of a traitor and face death; what would their feelings be then?"

"The laws of the country are impartial, so no matter how much one tries to save you, it cannot be done."

"What good would it do to grieve for you?"

"You came prepared to die, for the sake of your father and brother's faces,"

"My fear and sorrow are greater now than when I did not see you."

"You cannot blame heaven or man for the sin you have committed,"

"But your father and I are killing you before our eyes, so we can only blame fate."

"How could you not realize this and commit such an immoderate sin?"

"Even if we go back a thousand years, would any living or dead separation be like tonight's?"

Gil-dong wept and replied.

"It is not that this unworthy younger brother, Gil-dong, originally intended not to heed the teachings of my father and elder brother."

"It is merely that I harbored a lifelong regret for being born into a humble body due to my unfortunate fate."

"Moreover, avoiding those in the household who envied me, I wandered aimlessly,"

"And unexpectedly, I found myself entangled with a band of thieves, barely clinging to life for a time."

"And so, the charge of my crime has reached this point."

"Tomorrow, please submit a report detailing the reason for my voluntary capture, bind me, and present me to the nation."

The two talked through the night.

At dawn, the governor bound Gil-dong with iron chains and sent him to Seoul.

His face turned ghastly, and tears streamed down endlessly.

However, at this time, reports came in from all eight provinces, each claiming to have captured Gil-dong.

Everyone was filled with doubt, and the streets were noisy, with countless spectators filling the roads.

His Majesty personally came out and interrogated the eight Gil-dongs.

But the eight Gil-dongs argued with each other, saying,

"Who are you to be Gil-dong? I am the real Gil-dong!"

Then, they pulled out their arms and extended them, tumbling together in a chaotic embrace, which in turn became quite a spectacle.

None of the court officials or the guards on either side could discern the truth.

The officials reported.

“No one knows a child better than their father.”

“Now, summon Hong-mo and have him identify his illegitimate son, Gil-dong.”

The King deemed it right and immediately summoned Hong-mo.

The prime minister received the command and prostrated himself on the ground, and the King said.

“You once said you had only one Gil-dong, but now there are eight.”

“What is the reason for this? You must carefully discern the truth so as not to disrupt the judgment.”

The prime minister shed tears and reported.

“I failed to uphold my conduct and committed the sin of associating with a lowly concubine, thus having a lowly child.”

“Because of this, Your Majesty is troubled and the court is in disarray. My sin deserves death ten thousand times over.”

Then, with tears streaming down his white hair, he reprimanded Gil-dong.