The Story of Hong Gildong
by Heo Gyun
"Bind them!"
As Gildong's command fell—
His waiting subordinates moved like lightning.
The burly men simultaneously leaped in, twisting the monks' arms and beginning to tie them with ropes.
"Aargh!"
"What is happening!"
"Young master! This is a misunderstanding!"
The monks were utterly terrified.
But it was already too late.
The subordinates Gildong brought were no ordinary servants.
They were all bandits who had soared and crawled through the greenwood.
To them, thousands of monks were merely a herd of animals to be bound.
The monks couldn't even properly resist.
This was because they had been distracted by alcohol and food, and had not even suspected Gildong in the first place.
Gildong sat at the head seat, looking down at the scene with cold eyes.
The face that had just moments ago seemed like that of a gentle yangban's son was already gone.
What remained in its place was—
Only Hong Gildong, the leader of the greenwood bandits.
"Don't let a single one escape."
Gildong's voice rang out chillingly.
"Break the legs of anyone who tries to flee."
His subordinates replied in unison.
"Yes, General!"
In an instant, the valley was filled with screams.
Thousands of monks, with their hands and feet bound, lay prostrate on the ground, trembling.
Just then—
Torches began to appear one by one from the distant forest.
A slow smile spread across Gildong's lips.
"They've arrived."
At that very moment.
Hundreds of greenwood bandits, hidden below the mountain, poured into Haeinsa Temple like a flood.
"Attack!"
"Seize the treasures!"
"Search the storerooms first!"
The bandits rushed into the temple as if they had been waiting.
The now empty Haeinsa Temple had no one to resist.
The main hall.
The storerooms.
The grain storage.
The offering boxes.
Even the gold, silver, and jewels hidden by the monks.
The bandits gathered everything they could see.
The temple quickly became a scene of chaos.
But Gildong still did not move.
He was quietly observing the entire situation from above the valley.
Like someone watching a perfectly orchestrated game from beginning to end.
A moment later.
A bandit came running, panting.
“General!”
He shouted with an excited face.
“The treasures are piled high!”
“There’s an enormous amount of rice, silk, and gold!”
The faces of the surrounding bandits also gleamed with excitement bordering on madness.
But Gil-dong’s expression remained unchanged.
He said calmly.
“The looting will be finished quickly.”
“Do not commit unnecessary slaughter.”
The bandits bowed their heads simultaneously.
“We will obey your command!”
At that moment—
A trembling voice was heard from among the bound monks.
“Why… why are you doing this…?”
An old monk shed tears and looked at Gil-dong.
“We trusted you, young master, and treated you with utmost respect…”
Gil-dong looked down at the old monk for a moment.
And then said very coldly.
“In this world, those who trust are often the first to suffer.”
The old monk’s face hardened.
Gil-dong slowly turned his body.
In the distance, under the torchlight, the looting continued.
And that night—
Haeinsa Temple, renowned throughout the land, was completely plundered by Hong Gil-dong.
The night at Haeinsa Temple was completely overturned.
The bandits stormed into every warehouse, sweeping up treasures.
Sacks of rice were endlessly dragged out—
Silk, gold ornaments, and silverware piled up onto the carts.
“Here’s more!”
“Break open the offering box!”
“Search behind the warehouse!”
Rough shouts erupted from everywhere.
The temple was like a battlefield.
But even amidst the chaos, Gil-dong remained calm.
He stood on a high vantage point, looking down at the entire situation.
Even amidst his subordinates' excited rampage, Gil-dong remained completely unperturbed.
“General!”
A bandit came running, panting for breath.
“There’s too much treasure; it will take more time to move it all!”
Gil-dong thought for a moment, then spoke curtly.
“Don’t be greedy.”
“Take only what you can carry.”
The bandit, with a surprised look, asked again.
“Excuse me?”
“If we delay, the government troops will move.”
Gil-dong’s eyes gleamed coldly.
“We didn’t come to fight; we came to rob.”
At those words, the bandit quickly bowed his head.
“I obey your command!”
Gil-dong turned his gaze back towards the valley where the monks were tied up.
Thousands of monks trembled in fear.
Some were enraged.
Some cried.
Some simply had blank expressions.
Then, an old monk asked in a trembling voice.
“Who… who exactly are you…?”
Gil-dong was silent for a moment.
The wind rustled his clothes.
And slowly, he opened his mouth.
“I am Hong Gil-dong.”
Suddenly, gasps erupted from here and there.
“Hong Gil-dong…!”
“Could it be that righteous bandit, Hong Gil-dong?”
The atmosphere was instantly overturned by a single name.
The name that had recently been shaking the court and corrupt officials.
A name that circulated among the people like a hero.
That very person was before her eyes.
But Gil-dong was indifferent to such reactions.
He looked down at the old monk and said.
“The wealth you possess.”
“Was it truly all for Buddha?”
The old monk’s face hardened.
Gil-dong’s voice continued coldly.
“While the common people starve to death, rice rots in the temple storerooms.”
“Is that truly compassion?”
No one could answer.
Gil-dong let out a small laugh.
“I am more honest than you.”
He looked down at the foot of the mountain.
“At least I live openly as a bandit from the start.”
Those words pierced like a dagger.
The monks lowered their heads.
At that moment—
A torch signal rose in the distance.
One of Gil-dong's subordinates rushed over.
"General!"
"The packing is done!"
Gil-dong slowly nodded his head.
"All troops, withdraw."
A short command was given.
Instantly, the bandits began to move in unison.
Horses were led out.
Carriages began to move.
Hundreds of bandits exited onto the mountain path in an orderly fashion.
It was as if they were a trained army from the start.
Gil-dong did not leave his spot until the very end.
He looked at Haein-sa Temple for a moment.
The massive temple revealed under the lamplight.
And thousands of monks, tied up and trembling.
Gil-dong's eyes deepened inexplicably.
A moment later—
He, too, turned and walked into the darkness.
After that night.
The name Hong Gil-dong was no longer just the name of a simple bandit.