Stories and myths handed down from ancient times are steeped in imagination. Their worlds don’t exist in our present, yet we can dream of them. What kind of worlds would you like to encounter? Here, Korean books that contain myths and folktales reveal imaginary worlds that we have never seen before.
Daebyeol-wang and Sobyeol-wang are the two sons of the King of Heaven and Earth, according to a creation myth from Jeju Island. Their names might be unfamiliar, but if you’re curious, you can read all about these ancient Korean gods in Rediscovering Korean Myths and Myths and Legends from Korea.
What if the protagonist of an ancient myth lived in the twenty-first century? In Hwang Sok-yong’s Princess Bari, the beauty of the myth shines through in this modern retelling of a girl who saves the world fraught with hardship and adversities.
What would happen if we were to project reality into the world of myths and legends? The five stories in Kim Si-seup’s Tales of the Strange by a Korean Confucian Monk use elements of myths and folktales to enliven the stories while criticizing the absurdities of the Joseon court of those times.
Lastly, in the steampunk novel, Doro the Steam Robot, set during the Joseon period, imagination exceeds even myths and legends. This ingenious feat of imagination brings history into play to create a new Joseon Dynasty in which the steam engine is developed and a steam robot is built.
Korean novels that use mythological elements straddle the line between past and present and imagination and reality. Let’s explore these wonderful books!
ㅣ Novel Tales of the Strange by a Korean Confucian Monk [English]
Author Kim Si-seup
Translator Würthner Dennis
Publisher The University Press of Hawaii
Year Published 2020
Originally published in Korea by Hyundaesa in 1953
Kim Si-seup’s work is the first Korean novel written in Classical Chinese. It contains five stories, “Account of a Chŏp’o Game at Manbok Temple,” “Biography of Scholar Yi Who Peered over the Wall,” “Travel Record of a Drunken Excursion to Pubyŏk Pavillion,” “Gazetteer of the Southern Continent Yŏmbu,” and “Report of Attending a Banquet in the Dragon Palace,” which feature fantastical characters and settings, like ghosts, the king of the otherworld, dragon kings, and palaces of sea kings. Through these awesome stories, the author sheds light on the hypocrisy of the Joseon court while conveying his affection for the people.
ㅣ Novel Princess Bari [English]
Author Hwang Sok-yong
Translators Sora Kim-Russell
Publisher Periscope
Year Published 2015
Originally published in Korea by Changbi in 2007
This book is inspired by the story of Princess Bari who decides to search for a life-saving potion to save her parents’ lives even though they had abandoned her for being born a girl. Hwang’s contemporary retelling follows the difficulties and trials of Bari, the seventh daughter born of a North Korean couple who work as government officials. Yearning for a son, her parents abandon her, and upon her rescue, Bari defects first to China before making her way to London. Will Bari’s soul save a world devastated by war and violence?
ㅣ Novel Rediscovering Korean Myths [Russian]
Author Кёндок Ли
Translators Лидия Азарина
Publisher Манн, Иванов и Фербер
Year Published 2022
Originally published in Korea by Wonderbox in 2020
The curator of this collection is a cultural anthropologist who explains Korean mythological symbols through immersive commentary accompanying the myths in this book. Samseung Halmang blesses couples with children and takes care of them while Jeoseung Halmang guides their souls to the afterworld. Seongjushin is the protector of the family, Jowangshin is the goddess of the hearth, and Jacheongbi is the goddess of love and agriculture. This book takes us on a discovery of the unfamiliar yet fascinating world of Korean mythology.
ㅣ Novel Myths and Legends from Korea [English]
Author -
Translators James Huntley Grayson
Publisher Curzon
Year Published 2011
This book contains an incredible number of 175 myths and tales from Korea, accompanied by sixteen more stories to facilitate comparison between the existing versions. The book is structured according to three themes: mythological tales related to ancient nations and clans, ancient folktales and legends, and modern stories. Before we know it, we will be captivated by these stories as we search for the origins of each myth.
ㅣ Novel Doro the Steam Robot [Japanese]
Author Kim Yihwan et al.
Translator Kira Kanae
Publisher Hayakawa Publishing Corporation
Year Published 2023
Originally published in Korea by Arzak in 2021
The starting point of this collection of steampunk stories is the question, “What if the steam engine had been created in the Joseon period?” The five stories, Jung Myeong Seop’s “Steam Outcast,” Park Aejin’s “The Gentleman’s Road,” Kim Yihwan’s “The Tale of Madame Park,” Park Haru’s “Yeommae Godok,” Yi Seoyoung’s “The Royal Secretary’s Power,” are connected to the adventures of Doro, a robot powered by steam, a technology imagined to be introduced during the Joseon period. When the sheer force of imagination meets history, readers might find themselves turned into ‘Doro’.
PI OK-HEE
Pi Ok-hee is an insightful writer who offers a unique perspective on the world. With a diverse range of interests, she contributes to newspapers and magazines, delving into topics such as people, spaces, books, and travel. Beyond her journalistic endeavors, Pi Ok-hee excels as a ghostwriter, crafting captivating stories and providing content for corporate newsletters, speeches, and casebooks for both companies and public institutions.