Joseon Legend: Hong Gil-Dong, the Hero! (2008)

Hong Gil-Dong is a legendary hero of ancient Korea. People often compare him with Robin Hood.

“The Story of Hong Gildong” is a classic in Korean literature, and it has been adapted into a Korean drama series.

ABOUT THE LEGEND OF HONG GIL-DONG:

In many K-dramas, the name of this legendary figure is mentioned. He has often been likened to Robin Hood. Because he is a legend his personality is larger than life and some of the tales about him may or may not be true. Historical sources indicate that there was a bandit named Hong Gil-Dong. But the inspiration for the hero of legend was Im Kkeokjeong (aka Im Geo-jeong or Im Geo-jil-jeong).

Im Kkeokjeong is a real historical figure who led a peasant rebellion in the 1500s and is linked to Hong Gil-Dong and Jang Gil-san. Together they are referred to as the three great thieves of Joseon. When Jeon Woo-chi’s name is added, they are considered the four great thieves. Sadly, life was so hard that they started killing the rich and giving food to the poor. Hence, the comparison to Robin Hood. Also, in the legend (at least in this K-drama series), Hong Gil-Dong had a monk who was his friend just…