The Legendary Hong Gildong’s Revenge
Reading time: 6 min
About this story: The Legendary Hong Gildong’s Revenge is a Legend from South Korea set in the Medieval. This Dramatic tale explores themes of Justice and is suitable for Adults. It offers Historical insights. A legendary outlaw returns to seek justice in a kingdom on the brink of ruin.
The streets of Hanyang, the bustling heart of Joseon, pulsed with life as merchants bartered, scholars debated, and commoners hurried to their daily toil. Lanterns flickered beneath the evening sky, their soft glow stretching across wooden stalls and narrow alleyways. But beneath the city’s lively facade, fear lurked—an unease that traveled from mouth to ear in hushed whispers.
“Have you heard? Someone saw him in the market.”
“Who?”
“The ghost of Hong Gildong.”
At the mention of that name, voices dropped to barely a murmur. Years ago, Hong Gildong, the son of a noble and a servant woman, had defied the rigid laws of Joseon. Cast aside as illegitimate, he had embraced the shadows, becoming the leader of a legendary band of outlaws—stealing from the corrupt and giving to the poor. Some called him a hero. Others, a menace. But all agreed on one thing: he had vanished.
Until now.
The Phantom Returns
Wrapped in a dark, travel-worn robe, Hong Gildong moved unnoticed through the streets he once knew so well. The scent of fresh ink and grilled fish clung to the evening air as vendors called out their wares. It was a city unchanged, yet he saw it now with different eyes.
Years had passed since he last set foot in Hanyang. He had expected to find peace, but instead, he found the people suffering even more than before. Crops were taken in the name of the king, taxes bled the villagers dry, and worst of all—Minister Kim, the very man he had once spared, had grown stronger.
Memories of the past clawed at him—his exile, his rebellion, his victories. He had walked away from it all, thinking he had done enough.
He was wrong.
This time, he had returned not as an outlaw, but as a harbinger of justice.
Shadows of the Past
Hong Gildong had spent years wandering beyond Joseon’s borders. He had sailed to distant lands, studied the strategies of foreign generals, and learned from the wisest monks in the mountains. But no matter how far he traveled, the cries of his people haunted him.
Minister Kim had not only grown powerful—he had betrayed Joseon itself. Spies whispered of secret dealings with foreign forces, of mercenaries hired in the dead of night, of plans to seize the throne from the weak and aging king.
And now, his moment had come.
He slipped into a dimly lit teahouse, where a network of informants had been waiting for him. Among them sat Chun-hee, once a mere courtesan, now the city’s most well-connected spy.
“You shouldn’t have returned, Gildong,” she murmured, pouring him a cup of rice wine. “Minister Kim has eyes everywhere.”
“That’s why I’m here,” he replied, taking a slow sip. “Tell me everything.”
The Bandit King’s Alliance
In the depths of Mount Jiri, a fire crackled against the cold night. Hong Gildong’s old allies had returned.
The warriors who once followed him into battle stood before him again—Jang-seok, the broad-shouldered blacksmith who forged weapons sharp enough to cut through armor, Mok-dan, the fleet-footed scout who knew every mountain path, and Baek-chul, the man who had once wrestled a tiger with his bare hands.
“I never thought we’d fight again,” Jang-seok grinned, gripping Gildong’s hand.
“Did you think I would leave our people to suffer?” Gildong asked.
Baek-chul let out a loud laugh. “I told you, didn’t I? The tiger doesn’t change its stripes.”
That night, they laid their plans. The capital was a fortress of stone and steel, guarded by Minister Kim’s personal army. But Gildong had no intention of fighting a battle of strength.
This would be a war of wit and deception.
The Minister’s Wrath
Inside the lavish halls of his mansion, Minister Kim lounged on a silk cushion, a smirk tugging at his lips. Before him knelt a trembling informant.
“Hong Gildong is alive,” the man stammered.
Kim chuckled, swirling his cup of wine. “Alive? Then why does he not come for me?”
“He’s planning something,” the informant insisted. “The people whisper his name. They say he will bring justice.”
Kim’s smirk faded. He slammed his cup onto the table, wine spilling over the edges.
“Justice? The only justice is mine,” he growled. “Double the patrols. Arrest anyone who speaks his name. And if Hong Gildong dares to set foot in my city, I want his head on a spike.”
The Infiltration
Dressed in the armor of a palace guard, Hong Gildong moved unseen through the corridors of the royal palace. Every step was measured, every breath controlled.
He reached Minister Kim’s chambers and pressed himself against the wooden screen, listening.
A foreign voice spoke—deep, commanding.
“The king grows weaker,” it said. “When he falls, you will rule.”
Minister Kim’s voice was smooth as silk. “And you will have your reward, my friend.”
Gildong’s pulse quickened. Minister Kim was conspiring with foreign powers to seize the throne.
This was no longer just about revenge. This was about saving Joseon.
The Betrayal
The next evening, under the cover of darkness, Hong Gildong and his men gathered at their secret hideout.
“We move at dawn,” he told them. “We strike the palace, expose Minister Kim, and ensure the king sees his treachery.”
But before they could move, the door burst open. Soldiers stormed in.
“It’s a trap!” Mok-dan shouted.
Steel clashed as the outlaws fought for their lives. Blades flashed in the moonlight. Blood splattered against the wooden floor. One by one, Gildong’s men fell.
A voice rang through the chaos.
“Surrender, Hong Gildong! By the king’s order, you are to be executed!”
Minister Kim had outplayed him.
The Last Gambit
Bound in chains, Hong Gildong was dragged before the royal court.
Minister Kim stood tall, his voice dripping with mock concern. “Your Majesty, this outlaw seeks to overthrow you.”
The king, frail and uncertain, hesitated.
Gildong met his gaze. “I do not seek your throne,” he said, his voice steady. “But Minister Kim does.”
Gasps filled the room.
A servant stepped forward—one of Gildong’s spies. He unrolled a scroll. “Your Majesty, these are letters proving Minister Kim’s treason.”
The court erupted in chaos.
The king’s voice trembled with anger. “Guards—seize him!”
Kim’s face paled. He lunged for his sword, but Gildong was faster.
With one swift stroke, he ended Minister Kim’s tyranny.
A Legend Reborn
With Minister Kim dead and his treason exposed, the king offered Gildong a place in his court.
But Hong Gildong did not belong in palaces.
As dawn painted the sky, he rode away—vanishing into legend.
But the people knew: if ever darkness returned to Joseon, so too would Hong Gildong.
