The Tale of a Yangban양반전 · 兩班傳
A deed is drawn up to sell the status of a yangban. As its terms change, questions of respectability and privilege emerge.
Social status · Respectability8 min
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The Tale of Master Yedeok예덕선생전 · 穢德先生傳
A teacher befriends Eom Haengsu, who carries away night soil, but his pupil cannot understand the friendship. Their conversation asks what makes a person worthy of respect.
Labor · Friendship8 min
The Tale of Old Min민옹전 · 閔翁傳
Old Min opens people's hearts through laughter. Behind his wit remain his long-held ambitions and a young writer's longing for the man he remembers.
Humor · Talent10 min
The Tale of Gwangmun광문자전 · 廣文者傳
Gwangmun buries a dead child in an old straw mat. Read both the main account of how he earns people's trust and the later tale of what his growing reputation brings.
Trust · Reputation10 min
The Horse Brokers마장전 · 馬駔傳
Three men discuss the art of making friends on Gwangtong Bridge. What room is left for friendship in a world where even praise and tears are calculated?
Friendship · Hypocrisy10 min
The Tale of Usang우상전 · 虞裳傳
A young interpreter won fame for his poetry in Japan, yet recognition at home remained out of reach. Read about a writer's regret as he gathers the work that survives.
Talent · Recognition12 min
The Tale of the Recluse Eom엄처사전 · 嚴處士傳
A scholar studies to make his mother proud, then turns away from office after her death. Read about choosing between success recognized by society and a life guided by one's own commitments.
Care · Advancement9 min
The Tale of Songok the Mountain Dweller손곡산인전 · 蓀谷山人傳
The poet Lee Dal sets aside a familiar way of writing and spends five years learning anew. Heo Gyun remembers a man whose poetic reputation grew while his place in society remained narrow.
Talent · Learning10 min
The Tale of Master Namgung남궁선생전 · 南宮先生傳
Fleeing after a grave crime, Namgung Du learns the art of long life from a mountain teacher. Follow the impulse that defeats his years of training and the loneliness that comes with longevity.
Desire · Spiritual training24 min
The Tale of Jang장생전 · 蔣生傳
Jang shares the grain he begs and imitates every kind of sound. A night beyond the palace walls and a reunion after death turn a street performer into a man who defies easy explanation.
Sharing · Skill10 min