@article{ART003342559},
author={이은경},
title={The Novelization Pattern and Meaning of ‘Hanwang Gogu’ in Korean full-length classical novels},
journal={The Research of the Korean Classic},
issn={1226-3850},
year={2026},
number={73},
pages={145-184}
TY - JOUR
AU - 이은경
TI - The Novelization Pattern and Meaning of ‘Hanwang Gogu’ in Korean full-length classical novels
JO - The Research of the Korean Classic
PY - 2026
VL - null
IS - 73
PB - The Research Of The Korean Classic
SP - 145
EP - 184
SN - 1226-3850
AB - This study examines the patterns of fictionalization of “Hanwang Gogu,” a figure that repeatedly appears in Korean vernacular long novels, and explores the ways in which a historical figure is reconstructed within fictional narratives. Hanwang Gogu is based on Zhu Gaoxu, the second son of the Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty. However, in these novels, he consistently appears under the name “Gogu” and is represented in ways that diverge significantly from historical records. While historical accounts of Zhu Gaoxu are fragmentary and limited, the fictional Hanwang Gogu is portrayed in diverse forms, including a violent authority figure, a lecherous character, a passive accomplice, and a figure who threatens familial order.
These variations are not merely differences in characterization but are closely tied to the structural demands of long narratives. Hanwang Gogu functions as a “functional villain” who initiates political conflicts and sustains narrative tension. Through the contrast between order and disorder, his presence highlights the morality and legitimacy of the protagonist. Moreover, he operates as a figure who tests and destabilizes order across multiple dimensions, including political authority, governing capacity, and familial ethics, thereby serving as a recurring structural device within Korean vernacular long novels.
Furthermore, because Hanwang Gogu is relatively unconstrained by historical documentation, he is reimagined through the author’s creative imagination in various narrative roles, contributing to the expansion of fictional worlds. This figure also undergoes transformations across different texts, forming intertextual connections that link multiple narrative worlds. As a result, readers encounter multiple variations of the same character, enabling a layered and dynamic reading experience.
In conclusion, the representation of Hanwang Gogu demonstrates that Korean vernacular long novels actively reconstruct historical figures according to narrative functions rather than simply reproducing historical facts. This case illustrates a narrative strategy that transcends the boundary between history and fiction and underscores the autonomous and generative nature of fictional worlds.
KW - Hanwang Gogu;Zhu Gaoxu;historical reception;fictional world;narrative structure;intertextuality
DO -
UR -
ER -
이은경. (2026). The Novelization Pattern and Meaning of ‘Hanwang Gogu’ in Korean full-length classical novels. The Research of the Korean Classic, 73, 145-184.
이은경. 2026, "The Novelization Pattern and Meaning of ‘Hanwang Gogu’ in Korean full-length classical novels", The Research of the Korean Classic, no.73, pp.145-184.
이은경 "The Novelization Pattern and Meaning of ‘Hanwang Gogu’ in Korean full-length classical novels" The Research of the Korean Classic 73 pp.145-184 (2026) : 145.
이은경. The Novelization Pattern and Meaning of ‘Hanwang Gogu’ in Korean full-length classical novels. 2026; 73 : 145-184.
이은경. "The Novelization Pattern and Meaning of ‘Hanwang Gogu’ in Korean full-length classical novels" The Research of the Korean Classic no.73(2026) : 145-184.
이은경. The Novelization Pattern and Meaning of ‘Hanwang Gogu’ in Korean full-length classical novels. The Research of the Korean Classic, 73, 145-184.
이은경. The Novelization Pattern and Meaning of ‘Hanwang Gogu’ in Korean full-length classical novels. The Research of the Korean Classic. 2026; 73 145-184.
이은경. The Novelization Pattern and Meaning of ‘Hanwang Gogu’ in Korean full-length classical novels. 2026; 73 : 145-184.
이은경. "The Novelization Pattern and Meaning of ‘Hanwang Gogu’ in Korean full-length classical novels" The Research of the Korean Classic no.73(2026) : 145-184.
