KJCKorea
Journal Central

Kim Ryeo took the basis of <Yuguwangsejaoejeon>, a story about Crown Prince Yugu, from folk tales and transmissions. Around 200 years ago, a party with crown prince Yugu drifted ashore on Jeju Island, and officials including a Jeju minister killed the crown prince and hundreds of foreigners to plunder precious treasure from the ship. So, a rumor that Yugu Country would cross the sea for revenge spread. Folk records such as 『Taekriji』 recorded the plunder based on the transmitted record. Kim Ryeo reflected the history based on the written record and expressed the future-oriented hope to revive the relationship with Yugu Country in his book. However, according to 『Joseon Silrok』, an official national record, the government tended to conceal the attack to the Yugu people, showing a vague attitude toward it. When political change happened, they would approach it according to the situations of the officers. The Jeju minister, who was the person concerned, was appointed to a higher position. Kim Ryeo disclosed the minister's wrongdoing specifically and criticized the corrupted power the evil people enjoyed. His historical consciousness was dramatically delivered to readers through his literary imagination. He made fantastic lists of treasures officers were fascinated with and increased indignation and pathos by describing that the crown prince wrote a poem of death with his blood. He weakened the logic the Jeju minister excused himself with by changing his real name and showed that an evil person with an imaginary name can be the subject of harsh judgement. As well, feeling sorry about the position of Yugu Country which could not obtain revenge as it is a small country, he cast a sad question on what could be done if they would cross the sea on a battleship. Kim Ryeo's literary mind based on stern historical lessons and understanding of the common people raised the problems consciousness in this work.

Kim Ryeo, <Yuguwangsejaoejeon>, Taekriji, Joseon Silrok, historical consciousness, literary imagination