Hong Kiltong (; âÂÂ) was a Korean outlaw from the Joseon period who is thought to have inspired the Joseon-era Korean novel Hong Gildong jeon, which features a protagonist of a similar name. He was the leader of a group of bandits during the reign of King Yeonsangun of Joseon, and is briefly mentioned in the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty.
While much of his life remains unknown, most Korean historians agree that his rebellion in Chungcheong Province became the inspiration behind the popular Korean novel.
Hong Kiltong was born in the village of Ach'isil () in Agok-ri, Jangseong County, in Jeolla Province, around 1440. According to genealogy records, his father was Hong Sangjik (), who served as a high-level official () in the Joseon royal court. The identity of Hong's mother remains uncertain; historical records suggest two possible women, both of whom were of a lowly class. One is Chun Sà Âm (), a nobi woman who is said to have given birth to Hong in 1440 according to the Mansà Ângdaedongbo, a collection of Korean genealogy records compiled in the 1920s. The other is Ok Yà Ânghyang (), a kisaeng who cohabited Hong Sangjik and appears in the 22nd day, 7th month, 26th year (1444) entry of the Veritable Records of Sejong.
Throughout the late 15th century, peasant rebellions rose throughout Joseon as yangban landlords exploited the peasantry, many of whom had become tenant farmers after losing their farmlands. Peasant armies launched insurrections during Yeonsangun's tyrannical reign (1495âÂÂ1506), attacking yangban households or local offices.
Hong led a major peasant army in Chungcheong Province, where he, dressed as an aristocrat, raided several government offices. Hong was eventually captured in 1500, according to the 22nd day, 10th month, 6th year (1500) entry of the Diary of Yeonsangun. Hong's capture was reported directly to the king by the High State Councillors, who labeled Hong an "outlaw" and rejoiced over the news of his arrest. Hong was subsequently transferred to the à ¬igà Âmbu in Hanseong, where he was interrogated. The subsequent investigation into Hong's insurrection revealed that he had conspired with à Âm Kwison (), a high-ranking military officer. à Âm was later accused of additional charges of corruption and eventually died in prison.
There are no surviving historical records that mention Hong's death, leading historians to speculate that he would have died incarcerated shortly after his capture. Seol Seong-gyeong () of Yonsei University has suggested the possibility that Hong may have escaped prison and migrated to Okinawa, where he became the renowned Ryukyuan rebel leader Oyake Akahachi. However, this hypothesis has since been dismissed due to the lack of solid evidence.
The Hong Gildong jeon, a Korean novel written during the Joseon period, is considered one of the most iconic pieces of Korean literature. The Hong Gildong jeon revolves around the life of Hong Gildong, the illegitimate son of a yangban family who steals the riches of wealthy aristocrats and leads the peasantry using his supernatural abilities.
For a long time, the Hong Gildong jeon and its main protagonist, Hong Gildong, were considered works of pure fiction. Studies suggesting the existence of a real-life Hong Gildong who served as the inspiration for the novel were first published in 1969 by Lee Neung-u () of Sookmyung Women's University. In 1981, Kim Gi-dong () of Dongguk University found records of Hong Kiltong in several historical texts, such as the Tales from the Green Hills, finding further evidence suggesting his existence as the historical counterpart to the fictional character. Most historians of Korean history now agree that Hong Kiltong and his rebellion served as the inspiration behind the novel.
The exact authorship of the Hong Gildong jeon remains debated; some historic sources, such as 's , cite Joseon novelist and politician HÃ Â Kyun as the author, while other historians have questioned the verifiability of these sources. This ambiguity has led some to theorize that the modern-day rendition of the Hong Gildong jeon originates from a factual biography of Hong Kiltong authored by HÃ Â.