pansori

Heungbu and Nolbu: The Korean Folk Tale of Two Brothers

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Illustration of two brothers standing beside decorated gourds outside a thatched house and a tiled house

Heungbu and Nolbu is the story of two brothers. The elder is rich and cruel, the younger is poor and kind. A bird gets hurt, someone helps it, and gourds full of treasure follow. Most people can predict where this story is going within thirty seconds. What almost no English summary tells you is how … Read more

The Tale of Chunhyang: Korea’s Greatest Love Story (and the Original K-Drama)

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Illustration of Chunhyang on a swing while Yi Mongryong watches, from the classic Korean tale

A young woman of low birth falls in love with a nobleman’s son. They marry in secret. He leaves for the capital promising to return. A cruel official arrives and demands she become his concubine; she refuses, and is imprisoned and beaten for it. Then, at the last possible moment, a stranger reveals his true … Read more