This article deals with so-called court literature, a very scarce type among Korean popular novels from the second half of the Choson dynasty. The preserved works of the genre - Kyech´uk ilgi, Inhyon wanghujon, and Hanjungnok - are analyzed not only aesthetically, but also historically, as record of Korean court personalities and customs of the time. A typical theme in these works includes a heroine meeting the Confucian ideal - a suffering woman living in the seclusion of the palace.
This paper focuses on the life of and stories about the great man of Korean ancient times - politician and warrior Kim Yu-sin as mirrored in the oldest Korean literature. It also attempts to establish a real biography and pose questions regarding his life.