This early seventeenth-century novel follows the winding path of a secret love affair and the difficulties the court lady and the poet-scholar encounter in attempting to realize their romantic dreams. According to Pettid, "The novel holds all the elements needed for a truly captivating story: love, treachery, heartbreak, danger, and friendship." It is also an excellent character study of divergent personalities ranging from a rival to the throne to a lowly slave. Unyong-jon is especially noteworthy for its female narrative voice, which made the novel very popular among women of the time and has prompted many to ask whether the anonymous author was, in fact, a woman. Pettid addresses this question and others in his introduction and analysis that aid the modern English-speaking reader in understanding the work.
Introduction and annotations by Michael J. Pettid. Translation by Kil Cha.