- Overview
-
This book is about the two women leaders, Jun-jeong and Nam-mo, and their dramatic lives in the rise of the Silla Kingdom in ancient Korea.
- Book Intro
-
Rang is a historical novel from the point of view of two women that retraces the origin of Hwarang, which was known exclusively as male group and credited for the rise of Silla Kingdom. Kim Munju, the novelist, was inspired by a brief record of “Wonhwa” in both the Samguk Yusa and Samguk Sagi, and adds her imagination to delineate the life of the Silla women who were autonomous and dignified. She writes about the lives and the love of the two women who were the first leaders of the Hwarang.
During the reign of King Beopheung of Silla, the aristocracy was gaining more power while the throne became weakened; in order to fortify his position, the king adopts Buddhism as the national religion. The king was greatly interested in the education of the youth who were the future of Silla, and thus organizes a group who would undergo physical, mental, and artistic training. Jun-jeong and Nam-mo, who proved to excel in archery and leadership, become the leaders at the suggestion of the King and the recommendation of the members of the Hwarang. Their short-lived position quickly vanished but their record remained as follows from an ancient Korean book.
Two beautiful women were chosen as Wonhwa, the leaders to take charge of the Hwarang group. But they became envious of each other’s beauty and quarreled. Jun-jeong invited Nam-mo to her house and induced her to get drunk then threw her into the river. After Jun-jeong was executed, the group lost its comity and disbanded (from Samguk Sagi).
The novelist subverts the brief record of how the two women competed against each other, resulting in the dissolution of Wonhwa, the position of leadership. She believes their story ended up being viewed as “frivolous” because Silla underwent a power struggle from a women-centered kingdom to a male-dominant society, and hence reinterprets the history of Wonhwa.
- About the Author
-
Kim Munju
The author won the Literature and Thought Publishing Company New Writer’s Award for her children’s book, Grandma, I Love you in 2020 and has been writing since. She has thus far written the following books: Classroom Without Peer Alienation, Child Who Cleans the Poop, Bonggu PPonggu and Bonggyu, Sun-ja, I Love You, Day of Committee Meeting for School Violence and Kkami Who Went to the Sea. She is the author of the following three full-length novels: Baekjeshingeum, the Muye Literature Award-winning work, Rang and Buyeo Chair. She received the ARCO grant for creative work with What’s the Name of This Fish?