The Imjin nok, or the Record of the Black Dragon Year: An Introduction

The author discusses the Imjin nok, the first tale inspired by the Japanese invasions of Korea between 1592 and 1598. He concentrates on four versions of the tale, examining their differences in content, structure, and style. The stories presented in the four different versions are outlined. Then the author discusses eleven recurring motifs shared by the four narratives. The article concludes with an analysis of the Imjin nok as a narrative fiction that incorporates elements of heroic fiction, popular tradition, meditations on history, and considerations of morality and politics. An appendix describes twenty-two texts of the Imjin nok.