King Sejong's Country 1: A Novel by Kim Jin-myung (Hardcover)

Author Kim Jin-myung · Publisher Itabooks · Publication Date 2026-02-24 · ISBN 9791167764119

About the Book

"Hunminjeongeum was not just a script; it was Joseon's destiny."

The return of the master who transcends fact and fiction, Kim Jin-myung
The secret of the magnificent birth of the source of the Hallyu wave is revealed.
The Nation of Sejong

Korea's leading author, Kim Jin-myung, has returned. A master of faction whose works, including The Rose of Sharon Has Bloomed, Goguryeo, and Feng Shui War, have caused a social stir and rewritten the history of Korea, he now brings us 'Hangeul,' the greatest heritage of our people.

We typically know Hunminjeongeum as a "scientific script" and a testament to "King Sejong's love for his people." However, the author asks: How could one king create such a perfect script, escaping the watchful eyes of Ming China, then the world's most powerful nation, and overcoming the opposition of pro-Ming, vested-interest officials? The Nation of Sejong begins with this question. The author, combining meticulous research and boundless imagination, vividly reconstructs the life-or-death secret project and mysterious events hidden behind the creation of Hunminjeongeum.

Gyeongbokgung Palace, a silent battlefield; the disappearance of forbidden books and the death of a master; and the shocking truth hidden within: 'Ban Hwa Yo Seol' (反華妖說, anti-Chinese heresy). The novel is more than a mere enumeration of historical facts; it unfolds with the urgency of a thriller film. Han Seok-ri, a Geumbu Dosa (inspector general) on the verge of losing the woman he loves; Kwon Sook-hyun, a strong-willed woman forging her own destiny; and Sejong, the lonely monarch. The stories of these characters, struggling to uphold their beliefs amidst the maelstrom of history, resonate deeply with readers.

Author Kim Jin-myung states, "Hangeul is the backbone of our national identity and a solid shield that protected our existence amidst foreign powers. Furthermore, from a human historical perspective, it is a turning point in civilization that shifted writing from a tool of power to a human right." The Nation of Sejong demonstrates that the reason the entire world is now captivated by K-culture, the source of its explosive energy, lies in the seeds sown by Sejong 500 years ago.

Even at this moment, we think in Hangeul, and we communicate in Hangeul. The Nation of Sejong is a must-read for all Koreans, prompting reflection on what the greatest choice of the loneliest king 500 years ago means to us today.


Synopsis

Joseon is under the massive shadow of the Ming Dynasty. Ming China plunders Joseon for virgins and tributes and strictly controls Joseon's independent voice. Sejong is enraged by the reality that his people have no way to plead their case even when wronged. "People are dying because they cannot even write the single phrase 'Please save me.' Do the ways of the sages you read merely turn people into mutes?" Sejong secretly researches "sound" with Jang Yeong-sil. In the pitch darkness, they scatter millet and shout, observing the patterns formed by the sound waves with their eyes, dreaming of a revolution to "turn invisible sounds into visible pictures (letters)."

Kwon Sook-hyun, a bright young woman from a fallen yangban family in Andong, becomes curious about Han Seok-ri, a Geumbu Dosa she meets by chance. From him, who observed objects to create a "lotus leaf raincoat," she learns true knowledge. Although the two feel a destiny with each other, the times do not leave them in peace. When Ming eunuch Kang Baek-chang imposes a marriage ban on Joseon and causes trouble, their fate is swept into a great maelstrom. The tragedy of lovers who must walk different paths for the sake of what they want to protect begins.

Han Seok-ri, acting on Sejong's secret orders, tracks the secret of his master, Yoon Ui-gyeom, who was accused of treason and died during King Taejong's reign. After persistent pursuit, he finds two forbidden books. In those old books, Seok-ri uncovers a shocking truth. He learns that his master was killed because of this dangerous truth called 'Ban Hwa Yo Seol.' This becomes the key to proving that Sejong's creation of the script was not merely an invention but an act of recovering the sound of lost history.

When the news of Sejong creating a new script spreads, the literati collectively oppose it, saying, "They are abandoning the emperor's script and trying to become barbarians." The court officials pressure the king, and Ming's surveillance tightens day by day. Sejong faces fierce opposition from his officials within and the threat of the empire without. On a path that everyone says is impossible, Sejong makes a final decision not for his own safety but for the future of his people…

Table of Contents

Author's Note

Prologue

The Impoverished Scholar
A Miraculous Encounter
Is That the Only Way?
Dream or Reality?
Your World
Envoy Kang Baek-chang
A Glimmer of News
The Road to Hanyang
Pagoda Pilgrimage
Saekdong Pouch
Yoon's Workshop
Marriage Ban
When Love Turns to Hatred
The Other Side of Power
Like a Dream
A Bolt from the Blue
Sook-hyun's Resolve
Farewell at Amnokgang
The Death of Master Yoon
The Intuition of a Slave
A Gwan-no of Gongju-mok
Another Field of Study
When Two Books Combine
The Owner of the Letters
A Nation Called Joseon
West of the Forbidden City
Draw the Sound