Find Them! 100 Great Koreans Who Brightened Korea: A Korean History Story Through Hidden Pictures and Song Lyrics

Author Kim Ji-yeon · Publisher Hanbit Edu · Published 2026-08-01 · ISBN 9791169214650

About the Book

That song you sang along to without knowing what it meant,
A way to truly understand it by seeing it with your eyes and pointing with your hands

Among Koreans, there's a song everyone knows: "100 Great Figures Who Shined in Korea." It's a national children's song that almost everyone passionately sings along to at some point while growing up. Yet, not many children who sing it truly understand what the lyrics mean, such as "Seo Hui and the Khitans," "Choi Museon and his cannons," or "Ji Seok-young and smallpox vaccination." 《Find Them! 100 Great Figures Who Shined in Korea》 is a book that unravels the stories of these great figures through a hidden picture activity. It not only covers their representative achievements but also tells engaging stories about the times they lived in and why they were important. The book features vivid illustrations of decisive historical moments related to these figures, making it easy and approachable for children encountering Korean history for the first time.

Keep searching and finding hidden pictures, and Korean history will naturally stick in your mind!

Many children have the preconception that history is difficult and requires memorization. Parents often don't feel confident enough to fully answer their children's questions. This book opts for a method of encountering history through hidden picture puzzles, one of children's favorite play activities. By finding hidden pictures in historical scenes featuring great figures, and by engaging in spot-the-difference and maze games, children naturally grasp historical events, figures, and their backgrounds, and before they know it, a broad understanding of Korean history takes shape in their minds. Because it's an activity closer to play than study, it's a suitable light first step to spark interest in history.

From Dangun Wanggeom to Lee Jung-seop, a book packed with the lives and history of 100 great figures

From Dangun Wanggeom, who founded Gojoseon, to Lee Jung-seop, a representative Korean painter, the 100 great figures in this book each have diverse facets. Encountering these 100 figures chronologically—kings who established new nations, kings who unified various countries, capable officials, brilliant generals, scholars and artists, revolutionaries, and independence activists—will be a very meaningful experience for children, compressing our history and culture for them.

Living Korean history that also teaches about artifacts and historical sites

Representative artifacts and historical sites from different eras, such as dolmens, Cheomseongdae, the Gilt-bronze Incense Burner of Baekje, the Stone Lantern of Balhae, the Tripitaka Koreana, the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, and the Independence Gate, also appear as hidden picture elements. To find the hidden pictures, children must closely examine the names, characteristics, and even appearances of various cultural heritage items, allowing them to accurately recognize the information. This book not only teaches about great figures but also helps children understand the daily life, culture, and historical background of the time, making for a more three-dimensional study of history.

* Certification Type: Supplier's Declaration of Conformity

Table of Contents

-Section 1-
001 Dangun Wanggeom, who founded Gojoseon, the first nation on our land
002 King Dongmyeong, who established Goguryeo in Jolbon
003 King Onjo, who established Baekje in the southern part of the Han River
004 Hyeokgeose, who founded the thousand-year kingdom of Silla
005 King Gwanggaeto the Great, who developed Goguryeo into a powerful nation
006 General Isabu of Silla, who conquered Gaya and Usanguk
007 Baekgyeol Seonsaeng, who lived in poverty his entire life and played the geomungo
008 King Uija, who became the last king of Baekje
009 General Gyebaek of Baekje, who met his death at Hwangsanbeol
010 Gwanjang, the boy who sacrificed his life for Silla
-Section 2-
011 General Kim Yu-sin of Silla, who led the unification of the Three Kingdoms
012 King Munmu, who completed the unification of the Three Kingdoms
013 Great Monk Wonhyo, who spread enlightenment to the people of Silla
014 Hyecho, who traveled to India and left records
015 Jang Bogo, the prince of the sea who established Cheonghaejin
016 Dae Jo-yeong, who founded Balhae, the 'Flourishing Nation in the East'
017 Gang Gam-chan, who defeated the 100,000-strong Khitan army
018 Seo Hui, who successfully negotiated with the Khitans
019 Jeong Jung-bu, who staged a coup and ushered in the era of military rule
020 Choi Mu-seon, who drove out the Japanese pirates with gunpowder and weapons
021~027 The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, who endured difficult times in harmony with nature
028 Kim Bu-sik, who left behind the oldest history book, "Samguk Sagi"
029 Jinul, who worked to unify the Gyo and Seon schools of Buddhism
030 Uicheon, who, as a royal prince, contributed to the development of Buddhism
031 Yi Jong-mu, who fought Japanese pirates his entire life and conquered Tsushima Island
032 Jeong Mong-ju, who died trying to protect Goryeo
033 Mun Ik-jeom, who warmed the people by cultivating cotton
034 Choe Chung, the 'Confucius of the East' who revived Confucian education in Goryeo
035 Il-yeon, who wrote "Samguk Yusa," a representative history book of Korea
-Section 3-
036 Choi Yeong, the last loyal subject of Goryeo, who was incorruptible his entire life
037 Hwang Hui, the wise prime minister who helped King Sejong lead Joseon to prosperity
038 Maeng Sa-seong, known as an incorruptible and honest official
039 Jang Yeong-sil, who brought Joseon's scientific technology to fruition
040 Sin Suk-ju, a talented scholar who became a symbol of betrayal
041 Han Myeong-hoe, who achieved ultimate power by successfully carrying out the Coup of Gyeyu
042 Yi Yul-gok, a Confucian scholar and politician
043 Yi Toegye, who laid the foundation for Joseon Neo-Confucianism
044 Shin Saimdang, a representative female artist of Joseon
045 Gwak Jae-u, the General in Red, who distinguished himself in the Jinju Fortress Battle
046 Jo Heon, a scholar who knew how to act
047 Kim Si-min, who defended Jinju Fortress against the Japanese army
048 Yi Sun-sin, the hero of heroes who protected Joseon's seas
049~055 Taejong, Sejong, Sejo, Seongjong, Munjong, Danjong, Sejo, who laid the foundation of the Joseon Dynasty
056~061 The Six Loyal Ministers, who remained loyal to Danjong until their deaths
062~067 The Six Living Loyalists, who remained loyal to Danjong until their deaths
068 Nongae, the woman who jumped into the river holding an enemy general
069 Gwon Yul, the brilliant general who led the Battle of Haengju
-Section 4-
070 Hong Gil-dong, who, unlike in fiction, was not a righteous thief
071 Im Kkeok-jeong, who sought a way to survive by becoming a thief in a chaotic era
072~074 The Three Scholars, who stood tall even before the Qing Emperor
075 Bak Mun-su, an upright official and secret royal inspector
076 Han Seok-bong, the greatest calligrapher who perfected his own unique script
077 Kim Hong-do, the painter who depicted the lives of Joseon commoners
078 Kim Sat-gat, who wrote poems filled with sharp criticism and humor
079 Kim Jeong-ho, who created "Daedongyeojido," a map encompassing Joseon
080 King Yeongjo, who developed late Joseon by considering the nation and its people
081 King Jeongjo, who pursued reform politics with strong royal authority
082 Jeong Yak-yong, a representative Silhak scholar of late Joseon
083 Jeon Bong-jun, the Nokdu General who led the Donghak Peasant Revolution
084 Kim Dae-geon, the first Korean Catholic priest
085 Hwang Jin-yi, a gisaeng skilled in poetry, calligraphy, painting, music, and dance
086 Hong Gyeong-rae, who led a rebellion against corrupt power
087 Kim Ok-gyun, who spearheaded the Gapsin Coup, which lasted only three days
088 Ahn Jung-geun, an independence activist who sacrificed his life to save the nation
089 Yi Wan-yong, who became a pro-Japanese collaborator and led the sell-out of the nation
-Section 5-
090 Yun Dong-ju, a poet who sang of stars in a dark reality
091 Ji Seok-yeong, who saved many lives by implementing smallpox vaccination
092 Son Byeong-hui, one of the 33 national representatives who declared Korean independence
093 Yu Gwan-sun, an independence activist who died shouting "Long live Korean independence!"
094 Ahn Chang-ho, a national leader who dedicated his life to the anti-Japanese movement
095 Bang Jeong-hwan, who created Children's Day for the hope of the future, children
096~097 Yi Su-il and Shim Sun-ae, who made people laugh and cry
098 Kim Du-han, who navigated life in a chaotic era
099 Yi Sang, a tragic genius ahead of his time
100 Yi Jung-seop, a painter who expressed emotions with intense lines