There were many different kinds of ttakjibon novels.

Some ttakjibon novels were well-known

classics such as Hongildong-jeon (홍길동전), Parkssi-jeon (박씨전), Guunmong (구운몽), and
Samgukji (삼국지), but others were popular fiction that reflected the trends of the times.
Novels like Aegukbuin-jeon (애국부인전), Chiak-san (치악산), and Chuwolsaek (추월색) were
products of Korean popular culture of the 1900’s-1910’s, and they opened a new chapter in the
history of modern Korean literature. As a part of popular culture, these kinds of ttakjibon
novels subtly reflected the state of affairs of contemporary Korean society and culture. Novels
like Sinilseon’s Tears (신일선의 눈물) and Kangmyeonghwa-jeon (강명화전) were based on
real-life famous persons, while novels like Is This Liquor a Tear or a Sigh? (술은 눈물인가 한숨
이런가), A Brave White-Clad Young Man in Manchuria Fields (만주황야 대담한 백의청년),
and Flight War (비행전쟁) directly reflected the ground reality of politics and society of 1920’s-
30’s Korea. As a result, it can be said that ttakjibon novels encapsulated the popular culture of
Korea in the 1920’s-30’s

Hero novels

In the late Joseon Dynasty, many novels were written about the lives of heroes who came from
respectable families and overcame difficulties in life. Several different versions of one original book
often existed, and remakes and adaptations of these books were published again in the form of
ttakjibon novels. From this we can infer that these kinds of novels were very popular with people
of the time. Even though these works can be generally categorized as hero novels, war hero
novels were based on actual historical events while others dealt with the protagonist's fictional life
story. Hero life story novels included Yuchungryeol-jeon (유충열전), Honggildong-jeon (홍길동
전), Jeonuchi-jeon (전우치전), and Janggukjin-jeon (장국진전). In the case of Yuchungryeol-jeon,
moral lessons such as loyalty and filial piety were communicated through the protagonist's life
story. Janggukjin-jeon was set in Ming Dynasty China and conveyed Buddhist and Taoist
worldviews through the life of the protagonist, Janggukjin. Honggildong-jeon and Jeonuchi-jeon
unveiled stories about heroes who devoted themselves to the people. Jeonuchi-jeon, however,
was not about the hero's life; rather, it had fun stories about the mysterious Taoist magical abilities
of the protagonist, Jeonuchi. War story novels included Joung-jeon (조웅전), Jojaryong-jeon (조자
룡전), Aegukbuin-jeon (애국부인전), and Pakssi-jeon (박씨전). Aegukbuin-jeon was a novel
adapted from the story of Joan of Arc, who led her people to victory in several battles. In the case
of Jojaryong-jeon, the main character Jojaryong led his army to victory due to his fearlessness and
superhuman powers. In sum, hero novels depicted protagonists who, after confronting and
overcoming adversities in life and acquiring special abilities, went on to either become war heroes
or dedicate their lives to the pursuit of social justice. As such, these novels were a conduit for the
writer's point of view and for voices that criticized society.

Social novels

Novels of this type can be classified into two groups. The first is the "social problem"
novel, which dealt with societal problems or realities by exposing and criticizing societal
irregularities and contradictions. The second is the "novel of manners", which placed an
emphasis on changing social conventions and realistically portrayed a wide range of
social aspects of that time, such as everyday life and social customs. As a result, reading
social novels can help us understand the external and internal aspects of contemporary
people.

Many important events in modern Korean history, such as the Donghak Peasant
Movement and Gabo Reforms of 1894, the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1905 (also known as
the Eulsa Treaty), and the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1910 (also known as the Japan-Korea
Annexation Treaty), occurred in the early 1900s. Because the mass production of
ttakjibon novels began during this turbulent era, ttakjibon novels were naturally greatly
influenced by these historical events. Given the characteristics of social novels and the
time period in which they were popularized, these types of ttakjibon novels were able to
capture the confusion and chaos that people experienced in the midst of those historical
realities

FAMILY SAGA NOVELS

Novels about a single family or that follow a family through several generations are
often known as "family saga novels." The narratives of such novels typically revolve
around either conflicts that arise between family members, such as sibling rivalries,
rivalries between wife and concubine, and the relationship between parents and children,
or pressing situations in which the family is almost destroyed by outside forces.

Some examples of these types of novels included Janghwahongryeon-jeon (장화홍련

전), Changseongamuirok (창선감의록), Sassinamjeonggi (사씨남정기), and Soun-jeon
(소운전). Soun-jeon is an adaptation of a Chinese novel about the hardships that befell
the So household at the hands of villains, and the revenge that gave solace to the So
family. The revenge expressed in these kinds of stories was a reflection of the
consciousness in the community, made possible by the firm belief in strong family ties
that existed in Korean society.

Reading these family saga novels can be a consolation to the reader, as the reader
might identify with the main character and reflect on how to resolve conflicts within his
or her own family. Even though family saga novels were mostly used as educational
tools for imparting social mores, they should also be valued for relating the kinds of
universal concerns that family members experience regardless of age, time, or place.

Detective novels

The "detective novel" is about the occurrence of a crime and the main character's
deductive process in solving that crime. From here, the general subject matter, plots, and
writing techniques begin to emerge. These mostly had to do with the motives for the
crime, conflict between the criminal and person solving the case, the pursuit, and the
techniques used in conducting the investigation.

The appearance of what is now known as "detective novels" in Korea goes back to the
early 1900s. At that time, the words "detective" and "spy" were used interchangeably. In
other words, both of those terms were used to refer to the person carrying out a secret
investigation of an incident. Starting in the early 1910s, a great deal of translations and
adaptations of Western detective novels were introduced to Korea as "spy novels," and
this flow continued until the 1930s.

While the detective novels widely read during this period were similar to the exemplar
detective novels introduced from the West, they also carried their own distinctive themes
and aesthetic. It is clear that these detective novels were very "modern" novels from the
fact that the characters made full use the latest technology of the time. At the same
time, by constantly exploring uncharted territories such as the cracks in legal system and
the problems of human nature that not even the most sophisticated instruments could
decipher, these detective novels provided and continue to provide readers with the
opportunity to contemplate the realities of the time.

Romance novels

The romance novel, which explores love-related matters between men and women, is a
beloved genre from classic to modern novels. Romance novels have been embraced for
so long because love and romance are topics that transcend time and tend to arouse
the interest of all readers. The fact that these novels were fun and interesting made them
conventionally popular, but that was not their only charm. They also relayed the social
mores of the time when it came to matters of love, as seen through the author's eyes.

Generally speaking, the chain of events in Korean romance novels was "meeting-
courtship-adversity-triumph." Depending on when the novel was written, some steps in
this process could be omitted. However, the common element among all romance
novel narratives was for a love to be confronted with adversity and for this love to
struggle with overcoming these hurdles. "Adversity" and "overcoming adversity" were
very important elements that should be highlighted, for they revealed the author's
worldview.