Korean Folklore for Kids: 4 Classic Tales with Moral Lessons

A collection of Korean folklore filled with gentle lessons for children and grown-ups alike. Feel free to share these tales with anyone you love!

Korea is a region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided into two separate countries: North Korea (officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) and South Korea (officially the Republic of Korea). Korea is made up of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and a handful of smaller islands nearby. It borders China to the northwest and Russia to the northeast, while the Korea Strait and the Sea of Japan (East Sea) separate it from Japan to the east. 

1. Yong Tu and the King's Plant Seeds: A Korean Folktale About Honesty

Once upon a time, there lived a king with a heavy heart, for he had no son to become his crown prince — only daughters filled his palace. So the king came up with a clever plan: a grand contest for all the young people of his kingdom. He handed out seeds to every one of them and declared, "Whoever grows the most beautiful flower from this seed shall become my adopted child and heir to my throne!"

2. The Stupid Ondal: A Korean Folktale of Love, Patience, and Transformation

Long, long ago, in the kingdom of Goguryeo, there lived a young man named Ondal. Poor Ondal was known as the silliest young man around, and people often laughed at his foolishness. He lived in poverty with his widowed mother, whom he loved with all his heart, and he would do anything to help her. So, to bring smiles to his neighbors' faces, Ondal would act out silly animal antics — and in return, the kind villagers would share their food with him. Little by little, his foolish, funny ways made him known throughout the whole kingdom. 

3. The Tale of Sim Cheong: A Magical Korean Fairy Tale

In a faraway village, there once lived a lovely girl named Simcheong. She was an orphan, for her mother had passed away long, long ago, leaving her to live with her blind father. Together they shared a life of hardship and poverty. Yet Simcheong never lost her patience — and deep in her heart, she held on to one dream: to make her father happy again. 

4. Korean Folktale for Kids: The Three Magical Heirlooms

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a mother and her three sons. The mother had grown very old, and deep in her heart she felt that her days were drawing to an end. So she gathered her three sons together, for she had something important to tell them...