Gildong Hong

## Image Gallery

Gildong Hong is a major antagonist in **Blade of the Phantom Master**. She is the leader of the Hwalbindang.

## Appearance

Gildong is a rather beautiful woman with a short boyish blond hair style. She is primarily seen wearing a sort of stylized hanbok with a lotus flower motif and a dark and sand orange and a large sash bow at her waist. Before during Jyushin, she looks identical to Gyewolhyang but at times wears a ponytail.

JyushinHair DownChosun Outfit
## Personality

Gildong is a kind and gentle person, with a strong sense of justice and also a visionary of a better future. That was the impetus of forming the Hwalbindang, to steal from the rich to give to the poor. Furthermore, her kindness and charisma succeeded in winning the respect and loyalty of the rest of the Hwalbindang members. Some even saw her as a mother figure, such as Dolseok. When facing Munsu, she appears calculated and cold, but in reality, she is very warm-hearted as she breaks down when the members of Hwalbindang begin to die one after another. To some degree, her sense of justice was acknowledged by the Royal Inspector Medallion that she stole from Miss Hwang, as she was able to summon the soldiers. Though Munsu never told Gildong the truth about her sister's death, Gildong could sense the genuineness of Munsu and decided to kill herself.

## Background

The leader of Hwalbindang and Wolhyang Kye's illegitimate half-sister. While her sister lived a life of luxury, Gildong was never acknowledged as a member of the family. However, she never resented Wolhyang, but rather maintained a close relationship. When Wolhyang died at Munsu's hands, Gildong began working to make the world a better place where everyone is equal. Her dreams and hopes for a better future is what drew others to her, eventually forming the Hwalbindang. She held a grudge against Munsu for her sister's death, and thus, when the opportunity arose, with the agreement of the Hwalbindang members, decided to enact revenge.

## Plot Overview

### Past

#### Jyushin Life

Gildong was born into the same family as Wolhyang Kye, but she was an illegitimate child, thus never acknowledged as a member of the family. So, while Wolhyang lived a life of luxury, she lived a more difficult life. However, Wolhyang treated her as a real sister and Gildong, likewise, never resented Wolhyang, but rather considered her a sister as well. Gildong would visit Wolhyang often and listen to her stories, especially about Munsu. Specifically about how Munsu didn't want to chop down an acadia tree which resulted in saving a village.

#### Forming the Hwalbindang

When Wolhyang died at Munsu's hands and the destruction of Jyushin, Gildong began working to make the world a better place. She was seen digging a burial for a family when Taeyu found her. Intrigued of her, he helps despite their short meeting, eventually forming Hwalbindang. Later, Baekryong shows up at their lodgings, berating her naive ideal but it was a test and aplogized. With Baekryong and Taeyu, they all found their members.

Sometime later, their group particpated in raiding wealthy people and give to the poor their plunder. One day, they confronted a lord but was killed by Ge too rashly. Nonetheless, the idea of raiding Gimhae Kingdom came to mind which everyone agreed. Then when villagers thought she was Munsu, whom were doing a similar way, her grudge against Munsu for her sister's death grew again, and thus, when the opportunity arose, with the agreement of the Hwalbindang members, decided to enact revenge.

### Present

#### Hwalbindang Arc

Off-screen, they had harrased the kingdom of Gimhae using their cannons. Injuring many soldiers but supposedly hadn't killed any before Munsu arrived. They also defeated Miss Hwang and her group; chained her in their ship. With Gildong taking her mahai.

Gildong pretends to be Wolhyang Kye to draw Munsu's attention and lures Munsu to Gimhae in order to have her revenge. However, Munsu recognizes that she is not Wolhyang and makes it his mission to stop her.
When Baekryong takes over to kill Munsu, Gildong escapes with the Gimhae lord. On the main land, she was faced by Gimhae soldiers. She used Miss Hwang's mahai and was able to summon the Gaksi unit to kill. In the middle of battle, Munsu arrives and used his ghost unit to stop her. Gildong, seeing him alive, yelled in frustration and in tears as to why he won't die. The battle continues with Su critcally injured by saving Gildong and later Baekryong came to the rescue but is stabbed by the Gimhae lord. Soon, Baekryong was killed when Munsu pulled the sword from him just when he and Gildong embraced. Gildong yells why does everything she loves and her ideals being in the wrong but Munsu only said that he finally caught her.

She asked if Munsu really killed Wolhyang Gye which he admits which left her screaming why. Then Dolseok and Wonsul arrived which he tells her of Joy and Insoo's betrayel. With everything coming to an end, she suicided by sword stab and quickly dies but is implied that she may had realize that Munsu wasn't at fault for killing her half-sister directly.

## Relationships

**Hwalbindang**

* Baekryong (lover)
* Taeyoo
* Dolseok
* Cheol
* Su
* Joy
* Insoo
* Ge

**Family**

* Unnamed Father - a Jyushin royalty
* Unnamed Mother - a woman that later died from her unknown cause of injury. She was too prideful and didn't asked Gildong's father for help.
* Wolhyang Kye (half-sister) -

**Enemies**

* Munsu - Absolutely despise him as she misunderstood that he had purposely killed Wolhyang Kye.
* Miss Hwang
* Lord of Gimhae

## Abilities & Weapon

**Abilities**

She has no fighting ability, but her kindness and charisma succeeded in winning the respect and loyalty of the rest of the Hwalbindang members.

* Hapki Resistance - Due to her pure intentions and soul, she is not affected by hapki.

**Weapon**

* Hwang's Mahai - she had stolen Miss Hwang's medallion and to the surprise of all was able to summmon the Wives' Unit. Presumbably because of her ideals holds weight to summmon. Her unit is slightly different, with horned helmets.

## Trivia

* Gildong's name is probably derived from the Tale of Hong Gildong. In the tale, Gildong is an illegitimate son of a nobleman and his lowborn concubine. He is gifted with high intelligence and supernatural abilities, using it to steal from the rich and corrupt aristocrats. Some have compared them with the English folk hero Robin Hood. In the same way, Gildong in Blade of the Phantom Master holds the same or similar tale but instead as a daughter and not son.
* She is perhaps the most hated character of the webtoon by most Korean readers. Due to her narrow minded view of justice and not seeing her hypocritical side nor her enemies' views.
* Strangely, her views is seen and debated whether it communism or socialism by readers from Naver Webtoon. This happen because of some current politics as well as socialist memes back then. This was eventually faded away.
* Supposedly, her name for Japanese readers sound more for a woman than a man.
* In the Super String Mobile Game:
	+ Dolseok appears in her skill set.
	+ Her skill animations has a ginko leaf, which symbolize herself in the webtoons.
	+ Her alt model may be a reference to a panel where she wore an outfit during a mission when Ge killed a lord too hastily.
	+ She is voiced by Korean voice actress, *"Lee Myunghee."* She also voiced Miss Hwang in the game. She is known to dub Pride from *"Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood,"* Cana Alverona from *"Fairy Tail,"* and Boa Hancok from *"One Piece."*

## Gallery

### Official Gallery

Super String Mobile Game (Character Model)Super String Mobile Game (Alt. Model)Manhwa
### Short Gallery

Taeyoo using his sword hapki (Ep152).pngBaekryong embraces Gildong (Ep. 141).pngGildong, Insoo, and Joy escapes with the Gimhae lord (Ep. 139).pngGildong concern for Su (Ep.157).pngGildong with Hwang's mahai (Ep.159).pngGidong acitvating the mahai (Ep.160).png
Full Gallery Page
## References

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong\_Gildong\_jeon
2. ↑ https://namu.wiki/w/%ED%99%8D%EA%B8%B8%EB%8F%99(%EC%8A%88%ED%8D%BC%EC%8A%A4%ED%8A%B8%EB%A7%81)#s-4
3. ↑ https://namu.wiki/w/%ED%99%8D%EA%B8%B8%EB%8F%99(%EC%8A%88%ED%8D%BC%EC%8A%A4%ED%8A%B8%EB%A7%81)#s-4.1
4. ↑ https://namu.wiki/w/%ED%99%8D%EA%B8%B8%EB%8F%99(%EC%8A%88%ED%8D%BC%EC%8A%A4%ED%8A%B8%EB%A7%81)#s-2