Are you an avid Korean hallyu fan who’s been in love with Netflix sageuk K-drama, “Dear Hongrang” from the very first teaser? You’ve probably adored the still cuts and fallen down the rabbit hole of fan theories online. Yet, long before this haunting period drama found its way into Netflix’s brilliant K-drama list, “Dear Hongrang” existed as something much more intimate, much more devastating: a lyrical, slow-burning, and utterly heartbreaking novel by Korean author Jang Da Hye, titled “Tangeum: Swallowing Gold” (탄금: 금을 삼키다).” Now, we’re going to lure you into the world of “Tangeum” and show you where to read this fascinating Korean novel. Consider this your invitation.
“Tangeum: Swallowing Gold”: The Masterpiece Behind “Dear Hongrang” K-drama
First and foremost, before we dive into the world of “Tangeum” Korean novel, please make sure that you set aside all predictions and prejudices you have read about “Dear Hongrang” K-drama.
Why? Because unlike “Dear Hongrang,” its original novel offers a complex story that lingers long after you close the last page. And it’s not because of the twists or unexpected turns, but because the “Tangeum” Korean novel carries that emotional weight that taps deep into your heart.
Yes, “Tangeum” is NOT an easy read. And it’s not meant to be.
However, for those who crave stories that cut a little deeper, the original novel of “Dear Hongrang” will give you an experience that’s totally unforgettable.
So, here’s everything you need to know about the novel that inspired “Dear Hongrang,” what makes it so special, and where you can read it for yourself.
A Novel That Doesn’t Flinch: The Premise of “Tangeum”
Set during the twilight of the Joseon Dynasty, “Tangeum: Swallowing Gold” opens with a simple but searing premise: A boy disappears on the night he promises to pick red camellias for his little sister.
Ten years later, he returns—not as a boy, but as a man with no memory, no softness, and a violent past written into his very body.
Jae Yi, the girl he left behind, is no longer the bright-eyed sister waiting at the window. She’s a woman now—trapped in a house where opium clouds the air, where love feels like a betrayal, and where her own heart refuses to obey.
Meanwhile, the man who now returns has called himself Hong Rang. He looks like her brother. He doesn’t remember being her brother. But he remembers her. Or perhaps he doesn’t. And it’s in that uncertainty that this story lives.
Now, what unfolds next is not just a tale of mistaken identity or family reunion. Behind the complex storyline is an emotional unraveling. Between Jae Yi, Hong Rang, and the adopted brother Mu Jin (who used to Jae Yi like a sister, but now wants more), “Tangeum” builds a fragile, tangled web of longing, guilt, and emotional devastation.
No one escapes clean. And no one escapes unchanged.
“Swallowing Gold” Is NOT Simply a Metaphor
If the title “Tangeum” (literally translated to: “swallowing gold”) sounds ominous, that’s because it is.
In Korean history, swallowing gold is a poetic way of describing suicide, particularly among courtesans and noblewomen, when driven to the edges of desperation or grief.
The phrase conjures a visceral image: elegance turned to ruin, opulence transformed into pain. It’s exactly the kind of contradiction that “Tangeum” explores, both narratively and emotionally.
And yet, as much as the novel is about sorrow, it’s also about beauty.
The prose is rich with classical language and lush imagery—archaic turns of phrase that may feel foreign to modern readers but are deeply immersive. Reading “Tangeum” feels like stepping into another world: one where time moves more slowly, but where emotions hit all the harder for it.
“Tangeum”: Understand This Before You Read the Korean Novel
Author Jang Da Hye has gone on record to say she meticulously rewrote and fine-tuned the emotional arcs of her main characters before publishing. And at the end of the “Tangeum” Korean novel, this meticulous effort actually shows.
What you should understand before you read “Tangeum” is that the Korean novel has become so addictive, not because of the plot. It’s because of the psychology. Every character is driven not by fate or trope, but by unhealed wounds and impossible desires.
Jae Yi cannot fully hate or love the man claiming to be her brother. Hong Rang cannot remember who he once was, yet he moves through the world like a blade carved out of trauma. Mu Jin, the outsider who was once cherished, now finds himself discarded, and the descent he makes is as human as it is horrifying.
No one in this story gets what they want. No one walks away with clean hands. And yet, as a reader, you understand them. You ache with them. And you carry their weight long after the final page.
From Page to Screen: What to Expect from “Dear Hongrang”
Based on this otherworldly masterpiece, Netflix’s “Dear Hongrang” becomes more than just a mediocre period K-drama. It’s a high-stakes adaptation of a novel that readers still call “too painful to reread, but too beautiful to forget.”
With Lee Jae Wook cast as Hong Rang and Jo Bo Ah as Jae Yi, and with the formidable Kim Jin Ah writing the script (“Mirror of the Witch,” “The Devil Judge”), the series is poised to deliver both emotional punch and visual elegance. Directed by Kim Hong Sun, known for his sharp handling of suspense and melodrama, “Dear Hongrang” promises to honor the source material while making it accessible to a global audience.
Unlike the novel, “Dear Hongrang,” K-drama leans more into the mystery and political corruption embedded in the story. Meanwhile, the characters’ inner lives simply become an expansion of the story’s main plot. The K-drama may not be as heartbreaking as the original novel, but it does bring you more cinematic and intimate connections. This series deserves to be the next lineup among all the best K-drama adaptations.
Therefore, watching “Dear Hongrang” and reading “Tangeum: Swallowing Gold” are two very different experiences you definitely cannot miss.
Where to Read “Tangeum: Swallowing Gold” Korean Novel
For now, Tangeum is available in its original Korean via online retailers like Amazon and Kyobo Bookstore.
There is no official English translation yet, though reader demand is growing, especially with the drama adaptation just around the corner. Therefore, if you’re fluent or semi-fluent in Korean, or you’re up for using reading tools, the novel’s prose is worth the challenge.
There’s also a webtoon adaptation published through Ridibooks, which reimagines the story with stunning visuals that capture both the ethereal beauty and grim tragedy of the original.
Keep in mind: this isn’t light reading. But it’s the kind of story that stays with you—one that redefines what it means to miss someone, to want someone, and to never be quite sure if the two feelings are different.
Why You Should Read “Tangeum” Before Watching the K-drama
Netflix has successfully brought “Tangeum” to life in glorious HD. But before the hashtags and fan edits roll in, reading the original novel offers something more intimate. It gives you space to sit with Jae Yi’s grief. To feel Hong Rang’s silence. To understand Mu Jin’s collapse not as villainy, but as tragedy.
This is a story that asks a lot of you. But if you give yourself over to it—even for a few pages—it will reward you with one of the most devastatingly beautiful experiences in modern Korean literature.
So, before watching “Dear Hongrang,” do yourself a favor: Read the novel. It might just ruin you. But in the best way possible.
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