Editorial Policy
A classic's original text and today's commentary are different pieces of writing. We arrange them so readers can understand that difference and return to the sources to check anything they wish to explore.
How We Select Works
We present Korean classics whose sources can be identified and whose characters' choices or events invite reflection. We distinguish rights in the original work from rights in the specific edition or material we use. Our policy is not to use modern translations or commentary as reading texts when the basis for permission is unclear.
Three Layers of Writing
- Original texts and sources: We identify the material containing the work and provide links that readers can check. Passages quoted from an original are marked as quotations.
- Modern retelling: This is a reading text that retells the course of the story in contemporary language. Some scenes are compressed or joined together, so it is neither a sentence-by-sentence translation nor the same as the complete original.
- Commentary and questions: These explain characters, expressions, and background, and propose perspectives for reading the work. Where interpretations differ, we present a reading as one perspective; readers may give different answers to the questions.
Checking the Original and Editorial Responsibility
For a modern retelling, we check the sequence of events and relationships in the original, then compose new sentences that today's readers can follow. Because some material is omitted or compressed, we do not label it an official or complete translation. Historical facts and conditions of use are checked against material from the source institutions and distinguished from interpretations in the commentary.
The operator of MeKorean Classics is responsible for the composition and publication of the texts. If you need scholarly quotations, comparison with the original, or the exact wording of a particular edition, please consult the materials linked on the work's page and the relevant edition directly.
Facts and Interpretation, Dates and Editions
We distinguish information established by the record from interpretation added in reading the work. Where views differ on authorship, date of composition, or transmission, we avoid categorical statements. Where content varies between editions, we note the difference. The dates when our pages are written or revised refer to this library's content; they are distinct from the original work's date of composition and the source institution's update dates.
Advertising and Source Institutions
When advertisements appear, we distinguish advertising areas from the reading text. Our policy is to identify sponsorship or affiliate relationships on the relevant work's page when applicable. We cite material from linked source institutions within the scope of our references; MeKorean remains responsible for the library's commentary.
Corrections and Additions
We accept correction requests in a form that lets us review the sentence in question alongside supporting material. Where sources, facts within the story, or rights notices need revision, we update the relevant content. See Sources and Corrections for how to submit a report.