Could Hong Gildong's Yuldo Kingdom be Tsushima? Legends proven real

Ancient records once relegated to myth and legend are being revealed as authentic history through scientific investigation and archaeological discovery. Recent footage explores various historical mysteries, from bizarre caves in Turkey and the hypothesis regarding the Yuldo Kingdom in the story of Hong Gildong to the lost city of Ubar and traces of the Trojan War.

The 'Gates of Hell' near Pamukkale and the carbon dioxide mystery

At a ruined temple site near Pamukkale in southwestern Turkey, researchers captured a phenomenon reminiscent of the 'Gates of Hell' from ancient mythology. Near the entrance of this cave, discovered by an Italian university research team during an exploration in 2013, the mystery deepened with the discovery of numerous birds found dead without any external injuries.

An investigation by a German research team using a gas analyzer in 2018 determined the cause to be highly concentrated carbon dioxide, acting as a lethal 'poison gas.' The lowest part of the cave showed carbon dioxide concentrations reaching 91%, while 53% was confirmed near the entrance. The team suggested the site could be a 'Plutonion' (named after Hades), as the ruins include pillars engraved with symbols representing Hades, the god of the underworld, and his wife Kore, matching descriptions found in ancient mythology.

Is Hong Gildong's utopia, Yuldo Kingdom, actually Tsushima?

A new hypothesis has been presented regarding the possibility that 'Yuldo Kingdom,' the utopia featured in Heo Gyun's novel 'The Tale of Hong Gildong,' actually existed. A local historical specialist has argued that the location of Yuldo Kingdom is the current Tsushima Island, citing several pieces of evidence.

The first piece of evidence concerns ocean currents. Given that a branch of the Kuroshio Current passes through Tsushima before heading toward the eastern Korean Peninsula, analysis suggests that a boat launched from the peninsula would naturally drift toward Tsushima. The second piece of evidence comes from the Japanese historical text 'Bosa-ki.' It is speculated that the name for Tsushima, recorded as 'Jindo' (Naru Island), could have been distorted into 'But-il' if the water radical was removed—a linguistic shift that might have occurred while Hong Gildong communicated via written notes with locals on the island. Additionally, the fact that a pronunciation similar to the Korean word for 'friend' is used as a dialect on Tsushima is cited as further historical support.

The sand-buried city of Ubar and evidence of the Trojan War in Tenea

The investigation also highlighted cases where legendary cities were confirmed as physical ruins. The prosperous legendary city of Ubar in Oman was confirmed to exist via radar detection from a Landsat satellite in 1992. This city, which flourished through the frankincense trade, is believed to have suddenly sunk into the sand when underground limestone caves collapsed due to heavy rains around the 1st century.

Meanwhile, evidence has emerged to support the reality of the Trojan War, famously depicted in Homer's epics and modern films. According to the Greek Ministry of Culture in 2018, traces of the legendary city 'Tenea,' previously thought to exist only in literature, were excavated over an area of 672 square meters. At this site, researchers unearthed marble residential spaces, roads, 200 pieces of jewelry, and gilded coins, revealing the immense wealth of the city and the tangible reality of ancient Greek civilization.