On Dal


Ondal, commonly referred to by Koreans as "On Dal the Fool", was a general of Goguryeo, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. A legend tells that his waist was bent and his face was ugly, but he had a good heart. His family was very poor, so he always begged for his mother. Though simple-minded, he rose from common origins to become a remarkable and brave general. He later married to Princess Pyeonggang, daughter of King Pyeongwon of Goguryeo, which was considered a phenomenal tale for a low-class man to marry a royal woman. Afterwards, he went on becoming a general, serving his country. He died in 590 at Achasanseong Fortress during a battle against the Silla army.

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