Im Bang was born in Korea in 1640. A disciple of the writer Song Si-yol, his writings have long been revered in Korea, and his reputation as a great scholar has endured for centuries. Late in life, he served as governor of Seoul before being exiled to the north, where he died.

Horace Newton Allen, an American physician, missionary and diplomat, arrived in Korea in 1884 to serve as doctor to foreign legations and the Korean royal family. In 1897 he was appointed U.S. ambassador to Korea, a position he held until 1905. He is the author of four books, including Korean Tales.

James Gale was a Presbyterian minister who arrived in Korea in 1888 to teach English and help translate the bible into Korean. His books include History of the Korean People and Korean Folk Tales, in which he translated the writings of Im Bang and 15th century scholar Yi Ryuk.

William Elliot Griffis was an American minister and author with a lifelong interest in East Asian culture. His numerous books include volumes of folklore from Europe, Japan and Korea as well as books on Korean and Japanese history.

Homer Hulbert was an American missionary, scholar, and editor of the monthly magazine Korea Review. Hulbert moved to Korea in 1886 and spent two decades there preaching, teaching, writing, and pressing unsuccessfully for Korean independence during negotiations with Japan. Among the wide-ranging articles in his magazine were many folktales that he collected and translated.