Hong-Ryung

Hong-Ryung is the main character for the Korean Webtoon, Godly Bells. He is the current King of Myung-Joo as he is the son of the King and Queen. He is known as Myung-Joo's most incompetent do-nothing King and is looked down upon by many. Chui-Bi uses this as fodder to help recruit supporters in believing that her son, Mu-Hyang, should be king. He is the only King of Myung-Joo to be chosen by one the Divine Bells. In the latest chapter, shown in the raw, Mu-Hyang reveals to Hong-Ryung an older and injured body of himself encase in ice under Myung-Joo. It seems that Hong-Ryung have actually suffered a fatal injury to the neck, and as result his still aging body was frozen beneath Myung-Joo by Ga-Bi who was only able to halt his death. Mu-Hyang memories also showed that he and Baek-Yun have met Ga-Bi around the time that she appeared to saved his life. It was also during tha time when Hong-Ryung seem to have physically stopped aging.

Appearance He has short blonde hair, and amber eyes like his father. According to No-Woo, ever since Chui-Bi assasination attempt some time ago (prior to the series beginning), he stopped growing. However, he is presumably the same age as No-Woo if not older, since they were about the same age when they met, and the latest chapter in the raw version showed that Hong-Ryung's physical appearance, encase in ice, to be near 17 or 18 years of age.

Personality Because he was raised to become a king, he couldn't show his true personality in order to survive in the palace. He is described by Gang-Hui as depressing and quiet. He might be very smart (since we don't know exactly how he's keeping his half brother, Mu-Hyang, in check). However, listening to his teacher's words, he only shows his true personality when he is extremely mad. When his escorts were all killed by the emperor, he was really mad and vented it out on the emperor's little brother, Dong-Hyung, even after he had just helped Gang-Hui and Hong-Ryung escape from the emperor. When he is mad, Hong-Ryung is merciless and blunt. In the past, he was also brave enough to try to protect No-Woo from assassins, even though he was just as scared as No-Woo.

History
Because Hong-Ryung was born the child of the late King of Myung-Joo and the late Queen of Myung-Joo, he is the first in line to inherit the throne. His father died when Hong-Ryung was young, so Hong-Ryung became king at a very young age, which caused many muffled anger and rumors to arise about him throughout his country. Many agreed that he should be taken off the throne and be replaced Chi-Bu's son, Mu-Hyang. A year before the beginning of this story, Chui-Bi, and some of her followers, almost successfully assassinated Hong-Ryung. Although Hong-Ryung survived the attack, there was no concrete evidence that Chui-Bi and her son had devised this plan, and they were set free of any suspicion. On the other hand, Hong-Ryung probably did find evidences, however he probably chose to ignored it because Mu-Hyang begged him to spare his mother's life.

During the transferring of the bell ceremony, Hong-Ryung's thoughts revealed that he dislike the ceremony because he thought that it was pointless or meaningless that a bell that held no other power than being a bell can determine the ranking of a country. However, during the ceremony, Hong-Ryung is suprisingly chosen by one of the Divines Bells.

Talents
As a child, Hong-Ryung found great joy in practicing with his bow and showed that he had a great talent as an archer much to his teachers' dismay. Royalty should not be skilled with weapons such as bows, as it seems weak and cowardice. To refrain any more dastardly rumors from spreading, Hong-Ryung's natural talent with the bow and arrow was kept a secret.

Relationships

 * Late King of Myung-Joo:
 * The late King of Myung-Joo is Hong-Ryung's father. Although not much is known about because he is dead. He remembered by his son as a good father and a good king. He also loved his son very much. He also gave Hong-Ryung important advices when he was alive. It can be assumed that Hong-Ryung respected his father.


 * Mu-Hyang:
 * Mu-Hyang is Hong-Ryung's hald brother. However, that relationship is questionable since Hong-Ryung's father was never interested in Chui-Bi as a woman and Chui-Bi, herself, has stated that he didn't want to sleep with her, even through he pitted her. And since he never denied it, it is possible that Mu-Hyang could be his child, but that may be because the late King was kind and did not want Chui-Bi to get in trouble for making a false claim. Hong-Ryung truly cares about Mu-Hyang as a brother or perhaps a friend, as shown in a flashback where he push No-Woo for making Mu-Hyang feel uncomfortable when she pointed out that Mu-Hyang was the smart son of a cocubine.


 * No-Woo:
 * No-Woo is Hong-Ryung's childhood friend and current ally. They seem the get along despite their opposite personality. However, they weren't always friendly. When they first met, No-Woo made Mu-Hyang feel uncomfortable when bluntly pointed out that he was the son of a cocubine. They became friends after Honyg-Ryung protected her from a group of bandits even through, he, himself, was scared. She genuinely cares about Hong-Ryung and dislikes it when others look down on. She would also stand up for, especially from the other rulers since he want to protect Myung-Joo from entering a war over an insult and has to project a dignity befitting of a king, especially since he became king at such a young age. Currently, No-Woo is helping Hong-Ryung.


 * Chui-Bi:
 * Chui-Bi was Hong-Ryung's father concubine. She hates Hong-Ryung because his father loved him and not her nor her son, and also because she wants her own son, Mu-Hang, to become king. It was also heavily implied that she try to assassinated Hong-Ryung. Although she bears ill-will towards Hong-Ryung, he doesn't seem to hate her despite the fact that she tried to have him killed and continues to stay in the palace even after that event, noted when he politely ask No-Woo to not talk badly about her.


 * Ga-Bi:
 * Hong-Ryung's relationship with Ga-Bi is still unknown, however in the very latest chapter (raw), Ga-Bi saved Hong-Ryung's life after he suffers from a fatal injury to the neck, which would explain Hong-Ryung's recurring nightmare of being slit on his neck by an oncoming sword. However, it appears that Ga-Bi could only halt Hong-Ryung's death by freezing his real body away, but even so his real body continues to age while his current form remains the same.