View source for Gyebaek

{{Short description|Korean general (fl. 7th century)}}
{{For|South Korean TV series|Gyebaek (TV series)}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox Korean name
| title         = Gyebaek
| image         =
| caption       = Portrait of Gyebaek
| hangul        = 계백
| hanja         = {{linktext|階|伯}}
| rr            = Gyebaek
| mr            = Kyebaek
}}
'''Gyebaek''', or '''Kyebaek''' (died 20 August 660<ref>In the [[Korean calendar]] (lunar), he died on 9 July 660.</ref>), was a general in the ancient [[Korea]]n kingdom of [[Baekje]] during the early to mid-7th century. Little else is known of his personal life—including the year and location of his birth.

==The Last Battle==
{{See also|Battle of Hwangsanbeol}}

In 660, Baekje was invaded by a force of 50,000 from Silla, supported by 144,000 Tang soldiers. Gyebaek, with only 5,000 troops under his command, met them in the battlefield of Hwangsanbeol. Before entering the battlefield, Gyebaek reportedly killed his wife and children to prevent them from being enslaved if he lost.

His forces won four initial battles, causing severe casualties to Silla forces. General Gyebaek fought very courageously and killed many Silla soldiers. However, in the end, exhausted and surrounded, Gyebaek's army was outnumbered and overwhelmed. Baekje's forces were annihilated in battle along with their leader Gyebaek.

==Aftermath==
Baekje was destroyed, shortly after Gyebaek's defeat and death at Hwangsanbeol.

As [[Neo-Confucian]] philosophy became more influential in the later Korean Dynasties, Gyebaek was recognized by historians and scholars as exemplifying the Confucian ideals of patriotism and devotion to his king, [[Uija of Baekje|Uija]], and praised as such. Although not much else is known about Gyebaek's life, his actions leading up to his last battle are well known to many Koreans.

==In Taekwon-Do==
Gye Baek (also written Gae Baek or Ge Baek in various Taekwondo manuals) is the 12th pattern or hyeong in the International Taekwon-Do Federation form of the Korean martial art taekwondo. It is practised by the 1st Dan black belt. The pattern has 44 moves, and the diagram (I) represents his severe and strict military discipline.

==In popular culture==
* Portrayed by [[Park Joong-hoon]] in the 2003 film ''[[Once Upon a Time in a Battlefield]]'' 
* Portrayed by Jung Heung-chae in 2006–2007 [[Seoul Broadcasting System|SBS]] TV series ''[[Yeon Gaesomun (TV series)|Yeon Gaesomun]]''
* Portrayed by [[Choi Won-young]] in the 2009 [[Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation|MBC]] TV series ''[[Queen Seondeok (TV series)|Queen Seondeok]]''
* Portrayed by [[Lee Seo-jin]] and [[Lee Hyun-woo (actor, born 1993)|Lee Hyun-woo]] in the 2011 MBC TV series ''[[Gyebaek (TV series)|Gyebaek]]''
* Portrayed by [[Choi Jae-sung]] in the 2012–2013 [[KBS1]] TV series ''[[Dream of the Emperor]]''
* Featured in ''[[Age of Empires II]]'' HD Edition

==See also==
*[[History of Korea]]
*[[Three Kingdoms of Korea]]
*[[Gyebaek (TV series)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://english.nonsan.go.kr/nsforeign/english/tour/tour_06_02.html] Nonsan govt text about the battle
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927174137/http://www.buyeotour.net/about/history_img_data/%B0%E8%B9%E9%C0%E5%B1%BA%B5%BF%BB%F3(2).jpg Gyebaek statue]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927174149/http://www.buyeotour.net/about/history_img_data/%B0%E8%B9%E9%C0%E5%B1%BA%B5%BF%BB%F3(1966).jpg Another Gyebaek statue]
*[http://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Contents/Item/E0003142 Gyebaek] on the ''[[Encyclopedia of Korean Culture]]'' {{in lang|ko}}.

[[Category:Baekje generals]]
[[Category:660 deaths]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:6th-century Korean people]]
[[Category:7th-century Korean people]]