Hŏ Kyun was born into the Yangcheon Heo clan in the city of Gangneung to Hŏ Yŏp and his second wife, Lady Kim of the Gangneung Kim clan.

Hŏ's family was of the noble (yangban) class (his father had been mayor of Gangneung) and as such Hŏ Kyun was afforded a solid education and in 1594 passed the nation's highest civil service exam.

Under the strong influence of his tutor, Yi Tal (이달; 李達), Hŏ Kyun became a progressive and liberal thinker who dreamed of establishing a more progressive society by eliminating Confucian elements in the social, literary, and political realms.

[1] Hŏ went on to serve the government of Joseon in such positions as Minister of the Board of Punishment and State Councillor.

[1] Hŏ is often credited as the author of the famous Korean story Tale of Hong Gildong, which in many ways reflects his progressive thinking, although his authorship has been disputed.