The Nogeoldae consists of dialogues and focuses on travelling merchants, but Bak Tongsa is a narrative text covering society and culture.
[2][3] The Bak Tongsa and the Nogeoldae were very popular, and are mentioned in Korean records of 1426 as required texts for government translators.
[2][6] This edition is now conventionally called the Beonyeok Bak Tongsa (飜譯朴通事 New Translation of Pak the Interpreter) to distinguish it from the original.
[11] The Chinese text is identical with that of the Beonyeok Bak Tongsa, but the pronunciations and the Korean translation were completely revised.
[12][13] Bak Tongsa Sinseok eonhae (朴通事新釋諺解 New Edition Vernacular Exposition of Pak the Interpreter), a further revision by Kim Chang-jo, was published in 1765.