In particular, Yi Kyu-bo showed great talent in the Gakchok Busi, a poetry writing test.

In 1199 (the second year of King Sinjong’s reign), when a rebellion broke out in Donggyeong (Gyeongju), he volunteered to join the army and became a military officer.

His views diverged from those of Yi Illo, who rejected the notion of the importance of individual creativity in poetry.

[2] Modern Korean scholars have attributed Chinese influence in Yi Kyu-bo's writing to Bai Juyi, Tao Yuanming and Su Dongpo.

Koryo envoys had acquired copies of two of the four major encyclopedic works compiled during the reign of the Song emperor Taizong, one of which was the Wenyuan yinghua (Finest Blossoms in the Garden of Literature).

"[3] Yi Kyu-bo wrote prose works in the kajon genre, "fictitious" biographies first popularized by Han Yu in the Tang dynasty.

The mythic tale of the founding of the Kingdom of Koguryo emphasized local Korean historical legends and cultural achievements.