[KS] Joseon-era apotheosis stories

[Brother Anthony]

At the end of the Story of Hong Gil-dong translated by Minsoo Kang, the hero and his wife withdraw from public life to undergo spiritual exercises in the mountains, at the end of which they vanish from mortal sight, having become as it were pure spirits. Oddly enough, a similar motif is found at the end of "Le bois sec refleuri," a strange tale combining elements from the stories of Sim Cheong and Chun Hyang, published in France in 1895 as being "by" Hong Jong-woo (who killed Kim Ok-gyun in Shanghai). Here Sùn-Hyen (like Hong Gil-dpmg) presides over a perfectly harmonious state (as prime minister) until one day he disappears, "Sans doute, il avait été transporté sur un nuage dans le ciel, sa dernière et véritable patrie."

I would like to know whether this motif can be found in any other stories from this period, especially from the 18-19th century, but I have no access to original materials and am incapable of reading Joseon texts, whether in Sino-Korean or in Eonmun. 

Brother Anthony
President, RAS Korea