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Seoul exhibition displays lives of 'Kisaeng'
By Park Chung-a
January 19, 2005
"Haeohwa" means "a flower that understands words." It was another term for
"kisaeng," or female entertainers, from the Choson Kingdom, describing how
literate and educated they were.
However, although kisaeng were an important part of high-class culture through
the Choson Period, during the Japanese colonial period, they were looked down
on as women who sold their bodies, often becoming the subject of mockery. Thus,
different from Japanese geisha, their tradition and history were not handed
down properly.
An exhibition that breaks the stereotype of kisaeng, focusing on their
intellectual and artistic aspects, is currently being held through Feb. 13 at
Seoul Auction House in northern Seoul.
"Although kisaeng represented a leisure culture at that time, due to their
negative image as people who sold sex, a proper establishment of status for
their high-quality artwork has not yet been made. This exhibition is the first
effort to depict their lives," exhibition organizer Kim Hyo-sun said. "In other
words, kisaeng were privileged people compared to other women at that time.
They were the only women who had access to the upper class, having access to
knowledge as well as nurturing artistic talent. They were also considered as
leaders of fashion because their rich and luxurious apparel influenced the
style of the general public."
About 400 photo postcards featuring kisaeng from the Japanese colonial period,
originally owned by a historic material collector Lee Don-su, are being shown
to the public for the first time.
"A postcard that shows an image of dancing kisaeng that encapsulates a map of
the Korean peninsula represents a sad history of weak people who suffered from
Japanese imperialism," Lee said.
Since the Japanese produced most of the works, they mostly convey the message
of justifying their invasion and were used for promoting their colonial
activities. Kisaeng pictures and photos were often published on booklets for
tourist guides or photo collections of Choson traditions.
Other than the postcards, artistic works of kisaeng, their boudoir-related
items, clothes, related modern artwork and moving pictures are just some of the
interesting items in the exhibit. The exhibition also gives a rare look into
the changes in the types of accessories and cosmetic tools they used throughout
the years. Also on display is a skirt with an orchid drawn on it, which was a
present given to a beautiful kisaeng by a scholar from the late Choson Kingdom.
Portraits of kisaeng drawn by professional portrait painter Kwon Oh-chang
should not be missed as well as kisaeng clothing from the Choson Kingdom
reproduced by Kim Hae-soon, a professional Korean costume researcher, made of
silk and featuring gold and silver embroidery. The garments show that by the
19th century, the upper part of "hanbok," or traditional Korean clothing, was
shortened so the thin, white underskirt could be seen a little bit and a full
skirt was en vogue.
The exhibit also contains a piece by Bae Joon-sung, an artist who integrates
photography and drawing. His artwork, titled "Painter’s Clothes - Kisaeng,"
contains a hanbok designed by Kim Hae-soon drawn on a photo of a naked woman.
For more information on the exhibition, call (02)3217-0288.
Kisaeng Exhibition
When: Through Feb. 13
Where: Seoul Auction House, near Olympia Hotel in Pyongchang-dong, Seoul
How much: 2,000 won
Info: (02) 3217-0288
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