When you read books or watch dramas or movies about palaces in Korea, you always read or hear the word “gungnyeo.” A gungnyeo is a girl or a woman who does household jobs in the palace. Gungnyeos have existed in every dynasty of Korean history, but they haven’t received very much attention. Some people think that a gungnyeo was just a palace flower, but their life was full of ups and downs. Let's examine the gungnyeo’s life.Generally, gungnyeos entered the palace between the ages of 4 and 13. Virginity, family line, appearance, and character were considered in selecting gungnyeos. To know whet
One night, some sounds broke a calm neighborhood. A group of men shouted and repeated, "Buy the wedding box. Today it’s on sale." The wedding box, called a "ham," contains lots of important and great presents for marriage. The ham was sent by the groom’s family or friends to the bride’s family before the wedding. The ham shows the appreciation for the marriage by both families. In addition, it symbolizes hope that there will be a happy married life between the groom and bride. This ceremony is a traditional festival.The ceremony happens at night. There is a man who plays an important role in t
In Korea, a long time ago, high-class people's daughters or wives had an accessory called norigae. It was put on a jacket coat string or on the waist of a women's skirt. It had very gorgeous colors and nice looks. It could be used as an accessory, as a perfume, or as a gift for marriage.Norigaes consist of four parts: the strings, the main ornamentation, the knots, and the tassels. The strings are a kind of ring to connect the main ornamentation. There is usually one ornamentation, but there can sometimes be three. The knot's purpose is for decoration. They give more beauty to the norigae abov
Do you know the movie “The King and the Clown”? It was released last December and became very popular. It recorded the highest box office score in Korean history. The king of the movie is Prince Yeonsan. Prince Yeonsan is the most famous tyrant among the kings of the Joseon Dynasty. He appears not only in that movie, but also in dramas, novels, and theater productions. Many people are very curious about his secret story because his story is very interesting. Prince Yeonsan (1476~1506) was born the first son of King Sungjong (1457~ 1494) in Seoul. He ascended to the throne at the age of 19. He
A “gache” is a women's traditional hair style that uses false hair to make them look beautiful. There are two kinds of gache. One kind has false hair worn on the wearer’s head, and the other braids false hair together with the wearer’s own hair. A gache weighs about 3~4kg, including decorations. Gaches come in a variety of sizes and are decorated with different jewels. There are many kinds of gaches, including eoyeo-meori, cheobgi-meori, daisu, and keun-meori.Gaches have existed since the Silla Dynasty period. In the latter half of the Goryeo Dynasty period, when Mongolia’s customs were popula
Whom do you think of first if you are asked about Korea’s most famous and greatest diplomat? It might be easier to think of another country’s diplomat. Have you ever heard of Seo Hui? Seo Hui is a famous historical figure who was a great diplomat and politician in the early Goryeo Dynasty. Seo Hui entered government service though the state examination and was promoted quickly. He was soon in charge of a department, which was like today’s Ministry of National Defense. He was sent to Song as an envoy. His career gave Seo Hui the ability to understand well international situations. He played an
A marathoner breasted the tape in first place in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He just stepped off the track with his face drooping. He didn't express the pleasure of the winner even on the platform and stared down at the ground with sad eyes. Why did the winner seem to be sad? He had the Japanese flag on, but he was not Japanese. He was Korean, under the colonial control of Japan. This man was Sohn Kee-chung. He resisted Japan in his own way, and made Korean people feel big pleasure even if it was for a short time.At that time, the “Dong-a Ilbo” had his picture in the newspaper showing him on the
Mysterious Sounds Made By Two Strings “Haegeum”Haegeums are stringed musical instruments that produce sound by rubbing two strings with a bow. Haegeums have characteristics of both wind and string instruments. It can be defined a wind instrument by its structure and a string instrument because of its two strings. Haegeums can be played solo or as part of an ensemble. They usually play folk music and wanderer's music and also accompany singers and dancers.Haegeums have many unique characteristics. Haegeums are about 66cm in length and have two strings. Though they have only two strings, they ha
2800 Dalgubeoldaero, Dalseo-Gu, Daegu, Korea 704-701
Tel : 053-580-5734 Fax : 053-582-5985
Copyright 2006 gokmu.com All Rights Reserved
