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
According to a survey by Job Korea (www.jobkorea.co.kr), an online recruiting company, 90.1 percent of respondents wanted to get a job overseas if there was a chance. However, very few people succeed in getting a job abroad and not many people know which path for a job overseas is successful and safe. It’s much harder to get a job related to their major directly after graduation, so more and more students are considering internship programs or job training courses as preparation for a job overseas. The following are three ways to do an internship overseas: government programs, private agency p
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
Have you been to Pohang? If you want to have a relaxing time and experience the sea and mountain, Pohang is the perfect place. There is the sea to the east of Pohang and mountains to the northwest. Expecially, there are great sights near Bogyeong Temple. Most people who have been to Bogyeong Temple first talk about the twelve waterfalls and pinewood rather than the temple. It is a nice relaxing area. If you are worn out from daily life or just want to go somewhere that has a spring breeze, you should go to Pohang. Before you arrive at Bogyeong Temple, you can see that the beautiful cherry blo