The existence of Korean courtesans remains mostly unknown in the western world, while much has been written about Chinese and Japanese female entertainers. This is partly because the official histories of Korea themselves remain quiet; even up to this day many formal histories of Korea describe little or nothing about them. Also, the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945) resulted in a negative image for these women and their profession. It is a sad fact that, as Japan's military presence on the peninsula became overwhelming, the Korean courtesans were among the first to be pushed into the role of "comfort women" for the Japanese armies.Ironically, it was under Korean and Chinese influence that the Japanese developed their own specific courtesan culture. While in China the courtesan culture was firmly established in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and in Korea in the Koryo Dynasty (918-1392), the first Japanese pleasure quarter opened in 1589. This culture reached its height during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Japan, where it eventually developed into the geisha - most well known in the western world today. The Korean courtesan culture was just as marvelous as her Chinese and Japanese counterparts, and in the high days of their culture these women were admired and saluted. Indeed several famous courtesans are still remembered and celebrated today in both South and North Korea in stories, novels, performances and cinema. This book is intended to give insight into the illustrious courtesan culture of Korea.
