Korea: Kisaeng entertainer and courtesan, c. 1900
Kisaeng (also spelled gisaeng), sometimes called ginyeo (기녀), refers to female Korean entertainers similar to the Japanese geisha and the ancient Greek hetaerae. Kisaeng were not prostitutes but, rather, artists. Although many casual observers mistook kisaeng as prostitutes in Korea, kisaeng entertained aristocracy or royalty, such as the yangbans and kings, as artists.
First appearing in the Goryeo Dynasty, kisaeng served in the government as entertainers, required to fill a variety of roles. In addition to entertainment, those roles included medical care and needlework. Many worked in the royal court, but they also served throughout the country. They received careful training, frequently achieving accomplished in the fine arts, poetry, and prose, although nobility often ignored their talents due to their inferior social status.
Kisaeng, both historic and fictional, play an important role in Korean conceptions of the traditional culture of the Joseon Dynasty. Some of Korea's oldest and most popular stories, such as the tale of Chunhyang, feature kisaeng as heroines. Although the names of most real kisaeng have been forgotten, history records a few for outstanding attributes, such as talent or loyalty. Kisaeng Hwang Jin-i represents the most famous.
