Gisaeng Kisaeng 기생

[LaBelleMichelle2010]

Listen to 'Speaking Flowers' to know more about Kisaengs...

cbc.ca/ideas/episodes/features­/2011/04/05/speaking-flowers/

[isaytrue]

Korea Government was promoting the Kiesaeng houses. The sales pitch was enormous !

[ho9pkins]

Gisaengs were not only entertainers, but also highly educated intellectuals, unlike Japanese Geishas. Gisaengs often met up with country's most renowned scholars, and even government officials to share their thoughts about current events and other related things. Even during the Chosun dynasty, when Chinese confucianism was widely spread, when women couldn't take much role in the society, Gisaengs could express their thoughts freely. (now, prostitutes are different story..)

[AThousandTales]

@ho9pkins I don't know much about Gisaeng, but I do disagree with your opinion about geisha. Geisha don't just dance, sing and perform tea ceremony at a very high level: the main point of the job is to hold a good conversation at any point with any person. Meaning that during one appointment she might talk to a CEO, while during the next she'd meet a poet. She'd have to know all about those people, their work and their interests. Sounds to me like she would have to be highly educated after all.

[ho9pkins]

@AThousandTales I didn't say much about Geishas.. so I don't know why you're telling me all these... But I can tell you that while Geishas were just used as "tools" in meetings, Gisaengs were actually included in the debate and they freely shared their thoughts and refuted if they disagreed on one point. And these "debates" were mostly government related topics, current events, and literature. So here, you can see what kind of people Gisaengs encountered with.

[AThousandTales]

@ho9pkins I understand now, I just have misinterpreted what you said and thought you meant that geisha were not very educated. Sorry for that. I now see that gisaeng are much different in that aspect and thank you for explaining that bit. :)

[seiryuukun]

As in Japan where one can still see people wearing kimono, do Koreans still wear hanbok in daily life?

[Superbonnuit]

@seiryuukun unfortunately not unless you go to the countryside or on special occasions like a festival

[xfantasyinyoureyes]

Dong yi sound traaack. <3

[moonlightmenuett]

@xfantasyinyoureyes lol wut? its not from Dong Yi

[xfantasyinyoureyes]

@moonlightmenuett The music is. rofl

[moonlightmenuett]

@xfantasyinyoureyes thats what I mean =_='

[KatjasHumanoid483]

OK! Guys! It's called reading a book or watching a documentary! Read a book on Geisha by Liza Dalby or something or for Kisaeng nwatch the Korean movie Hwang Jin Yi or go to your local library and hmmm...find a book on Geisha or Kisaeng!!

[PrincessAki2009]

The last i read up on neither Gisaeng or Geisha were/are prostitutes....They both do similar things ( Entertain wealthy people with their artistic skills) Its sad that some of us still view them as whores...

[YooJaeJoon]

gisaeng are not prostitutes...

they are really beautiful people who are low class and unappreciated during the joseon dynasty, even though they were talented people didn't see it because they had a (non-self-imposed) bad reputation from the higher classes :(

[tyongakirai]

朝鮮半島に染色技術はありませんでした

だから

白い乳だしチョゴリばっかりなのに

朝鮮人は歴史と文化を捻じ曲げている

[darumi312]

@tyongakirai

japs copied Kisaeng by Kudara. ^o^

[Angel052086]

I love this video.

It seems that kisaeng is hungry for vengeance!

[MakeupGeekAddict]

was this in the first epiosde? or the last?

[fightingjigglecow]

Wikipedia can be edited by random people. They are not slaves but they are low class. They have the body of a low class but has the mind of an aristocrat.

[redwhitedude]

@fightingjigglecow Gisaengs are female entertainers, very similar to geisha.

[NikkiSavella]

Ummm, your relying on wikipedia is as though your relying on someone who does not know the real orgin of a topic. That is kinda stupid, but hey your human, at least you know now not to rely on such dumb internet engines like Wikipedia too much. How about pick up an Actual History book? So that you can know for yourself? Just a suggestion. No harm or insult intended. :-)

[antisocialist87]

She strikes me as looking like a mix between a Japanese Oiran and a Maiko.

[ilovesamsungverymuch]

Yes, without the white on the face ^,^

[Onsaemiro]

because she(Ki-saeng) is an artist woman in Korea like Geisha. she should be looked beautiful~

[heraavria]

yes, but kisaeng aren't that highly esteemed than geisha because kisaeng are slaves of the government...

[YuMiistar]

no no no. that isnt true. kisaengs are the most highly educated females in the country. they are not slaves, they are entertainers for the noble, and rich men.

[redwhitedude]

@YuMiistar noble and rich men are probably the only people who can afford them.

[SarahLee1]

@YuMiistar They were made government slaves in 1650.

[ruthieness]

geishas are artistic whores

[jesjenanddom]

shut up,geisha are nowhere neare aristicratic whores.

[loveholics2]

@jesjenanddom

Gisaeng are NOT geishas like Japanese whores BUT Korean gisaeng were low class ppl but they had to be very talented,smart and beautiful.

[scarletteyes]

@loveholics2 japanese geishas are not lowly whores either

they are the masters of the art of conversation,dances,singing and traditional music playing.

and in their industry they dont prefer beautiful women to be maikos and geishas, because they're not after the looks alone, they are solely concerned about the aptitude and intelligence of one. It is also said that if a Geisha is intelligent she gains the utmost respect in the community and she goes more successful than most common women.

[darumi312]

@scarletteyes

Yes, Giesha was also used as prostitution too in Yoshiwara red light district of Edo, Kisaeng is only used for entertainment and recite poetry, etc. That's the difference!

[scarletteyes]

@darumi312 i beg to disagree miss, i think you're talking about the "mizuage" where a Geisha's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder, wherein before mizuage they are called as "maiko" after that theyd be called as "true geishas". In the case of Kisaengs notice that their virginity is also sold to the highest bidder after that, can they be called as "true kisaengs". Kisaengs are also beautiful actually i "Hwang Ji Ni" was shown here in our country, i loveed the series so much. ^______^

[scarletteyes]

@darumi312 in addition to that i trust, that prostitution amongst geishas are strictly upracticed nowadays. that was i guess at the turn of the 16th century if i am not wrong.

[scarletteyes]

@scarletteyes oh let me rephrase that "at the turn of the 17th century" i mean

[darumi312]

@scarletteyes

LOL giesha was also used for American GI stationed in Japan. ^o^

[scarletteyes]

@darumi312 oh is it true!? O_o but nowadays they dont do that anymore right and whats good about em is they maintained their art and tradition even times change

[scarletteyes]

@ruthieness its illegal for them to sex sell since the dawn of the 17th century so you got you're facts from gossips and wrong infos *buzzer sound* XPPPPP

[udon890]

to antisocialist87: I think they are called "courtesan" ? I watched Korean drama "Hwang Jin Yi". I think "courtesan" lives in the palace and "do their business" in the palace only in the old days. If you watch "Hwang Jin YI', you will know.

[LM22102]

Conspiracy indeed. It certainly looks intriguing. Also, I can only imagine how heavy her head must feel.

[heraavria]

BTW, if you've seen "Hwang Jin-i" by Song Hye-gyo (especially her promotional posters), info is her gache (traditional wig) weighed about 5 kilos...

[KateLove21]

Once a 13 y/o Kisaeng actually snapped her neck and that's when the emperor banned the heavy wigs.