In the mid-Joseon period, there lived an esteemed scholar named Lim Je임제. Known to have been open-minded and cultured, he didn’t care for political feuds that were raging on at the time and instead spent his time traveling to scenic landmarks and associating with local artists and gisaengs. He left behind many episodes with famous gisaengs of the time, notably with a female entertainer by the name of Hanwu, meaning cold rain. Lim Je left her the following poem. 

The northern sky was clear, so I left without any rain gear. 

But it was snowing in the mountain and raining in the fields. 

I was soaked with cold rain today, so I may freeze in my sleep. 

The poem describes how he had unexpectedly run into Hanwu and how he was overwhelmed with her. He ended the poem by asking her in a roundabout way if he should go away and sleep in the cold. So Hanwu responded with a poem of her own. 

Why should you freeze in your sleep? 

Why would you sleep in the cold when there is silken bedding? 

You got soaked with cold rain today, so you may thaw in your sleep. 

Her poem tells him to spend the night in her warm room. These two poems were turned into songs, which are sung by two modern day singers. “The Clear Northern Sky” is sung by Brown Eyed Soul and “Why Sleep in the Cold” by Lee Yun-jin.

The Clear Northern Sky/ Sung by Brown Eyed Soul

Why Sleep in the Cold/ Sung by Lee Yun-jin

Gisaeng was one of the lowliest occupations in the Joseon period. But these female entertainers had to be well-trained in literature, music and dance since they had to entertain men of noble birth. Some of the gisaengs turned out to be more knowledgeable and talented in arts. One prime example is Hwang Jin-yi황진이. She was so proud and confident of her talent that she simply brushed her hair without putting on any ornaments when she had to go entertain government workers at parties. She also didn’t show up at any old gatherings and met only those who were deemed worthy of her company. When she found a man worthy of her respect and affection, she cared for him wholeheartedly. But when she felt their time together was over, she would leave without regret or resentment. Hwang Jin-yi left behind quite a number of poems, one of which is a well-known one titled “Dongjitdal동짓달” or November. It is about the nights she spent pining for her love. We wonder who made the proud gisaeng yearn for him every night. Here’s jeongga ensemble SoulJigi singing “Dongjitdal” with Kim Joon-young playing the geomungo.

Dongjitdal/ Sung by SoulJigi, geomungo by Kim Joon-young

Lim Je임제, a scholar mentioned earlier, also had an episode related to Hwang Jin-yi. When he was on his way to serve as a military commander in the western region, he spotted the grave of Hwang Jin-yi. Having been disappointed that he hadn’t met the famous gisaeng while she was alive, he poured a cup of wine over her grave and recite a poem for her. Sadly, he was dismissed from the new post even before he reached his destination because the news of him visiting the grave of a lowly gisaeng had reached the central government. 

There was another gisaeng widely recognized for her poems and that is Maechang매창. She was a lifelong friend of Heo Gyun허균, the author of famous traditional novel “The Story of Hong Gil-dong홍길동,” and a lover of low-born poet Yu Hui-gyeong유희경. Unfortunately, their relationship didn’t last long, but the intensity of their love lasted throughout their lives. She left a poem titled “When Plum Blossoms Rain Down,” which sings of her longing for the departed lover. Gugak ensemble Arayun sings this poem to conclude this week’s episode of Sounds of Korea. 

When Plum Blossoms Rain Down/ Sung by Arayun