"Weolha Jeongin" (월하정인, 月下情人) is a genre painting by Shin Yoon-bok, an artist of the late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), that depicts a lovers
By Korea.net Honorary Reporter Sarah Oqelee from Egypt
"Thin rain falls deep into midnight outside the window.
Only two people will know their own feelings.
Their joy is not insufficient yet the sky is brightening,
And so they grab their silk clothes and set up their next meeting."
This poem by Kim Myeong-won (1534-1602), a civil servant of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), reminds me of the painting "Weolha Jeong-in" (월하정인, 月下情人) by Shin Yoon-bok, an artist of the late Joseon era. The title of this satirical genre painting means "Two Lovers Under the Moonlight."
When I first saw this painting in an Arabic-language magazine published in Korea, I took to it right away, especially because of its vivid colors and a theme that defied Joseon's conservative norms.
A closer look at the woman and the man in the painting shows that she resembles a gisaeng, a female entertainer, and he an aristocrat. Due to the rigid hierarchy of the Joseon class system, their rendezvous can be inferred as being socially forbidden. Perhaps this is why they can meet only late at night.
I wondered how the painter conveyed the emotions of both lovers in the painting, so I looked closer at their expressions. The woman looks angry and the man nervous. She seems upset because he was late since she waited quite a while for him. But she also looks like she is trying to talk to him and likes him. He is reaching for something in his clothes, as trying to hand her something, perhaps a gift or a letter?
The painting portrays the restrictions imposed on the love lives of Joseon-era subjects, something that I feel remains in contemporary society. Despite liberal changes human society has undergone, men and women still face barriers in love due to differences in religion, social perceptions and other reasons. Yet interactions between lovers are now easier today thanks to social media.
jihlee08@korea.kr
*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. This group has members from all around the world who share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.
