The purpose of this research thesis is to study about the characters of <Yussisamdaerok> and <LimSsiSamdaerok>, the two feature-length stories in the Korean language, and to clarify the awareness of Gisaeng(a kind of prostitutes who is well-versed in singing, dancing or composing poems.) Attracting attention, in the eighteenth century depicts, the two narrative works can be found to depict Gisaeng, on not a momentary or temporary but an important basis.
Given that most feature-length stories in the Korean language hardly deal with Gisaeng, the two works, the central story of Gisaeng, deserve to be noted in that they lead readers to realize about how Gisaeng is perceived.
Appearing mainly in the two works, the Gisaeng can be identified that in short, she becomes a concubine of a male character. In <Yussisamdaerok>, the concubine is depicted as a character who becomes one of the members of the family where her loving man belongs. At the same time, she is depicted as a character who remains "faithful" to her husband, and obeys to his legal wife, when she judges that the man is well-mannered. Meanwhile, the Gisaeng in <LimSsiSamdaerok> is depicted as a character who easily becomes a concubine of a man, in his work post, because the man is her "old lover", and he is vigorous- minded. But, in this work, the concubine slanders the male character"s legal wife, and prevents him from cultivating his moral training, and, at last, she is disqualified from the status of a concubine, without standing as the status for ever.
Through Gisaeng or concubine, the two works show that the words like "old lovers" or "faithfulness", are used as the indicators of purity or chastity. Also, they unveil that a concubine can become one of the family members, only when she obeys to the legal wife of a family head, while a concubine who attempts to slander her husband"s legal wife, and rock the boat all around the family, is kicked. Also, the two works suggest that a man of a good character succeeds in managing his home, even when he makes Gisaeng his concubine, whereas, a man of vigorous-minded character is seduced by his concubine and fails in cultivating his moral training. Considering the fact, it can be identified that the two works see Gisaeng or concubine as one who seduces a man, and they perceive her as one who is difficult to become one of family members, since Gisaeng or concubine is in a low social status.
In addition, it can be identified that Gisaeng or concubine belongs to the lowest position, unlike any other legal wives, taking into account that she carries out a role like maids, and is perceived as one who can be kicked out of the families, all the time.
Such awareness of Gisaeng, described in <Yussisamdaerok> and <LimSsiSamdaerok>, mirrors that the works have a relatively conservative viewpoint of that Gisaeng is incorporated into a family and changes her status. This makes difference from Gisaeng appearing, in general traditional novels, as a character who gets the position as a man"s legal wife or a similar and equal position, after she remains faithful to her husband and supports him. Also, this shows difference from Gisaeng appearing as a character who is easily accepted as a concubine, after she carries out her duties.