Product Code Database
Nongae or Ju Nongae (; 1574–1593) Birth year of her is doubtful; references indicate it could be before 1574 was a gisaeng of Jinju during the Joseon period of Korea.
A popular legend tells the story of her Suicide attack of the Japanese general Kida Magobee.
In 1578, her father died at the age of 40 and she was entrusted to the care of her uncle Ju Dal-mu () who lived in a house in Anui-hyeon in Gyeongsang Province (present day Hamyang County, South Gyeongsang Province).
Nongae's uncle attempted to have her married to a man named Kim Bu-ho () in exchange for 50 sacks of rice. When Lady Park heard and learned of this attempted exchange, she stole Nongae from her uncle. By 1579, her mother was caught with Nongae and was prosecuted. Her mother's trial was overseen by a province official, Choi Gyeong-hwi of the Haeju Choi clan (), who ruled on behalf of her innocence. Nongae and her mother were later released and permitted to live at a residence in Hyeongam. By the age of 17, Nongae became a mistress of Choi and was given the title of "Lady Uiam of the Sinan Joo clan" (), and lived in his house where she birthed a son.
In 1592, the Imjin War began and Choi started to recruit and train soldiers in Udo, Jeolla, in which Nongae helped him.
In 1593, Japanese forces invaded the Korean peninsula during which Choi was assassinated in June. Afterwards, the Japanese eventually succeeded in their invasion of Suyeong Fortress (now near Jinju). To celebrate the victory, soldiers forced all the gisaeng to serve them at the Choseokru Pavilion (nugak) on a cliff that overlooked the Nam River in Jinju. Nongae was called to entertain the victorious Japanese generals alongside the other gisaeng. Nongae walked to a steep rock sticking out of the Nam river under the Choseokru, which prevented the Japanese soldiers from joining her due to a fear of falling into the river. Nongae challenged the Japanese general, Keyamura Rokusuke, to join her. The general attempted to lure Nongae away from the rock. However, she eventually led him to the cliff-side, where she embraced him, clasped her fingers with rings that locked her around him, and cast herself along with the general into the river, killing them both.Oh Hongsuk (2025). 897300784X, Ewha Womans University Press, 2009. 897300784X It is said that she sacrificed herself not only in revenge for Choi's murder but also out of love for her country.
However this story is highly dubious and it is most likely to have originated from Park Jonghwa's () Nongae and Gyewolhyang (1962).
In 1846, Jong Joo-seok () of Jangsu Hyeongam, built a memorial to honor Nongae. It was designated as Local Monument No. 46 in 1955, and the birthplace of Nongae has been restored in Juchon Village, Daegok-ri, Janggye-myeon, Jangsu-gun, where Nongae was born.
The rock from which she leapt, Uiam (), has been called "the Rock of Righteousness".
During the mid 20th century, it was rumored that Nongae was a daughter and heir of a fallen yangban family and was eventually promoted to be the Jeongsil (), wife, of Choi after he died.
The portrait of Nongae painted by Kim Eun-ho had been kept in Jinju fortress, whereas his drawing were forcibly removed by a local civil group that argued Kim was one of the renowned pro-Japanese artists during the Colonial Period. Following support from the regional government, a newly executed painting was adopted in 2008.
|
|
