‘논개와 계월향의 죽음을 다시 기억하기:조선시대‘의기(義妓)의 탄생과 배제된 기억들

Abstract

Nongae and Gyeo︣lhyang are remembered as gisaengs(妓生) who killed the enemy commander during the Imjin War in 16th century. Nongae is known to have thrown herself into Nam River in Jinju holding the enemy commander after the battle of Jinju Fortress was lost. Gyeo︣lhyang is known to have helped Kim Eung-seo kill the enemy's general who loved her. The local memories of Nongae in Jinju area were made into “the official state memory of Nongae, the loyal gisaeng, who died for her country” in the late Choso︣n. On the other hand, Choson did not name Gyeo︣lhyang as “the loyal gisaeng.” Although both Nongae and Gyeo︣lhyang are gisaengs who killed the enemy commander during war, the ways in which each of them is remembered are subtly different. This difference comes from the possibility of their “collusion with the enemy.” Nongae, whose possibility of collusion has been excluded in the memory-weaving process, functions as the role model for women; she devoted herself to her country and embodied the gender norms. This study examines the official memories of Nongae and Gyeo︣lhyang who died during war 400 years ago, the process in which their official memory was constructed, and other various memories intentionally excluded from the official one. By “re-remembering” the two gisaengs, this study raises questions about what has been believed to be the absolute truth, dismantles the queer coupling of gisaeng and loyalty, and generates different imaginations of them independent of the male gaze.