20세기 초 행랑살이의 확산과 쇠퇴의 맥락

Abstract

This study explores “Haeng-lang-sal-i(行廊살이, resident servant)” in Korean history, focusing on its transformation in the early 20th century. In previous scholarship, it was seen as a continuation of traditional social custom, little historical analysis has been done on this aspect. However, considering that there were dynamic shifts in the widespread and subsequent decline of “Haeng-lang-sal-i” in the early 20th century, it should be explained by the historical changes of specific social conditions in the beginning of the modern period. Originally, referring to spaces for slave servants, “Haeng-lang” began to be occupied by those from rural areas after the collapse of the traditional class system. The spread of “Haeng-lang-sal-i” was driven by the efforts of people seeking residential spaces in Seoul. As the economic attributes between “Haeng-lang-sal-i” and the house owners became stronger, conflicts arose between the owners, who sought to maintain pre-modern treatment of servants, and “Haeng-lang-sal-i” who resisted such treatment. It was common for female resident servants to take care of household chores in the owner's house, while male residents sought additional income outside the house. Subsequently, as housing costs in Seoul skyrocketed, and it became more advantageous to hire maids, landlords sought to evict “Haeng-lang-sal-i” families. In the unindustrialized cities of colonial Korea, “Haeng-lang” women could transform to domestic service workers, while “Haeng-lang” men could not evade being left unemployed. In conclusion, this paper offers a new historical perspective that complements previous studies that depicted the modern transformation of cities as a discontinuity from pre-modern society and failed to recognize the gendered aspects of modern labor differentiation.