Menu

Koreann Thatch-roofed House in the Country, Artist Unidentified From TYKCollection

Wind-bell: 청계사 대웅전의 풍경 “한국 전통건축장식의 비밀” 허균, 대원사 Buddhist Temple Chunggyesa, Daewoongjun Hall “The Secret of Traditional Korean ConstructionOrnaments” by Huh Kyun, Daewonsa, Korea

Sunangdang: A Village Shrine and a Tutelary Wooden Deity

NOVEL

Nayoung’s Journey

Written by © Therese Young Kim

(The story of a young Korean woman’s courageous journey to reclaim her lost American dream.)

Introduction

Partly based on true events, “Nayoung’s Journey” is a provocative tale of a courageous young Korean woman embarking on her fateful journey with love and trauma to reclaim the American dream she lost as the victim of a shocking crime.

Set against the backdrop of late 1960s Seoul, Hamburg, and New York City, and old world Korea, the story shines a glaring light on the magical yet tragic world of American dream, told in ways never written before.

From the protagonist’s tangled emotional landscape, at times colorful and mysterious, Nayoung speaks to and for the brave women of all cultures, who endure prejudice and injustice they face while persevering to find their places in the free world, with daunting courage, resilience, and hope.

Therese Young Kim, who lived in old-world Korea before living in new-age America with equal passion, reveals in “Nayoung’s Journey” the paradox and irony of the American Dream, with biting honesty in her unique voice.


All Rights Reserved © Therese Young Kim



Interpretation of some Korean words in Nayoung's Journey, with images

Wind-bell 
Wind-bell

The Korean wind-bell (poong-gyung 풍경) is a ubiquitous bronze and copper bell hanging from the eaves of Buddhist temples and its clapper has the shape of a fish – the symbol of peace, awakening, and redemption. It chimes in the wind with the soothing sound of ringing.

Photo: Wind--bell at Chunggye-Sa Buddhist Temple,
Photo by Huh Kyun, Published by Daewonsa,
허균 "한국전통건축양식의비밀" 대원사

 Stone Lamps - Please, refer to the first page, Prelude, in this website, for images and the article about the stone lamps.


“Kisaeng” is a word transliterated from Korean, meaning “entertaining girl or girls,” who were professionally trained to sing, dance or play ancient instruments in old world Korea. Some wrote classic Korean poetry called, “Sijo,” and recited them to the haunting melody of kayagum sound. Despite their high artistry and elegance, however, they belonged to a lower-class  in social strata, who served as entertainers in banquets and ceremonial dinners for aristocrats and high officials. Hwang, Jini (1506-1560) is known to be one of the most legendary Kisaeng girls and an acclaimed poet of her time.
She was featured in the Korean movie titled by her name.


In the changing ethos of time, however, especially following the tragic Korean War and her rapid growth as an industrialized nation, the classic sight of Kisaeng girls in Korea has long been eclipsed by modern social mores of the country.
Nonetheless, it may not be a mere coincidence if one finds the footprints of their beauty and haunting legacy still alive in various forms of the Korean traditional performing arts today.


Following are the three images of Kisaeng girls in classic Hanbok (traditional Korean dress), courtesy of Hyunam Publishing Co. in Seoul, Korea. In the far left stands a Kisaeng girl in her outdoor mode in her hat (called Jonmo), made of bamboo and oiled paper that were worn by lower class women.
In the middle in all white is a dancing girl, and in the right she is wearing her formal Hanbok dress.


||||


The above images were selected from the book:
“Korean Costumes during the Chosun Dynasty”
Written and Illustrated by Kwon,Oh-Chang
Hyunam Publishing Co.


Written and compiled by © Therese Young Kim The Author of © Nayoung's Journey All Rights Reserved


Name
Email
Message