| Hwang Jini | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 황진이 |
| Hanja | 黃眞伊 |
| Revised Romanization | Hwang Jini |
| McCune–Reischauer | Hwang Chini |
| Gisaeng name | |
| Hangul | 명월 |
| Hanja | 明月 |
| Revised Romanization | Myeong-wol |
| McCune–Reischauer | Myŏngwŏl |
Hwang Jin-i (1520c.-1560c.), also known by her gisaeng name Myeongwol (literally bright moon), is one of the most famous gisaeng of the Joseon Dynasty who lived during the reign of King Jungjong. She was noted for her exceptional beauty, charming quick wit, and extraordinary intellect. Her personal life has become almost myth-like, having inspired movies, a 2006 TV series, operas, and numerous novels. Due to her renowned assertive and independent nature, she has become a modern popular cultural icon of Korea.
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Although only a handful of sijo and geomungo pieces exist today, they nonetheless show skilled craftsmanship of words and of musical arrangement. Her sijo often describe the natural beauty of Gaeseong and its famous sites such the palace of Manwoldae and the Pakyon Falls. Others hint at the tragedy of her lost loves. Some are also responses to numerous famous classic Chinese poems and literature, the majority of them reflecting on lost love. Two of her most famous sijo are:
In the late 20th century, Hwang Jin-i's story began to attract attention from both sides of the Korean divide. Her life has been depicted through media including fiction, film and opera. Novels dealing with her life include a 2002 novel by the North Korean writer Hong Sok-chung, which was the first North Korean novel to win an award in the South. Another novel, by South Korean writer Jeon Gyeong-rin, became a bestseller in 2004. In late 2006, KBS released a TV series entitled Hwang Jin-i starring Ha Ji-won in the title role. A film starring Song Hye Kyo was released on June 6, 2007.