Piling Up

BY KIM M
Mar 05, 2010
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This beautiful traditional Korean hairstyle may have been a pain in the neck.

korean hair styles

 

I forget where I first saw this image, but I have to share it. It shows, beautifully, the elaborate hairstyles that Korean gisaeng – traditional female entertainers – wore. The weight of the hair piled high puts severe strain on the neck and shoulders, as you can imagine. All for beauty’s sake.

I wonder how long it took them to get ready? Considering that there's status in practically every part of Korea's social structure I wonder if it's the same with the gisaeng’s hairstyle. At what stage is the towering pile of braids expected – after the woman "graduates"? Also, what is the inside information on the process of becoming a gisaeng? It's probably in Korean.

If anyone knows where this image is from and who took it, let me know so I can give proper credit!

 

Kim M is a Korean adoptee living in the US. She blogs at Pavilioned in Splendour.

 

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