Through newspaper articles from the 1920s and 30s, this research focuses on the labor and wages of Gisaeng, a group of performers as a modern professional dancer and examines the cases of disputes and struggles facing changes in wage structure and tax system. The wage structure, income change and tax system of Gisaeng were defined, and the conflicts between Gisaeng and restaurants and between Gisaeng and call-offices were examined by region. The main reason of the wage disputes came from the disagreement between Gisaeng and restaurants regarding increase the rate of commission. Wage disputes between Gisaeng and call-offices were because of the unpaid wages by the call-offices. Gisaeng was a subgroup placed in the pyramid structure of labor organization - labor space - labor manager. Their income was distributed through three steps of deduction which are commission paid for restaurants and Gisaeng union as well as tax. However, facing unreasonable commission increase and overdue wages, they allied themselves through demonstrations and strikes to win their own rights and interests. This article broadens the base of research on modern professionals and makes a starting point of modern historical documentation and discussion on the rights, fair treatment, and working conditions of professional dancers.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the images of dancing women in the Korean novels from the 1910s to the 1950s and to investigate the relevant social discourse and cultural context at that time. This study focuses on the Korean novels as the research materials and the media to reflect the people’s awareness and social aspects of the times. The 6 novels selected through the material collecting process over 3 sessions are 『Moojeong』, 『Bokdeokbang』, 『Mooseong-gyeokja』, 『Seoul』, 『Sawhasan』, 『Silbimyeong』. The substantive characteristics and relational characteristics of dancing women appeared in the novels are arranged by type through text analysis. Their social implications are also explored. As a result, the images of dancing women appeared in the Korean novels are as follows. First, as the substantive characteristics of dancing women in the Korean novels, the number of dancing women appeared in the 6 novels is total 8. Their occupations and social activities are found to be Gisaengs, dancers, the students to prepare for being dancers. Second, as the relational characteristics of dancing women in the Korean novels, the relationships between main characters and dancing women are found to be classified into sexual relations and familiar relations. Third, the social implications of dancing women in the Korean novels are deducted from the opposite social awareness on Gisaeng and modern-girl dancer and the demands of the times on dancing women. It is expected that dance culture research would be enhanced and the close relationship between women and dance would be investigated if the follow-up studies to analyze the contemporary novels from the 1960s to the 2000s with the identical standards to this study are conducted. In addition, it is also expected that this study can contribute to the research on the Korean modern dance culture.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the various aspects of the traditional Korean dance at the Pyeongyang Gisaeng School and the ways that their culture was transmitted through their activities. There is no doubt that the perceptions of Gisaeng have been negative or narrow-minded. Furthermore, Gisaeng has become a symbolic image of sexuality, and the narrow-minded stereotype of Gisaeng still remains today. However, there exists counter-discourse that enables a re-conceptualization of Gisaeng as the symbol of a cultural archetype. It is also necessary to assess them as the pioneers of modern culture creation. The Pyeongyang Gisaeng School, in particular, produced many entertainers in the early modern days through a stable and sustainable educational system. The school provided whole person education based on its systematic process and content to produce a host of entertainers instead of limiting its scope only to art. Dance education was allocated to the upper grades so that the students could take on the practice of dance after equipping themselves with the basics including music. I The school also embraced contemporary art in its education according to the flow of the times rather than remaining at the level of the tradition. This foundation of the school contributed to the big number of Gisaengs from Pyeongyang recorded in Yedanilbaekin and Joseon Mi-In Bogam and the popularity they enjoyed among the public through their various performance activities.