From the Lowest Class to Becoming Benefactors: Benefit Concerts of Kisaeng in Colonial Korea

This article examines benefit concerts organized by kisaeng guilds during the Japanese colonial period, drawing on newspaper and magazine sources. These events supported disaster victims, the poor, and schools, showcasing kisaeng as contributors to public welfare despite their marginalized status. Active from the 1910s, these concerts reflected kisaeng’s aspirations for social recognition and eventually expanded to include collaborations with community groups. Educational institutions’ requests for such concerts underscore their perceived effectiveness. This study sheds light on kisaeng’s evolving social roles and calls for further investigation into Korean women’s transformative experiences as “new women” during this dynamic historical period.