Greenroom

The Southern Journey of Lady Sa

Kim Man-jung, 1690 · Original title: 사씨남정기

Yu Yeonsu becomes a royal scholar at fifteen and marries Lady Sa, a woman admired for her virtue and learning. When years pass without a child, Lady Sa herself urges her husband to take a second wife, and the beautiful, talented Gyo Chaeran enters the household. What begins as an act of generosity sets the whole family on an unexpected course.

The conflict between a wife and a concubine in a polygamous householdGood and evil within one familyA head of household's judgement and responsibility

About this work (Wikipedia) ↗

Public domain: the author died in 1692 and the work was published in 1690, so its copyright has ended in Korea, the US and the EU. Everything written here is our own; no translation is copied.

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Characters

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  • 사씨(사정옥) Lady Sa (Sa Jeong-ok) A learned, gentle young woman chosen as a bride for her virtue and her writing. Main character Appears in part 1
  • 유연수(유 한림) Yu Yeonsu (Scholar Yu) A brilliant young royal scholar who passed the examination at the top of the list at fifteen. Main character Appears in part 1
  • 교씨(교채란) Gyo Chaeran A beautiful, gifted young woman who enters the Yu household as a concubine. Main character Appears in part 1
  • 동청 Dong Cheong Main character First appears in part 2. Read up to part 1 to meet them without spoilers.
  • 두 부인 Aunt Du Yu Yeonsu's widowed aunt, the wise elder who runs the household. Appears in part 1
  • 묘혜 The Nun Myohye A Buddhist nun who brought a painting of Guanyin to young Miss Sa. Appears in part 1
  • 유 소사(유현) Minister Yu (Yu Hyeon) A respected retired minister and Yu Yeonsu's father, searching for a worthy bride for his son. Appears in part 1
  • 납매 Nammae First appears in part 2. Read up to part 1 to meet them without spoilers.
  • 냉진 Naeng Jin First appears in part 3. Read up to part 2 to meet them without spoilers.
  • 설매 Seolmae First appears in part 3. Read up to part 2 to meet them without spoilers.

Part by part

Part 1

처음 ~ 교씨가 첩으로 들어와 장주를 낳기까지

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Part 2

교씨의 노래 ~ 교씨와 동청이 한패가 되기까지

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Part 3

옥가락지 사건 ~ 사씨가 묘혜에게 구해지기까지

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Part 4

유연수의 유배 ~ 유연수와 사씨가 다시 만나기까지

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Part 5

악인들의 몰락 ~ 끝

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