Chung Chil-sung

Chung Chil-sung (정칠성, 1897-1958), also known by her art name Geumjuk (금죽) was a Korean dancer, feminist, and independence activist. She was a former Kisaeng who became a major figure in Geunuhoe (근우회) and Samwolhoe (삼월회). She abandoned performing after participating in the March 1st Movement of 1919, which inspired her shift toward nationalism, socialism, and women's activism.

As a performer, Chung was known for her skill in Gayageum, traditional singing, and board games such as baduk (go). Her first public performances were in Daegu after being noticed at local events.

Cultural Influences

Chung's youth coincided with a trend of horse riding among elite Kisaeng in the 1910s which was viewed as both a display of status as well as a subtle challenge to gender norms. She mentioned how her happiest memory as a teenager was riding horses at the age of seventeen. The shock of state repression and the collective energy of the protests pushed Chung to abandon her work as a Kisaeng and pursue nationalist and social activism. She withdrew from Geunuhoe in 1930 due to health issues, at a time when calls for dissolution had become dominant within socialist circles. Despite this trend, Chung argued that Geunuhoe should continue, citing the need to raise women’s consciousness and maintain educational work that addressed conditions in Korea.

Even after Geunuhoe was dissolved, she expressed strong attachment to the organization and to the colleagues with whom she had spent her youth. In a March 1, 1935 article in Samcheolli, she recalled passing the former Geunuhoe building in Jongno and holding back tears while remembering fellow activists such as Hwang Sin-deok, Heo Jeong-suk, and Ju Se-juk. After she withdrew from organizations such as the Geunuhoe, she continued her preference for long-term organization and worked to support herself rather than engage in radical mobilization, including by running a handicraft shop or working as a manager at the Sampho Gold Mine distribution office.