Concubine or court lady maid? What was the best (or the worst) status : a thread #TheRedSleeve #LeeJunHo #LeeSeYoung 
The court ladies had a special status among the population in the Joseon era. As they served the royal family, ppl considered them as special (the 🧚♀️ metaphor in #TheRedSleeve was accurate). But the price to pay was very high: they entered the palace very young to ensure they …
…Were still virgin, as they were the king’ spouses. The CL couldn’t have a love life or build a family. Of course some CL had affair with civil servant or courtier. But they risked death penalty as Yung Hee in #TheRedSleeve if they get caught
The presence of the eunuchs in the palace is justified in Goryeo/Joseon by the need to ensure the safety of the female royal members and the court ladies #TheredSleeve
If their master dies, his/her court ladies are kicked out of the palace (it happened to Bok Yeon after Yeongjo’s death). Usually those CL worked for royal or noble families living outside the palace. #TheRedSleeve
If a court lady is kicked out the palace for disciplinary purpose (when San asked Deok Im to live the palace after their argument), it was a shame for the court lady. Usually, her family didn’t want to stay in touch with her as she put the blame on her family #TheRedSleeve
When a court lady was too old or sick, she was kicked out the palace. She wasn’t allow to die inside there even she spend the most part of her life #TheRedSleeve
As the king’s wife, a court lady could be bedded without her consent. Otherwise, she could face death #TheRedSleeve
Was it such a good thing to be a court lady maid after all ? #TheRedSleeve
Once a court lady was bedded, she didn’t’ become the king’s concubine after all. She’s a special court lady maid: not a concubine yet, not a court lady maid anymore. And nothing guaranteed that she would become one. Remember San’s threat …#TheRedSleeve #LeeSeYoung #LeeJunHo
San threatened to bed Deok Im only once so she would be despised by the other court ladies. Even when the court lady become officially a concubine, her position in the palace is linked to the king's affection. Once he has a new favorite, she lost her importance #TheRedSleeve
If the concubine gives birth to the crown prince, she becomes the most powerful and richest woman. But, the heir is automatically adopted by the queen, as the official consort. So the crown prince must call mother the queen and not his biological mother #TheRedSleeve
According to the king’s affection, a concubine could reach (or not) the 1st rank, and was considered as a royal family member. But an inferior one still. If San have sticker to the rules, he would never have buried Deok Im next to Mun Hyo. But he did, even if it wasn’t allowed
A concubine couldn’t leave the palace and wasn’t allowed to see her family members if they lived outside the palace (San broke that rule for Deok Im). Once in the palace as a concubine, they were trapped forever but could die inside the palace #TheRedSleeve
The concubines lived longer than the commoners or the queens, because they had access to physicians (there’s no explanation why they lived longer than the queens) #TheRedSleeve
Once the king have a new favorite, the concubine doesn’t have a word to say. She loses the king’s affection and her role in the palace. It was quite common for older concubines to be replaced by younger ones #TheRedSleeve
Even if a concubine who was court lady becomes 1st rank, she’s still considered inferior to the queen or the selected concubines (remember when San rushed to pay his respect to the queen when he learnt Deok Im’s pregnancy) #TheRedSleeve
Selected concubines or the queens were only visited the days the observatory decided. The concubine (ex court lady maid) could be bedded anytime by the king. #TheRedSleeve
Court lady or concubine: which is the best or worst? Difficult to judge. For both it was a life of sacrifices but as a concubine, a court lady could at least have children which was forbidden to the court ladies. #TheRedSleeve
Becoming a concubine was a court lady maid was a huge social class jump, with wealth and influence. For the selected concubines who came from noble families it was a way to ensure their political influence with an alliance with the royal family #TheRedSleeve #LeeSeYoung #LeeJunHo
End of the thread 🧵
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