Research on Choso ̆njok maidens and farmer bachelors
Choso ̆njok Maidens and Farmer Bachelors
It was nearly dark by the time my research assistant, Chiyo ̆ng, and i reached our destination: the home of Kiso ̆n, a pineapple farmer in a far-
flung region of South Kyo ̆ngsang Province. In March 1991, Kiso ̆n had been selected by a local government office to participate in one of South
Korea’s first “marriage tours” to northeastern China. Following a lead from the organization in Seoul that sponsored the tour, Chiyo ̆ng had
phoned him the week before to arrange an interview. “Are you the ones who phoned?” growled a voice as we exited the taxi. There was no one
in sight but a gaunt, ruddy-faced man straddling a moped, his stern eyes trained on me. When I looked in his direction, his gaze did not soften.
I turned to Chiyo ̆ng to guide us through the awkwardness of the moment, but she appeared equally uncomfortable. The three of us stood in silence,
the man unrelenting in his cold stare. I summoned the courage to stammer a greeting. Kiso ̆n expressed relief that I spoke Korean and apologized
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