The Korean Kye and Geom-Gye 검계 in Dong Yi

kye 계 are organizations created by people to help each other out in times of trouble. They have been around since before the 17th century and are still going today. The idea is that everyone contributes a small amount of money on a regular basis to the group. The funds can be used for different purposes.

In the Joseon period, life was hard especially when the local yangban were corrupt, so village kye were started in farming villages and the members would regularly pool together an agreed amount of money in preparation for hardships.

Food, especially rice could also be pooled and members of the kye helped each other in other ways too through cooperative farming and with social support, getting together for meetings and events.

There were kye set up for weddings and funerals and parents’ 60th birthday parties which were all big, expensive events. The members contributed the agreed amount regularly so that there were funds available in preparation for a special occasion or sudden family loss and any member could collect a lump sum when it was needed.

I think this is a great idea but I wouldn’t like to be the one in charge of collecting the money. There needs to be cooperation and trust for this to work!

Geum-gye leader Choi Hyo-won, Dong Yi, MBC

The Geom-gye in Dong Yi

In the drama Dong Yi, the Geom-Gye 검계 (geom means sword) is an organization made up of members of the chonmin servant class to help other chonin when they have trouble or are ill-treated.

We see the Geom-Gye help slaves escape by fighting off slave hunters and then providing the runaway slaves with transportation and probably food and lodging when they arrive at their destination.

a masked member of the Geom-gye, Dong Yi, MBC

runaway slaves are helped by the geom-gye, Dong Yi, MBC

A slave hunter gets knocked to the ground by the geom-gye, Dong Yi, MBC

The spirit of the Kye system is still very much a part of Korea culture today.

At weddings, guests usually give money rather than a present – the amount depends on how close the guests are to the couple.

The guests put the money in an envelope with their name on it and hand the envelope to the assigned money collectors (trusted friends of the groom) who are sitting at the entrance to the wedding hall. Their names and how much they give is noted down in the guest book which is handed to the couple after the wedding.

There can be many guests at Korean weddings as it’s not just close friends and family members who are invited. In my office, emails come around from Korean members of staff inviting the entire office to their wedding and this seems to be common. The money gifts can cover the costs of the entire wedding ceremony.

Mourners also give money at funerals.

Friends often set up kyes between themselves for various reasons. My mother in law has a kye with her friends. They all give the same amount of money to the treasurer every month and the money goes towards a trip. When they have enough they go out for day trips or take weekends away around Korea leaving the men folk at home! Last time they went to Jejudo island.

Kyes can also mix work and play – every year for kimchi making season around November, ladies gather to make kimchi together. It would be a lonely business making a year’s worth of kimchi on your own.

Korean immigrants abroad have also relied on the kye system to set up businesses when they haven’t been able to borrow money from banks. Money is pooled regularly and each member is allowed to take all the money once to help them set up business although they may have to wait years for their turn.

This form of borrowing money has caused problems though as there is no proof of where the money came from and Western cultures are not familiar with this system. see this article from the archives of the Seattle Times.

Read other posts about life in Joseon

How did people address each other in the Joseon period?

What do the titles mean in the historical drama Horse Doctor?

How did people tell the time in the Joseon period?

What can we learn about the status of women in the Joseon palace watching Jewel in the Palace?

What were the social classes in the Joseon period?

What can we learn about Joseon society through the paintings of Shin Yun Bok?

What was the Concubine Ranking System in the Joseon Palace?

What was the ranking system for Court Ladies ?

Was there really a Court Lady Investigation Bureau in the Joseon Palace?

Joseon tombs in Gangnam, Seoul

The Visitor Ghost of Death by Smallpox