By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

Folk painting Sibjangsaeng is one of the traditional folk arts of Korea, and refers to works inspired by the Korean class system of Sibjangsaeng. Folk painting Sibjangsaeng are paintings by folk painters, mostly active during the Joseon Dynasty, that satirize various aspects of the Sibjangsaeng caste system and express them through rich imagination.

Sibjangsaeng represented a wide range of classes, from nobles to peasants, merchants, servants, gamblers, virgins, crosses, and commoners. They were often depicted in the form of a single family or several Sibjangsaeng together in a scene. These folk paintings were created in a variety of media, including murals, paintings on paper, and tanning.

They were an important part of traditional Korean art because they were often depictions of everyday life and contained social satire and humor. In some ways, they were meant to criticize the class system of Korean society and the social conflicts and absurdities that resulted from it.

As one of the most important genres of Korean folk art, folk paintings based on the theme of sibjangsaeng are characteristic of Korean culture. They are also considered an important source for understanding Korean history and culture. Today, there are still many artists who continue to inherit and develop traditional Korean folk paintings.