An Analysis, Comparison, and Contrast of Four Editions of the Records of Gisaeng and Prostitutes: Focusing on 1988 Microfilm Edition, 1995 Photoprint Edition, 1999 Black Scanning Edition, and 2022 New Color Scanning Edition

This study closely analyzed the following copied editions of the Records of Gisaeng and Prostitutes: 1. the 1988 Microfilm Edition (M/F No. 88-0605) of the National Archives of Korea, Ministry of Government Administration, 2. the 1995 Photoprint Edition of the Institute of Seoul Studies, University of Seoul, 3. the 1999 Black and White Scanned Edition of the National Archives of Korea, Ministry of the Interior; and 4. the 2022 Color Scanned Edition of the National Archives of Korea, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, which was produced and procured in 2022. This study then compared them to verify the characteristics and components of each edition in detail. First, the 1988 Microfilm Edition (M/F No.:88-0605) of the National Archives of Korea, the earliest copy of the Records of Gisaeng and Prostitutes, has a total of 212 pages. However, taking into account repeated and omitted pages and other factors, there were a total of 210 pages. Second, in the 1995 Photoprint Edition of the Institute of Seoul Studies, University of Seoul, each lined page is divided in half and printed separately. Counting two divided sheets as one page yields a total of 93 pages (pp. 145-237), for a total of 186 pages. After taking into account single sheets, repetitions, and omissions, the 1995 Photoprint Edition of the Institute of Seoul Studies, University of Seoul, has a total of 207 pages. Third, the 1999 Black and White Scanned Edition of the National Archives of Korea, Ministry of the Interior, is a PDF file with 213 pages. Taking into account repetitions, omissions, and other factors, the black and white scanned edition has a total of 211 pages. Fourth, the 2022 Color Scanned Edition of the National Archives of Korea, Ministry of the Interior and Safety, is a PDF file with 212 pages. This edition has one cover page not in the original copy but produced separately by the National Archives of Korea; apart from this, the 2022 Color Scanning Edition has a total of 211 pages, the same as the original Records of Gisaeng and Prostitutes. Lastly, this study found three additional documents not included in the original Records of Gisaeng and Prostitutes. Including them with the bound Records of Gisaeng and Prostitutes yields a total of 214 pages. The newly found documents will be clarified in more detail in follow-up research on reorganizing the source material of the Records of Gisaeng and Prostitutes.