Korean ladies-in-waiting

royal consort (1659-1701)

Naemyŏngbu (), was a category of rank in the royal court of Joseon that referred to concubines and female officials living within the palaces. It was separate from the Oemyŏngbu () category, which consisted of royal women living outside the palace.

Kungnyŏ () is a Korean term referring to women waiting on the king and other royalty in traditional Korean society. It is short for "gungjung yeogwan", which translates as "a lady officer of the royal court". Kungnyŏ includes sanggung (palace matron) and nain (assistant court ladies), both of which hold rank as officers. The term is also used more broadly to encompass women in a lower class without a rank such as musuri (lowest maids in charge of odd chores), gaksimi, sonnim, uinyeo (female physicians) as well as nain and sanggung. The term spans those from courtiers to domestic workers.

'''' was an official title of the senior 5th rank (; ), the highest attainable for kungnyŏ, a lady-in-waiting during the Joseon period of Korea. Female officers with the title were assigned to govern the inner affairs of the palace. When a regular nain'' served for more than 15 years, she would be awarded with an ornamental hairpin for a . Therefore, a newly appointed was usually 35–45 years old. A court lady at the rank of was treated well enough to live in her own house with servants.

concubine of Gwanghaegun

17th-century Korean Christian former lady-in-waiting