The Life of Yi Pinghogak

These panels are an interpretation of the life of Yi
Pinghogak (1759-1824). She was the author of one of the first extant cookbooks in Korea, contributing to women’s literacy and expanding women’s role in society. The influence of Yi’s family and upbringing will be discussed as a significant influence on her future. These panels also show how Yi Pinghogak’s culinary knowledge brought a sense of freedom for women. This “freedom” is not freedom from domestic work or “the inner chambers” but the freedom that came with “connection to the world of knowledge through her cookbooks” (Ro, 149). The overall focus of this piece will demonstrate how the work of one woman, who was born into a privileged family, helped women from different social backgrounds to read and spotlight the importance of women’s education.

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