Pair of flower shoes (kkotshin), embroidered silk upper, leather and rubber, Madame Lee Young Hee's studio, Korea, 1991.

Pair of women's shoes from Korea that resembles the traditional Korean danghye shoes with its red silk upper embroiedered with plant and flower motifs and Chinese characters signifying longevity and fortune in multicolored silk threads. It has a slightly upturned toe, rubber heels and sole.

Given by Madame Lee Young Hee

According to Sunny Yang, flat-heeled silk-covered leather shoes for women (danghye) were traditionally hand-sewn and hand cushioned with layers of cotton pads for leather soles, and appliqued at the upturned toes and heels with different colorred silk damask in stylised patterns, and stitched along the sole line with matching colored threads. Inside they were lined with white leather. Danghye were usually worn by queens and wives fo the Crown Prince for auspicious ceremonies. Later at the end of the Yi Dynasty, the commoners were allowed to wear danghye and it became a part of proper attire. Danghye is also called mareun-shin (dry shoes) or flower shoes.

This particular pair seems to be a contemporary version of the traditional danghye with its slightly thicker heel.

Kkotshin are lavish floral embroidered shoes with a slight heel and upturned toes. Their design originates from the traditional hand-sewn, flat-heeled danghye shoes that were worn by royal women for auspicious ceremonies. By the 19th century, kkotshin became a part of formal hanbok attire for ordinary people. This pair is embroidered with Chinese characters signifying longevity and good fortune.

FE.431:8, 9-1992