Defining folk art is difficult, especially in the case of Korea where it seems that it was made for both high and low ranking people. In the case of paintings, professional artists produced works for aristocrats while village artisans made cheaper paintings for poorer people. However, the subject matters of the paintings were often the same. The paintings tend to be more colourful, lively and humorous than so-called ‘literati’ paintings (scholar paintings).

Folk paintings were made for religious and domestic use. Religious paintings were hung in Buddhist temples and at shaman rituals. Other folk paintings were displayed in people’s homes. Some were for daily use, others were for special occasions such as birthdays and weddings.

Chaekkori (books and things) screens were used by high and low ranking people. These were screens decorated with objects from everyday life. Three types of chaekkori screens were made during the Chosŏn period. The most elegant type shows objects arranged in a bookcase. In the second type scholars’ objects, such as books, paint brushes and paper, are arranged at random. The third type of chaekkori shows non-scholarly objects such as fruits and animals and would have been used in the homes of less affluent people.

Folk art was not only made in the Chosŏn perid but continues to be produced and used today.