I think Jiwhore and Seungho's harem belong to the Yangban system, just like Seungho. In a moment, Jiwhore, furious by the way SH only treat him like a sex toy, told: "How dare he treat me like a bar maid, while he's from a declining family?".
The Sir must belong to either Jung-In or Sangmin. He was already called few times: "Jung In Hun".
Nakyum surely belongs to either the tree last social classes. I don't really know what regroups the 'Untouchables' (are they orphans and familyless people...?). NK himself is called Baek Nakyum...
In the beginning of the story, it was clearly mentioned that the Kiseang house where he was found and raised is from the "lowest class".
But our boy is and was always pretty unaware and impertinent about his place and the way he should behave regarding the caste system in that time. In this context (with the old servant ladies), he must want to tell them that contrarily to them, he wasn't hired to do chores but tasked by the Lord to paint only.
"I think Jiwhore and Seungho's harem belong to the Yangban system, just like Seungho" I agree but isn't it odd how they're basically Seungho's whores? Shouldn't they have an actual job, a wife and kids? Wouldn't it be disgraceful for men of this caste to engage in homosexual activities so openly?
Lol sorry for the many questions just trying to gauge how accurate this story is regarding the historical setting.
Np at all, it's good to question a plot too. Though I'm afraid that about this question precisely, there might be not response, and tbh I don't expect too much accuracy from this BL either.
Given the fact that homosexuality was really taboo during this era, we can assume that even if some of these harem guys had wife or a fiancee, maybe young noble men (who were known to be more excentric than common people) could gather between them and have homo orgies...? Orgies were something pretty common in the noble and aristocrat cast (Roman Empire, European noblesse, at least...).
There are indeed some questions that are still left without response, like how did the kid Nakyum knew about homosexuality and even drew these images so accurately?
This maybe just a thing Author-Nim had imagine to show how precocious and talentuous Nakyum was already as a child, but this still deosn't explain how he knew about these things that normally a small kid shouldn't see...
Late night reading: I suddenly felt an urge to go through the Joseon period caste system. I know nothing about Korea's history but according to Wikipedia (see below), this was the Joseon caste system. Can you tell me who belongs where in the story? Like, I assume that Seungho and his fam are Yangban, but then what about the learned sir, Jiwha & all of Seungho's harem, and our cute painter?
Tiny spoiler but Na-Kyum argues in chapter 38 that he's not a slave. Given that he's an orphan who was raised by courtisans, why isn't he a slave? And is he a Sangmin or a Cheonmin?
Joseon caste system:
Class HangulHanja Meaning
Yangban 양반 班 aristocrats
Jung-in 중인 中人 middle people
Sangmin 상민 常民 commoners
Cheonmin 천민 賤民 vulgar commoners
• Baekjeong 백정白丁 untouchables
• Nobi 노비 奴婢 slaves or serfs