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Korea’s typical family was neither a large nor a nuclear one but a combination of two. Women usually lived in an inner house, or the main building of family, and men occupied the outer house of a family’s male master, or sarangchae, which was for receiving male guests or used as a study. Quite often children lived and studied in sarangchae and female guests were entertained in the inner house.

“A boy and a girl should not sit together after they have reached the age of seven” was a common law in old Korea under the influence of Confucianism. Even marriage could not excuse lovers from such firmness, since Confucius and wife should be kept properly distinctive.” Thus came the Korean style male space, the sarangchae, available to almost each and every house in old Korea, where the head of a household not only did his “high” business but also managed the necessities of life.

Photo credits:
http://arosebud.wordpress.com/2009/05/20/korea-holiday-trip/