Second Wife (history of polygamy and concubinage in Korea)

>Old Korea was a polygamous society where a man could keep as many concubines as he could support. 

This is historically inaccurate regarding pre-Joseon eras. ​Goryeo was fundamentally a monogamous society. Polygamy was a royal privilege reserved strictly for the King to secure heirs. In fact, toward the end of the Goryeo Dynasty, a minister proposed legalizing polygamy to address the demographic crisis after many women were taken as tribute to the Mongol Empire. However, it remained nothing more than a rejected proposal because it caused massive public outrage, especially among women.

​According to historical records, when this minister appeared at a festival market, an old woman pointed at him and yelled, “There goes the trash who advocated for concubines!” while the crowd jeered and pointed fingers at him. This incident clearly demonstrates that monogamy was deeply rooted as the cultural and social norm in Goryeo.