The Joseon Gwageo at a Glance

Everything below is real history. The events and characters in the Gwageo-gil game are invented, but the exam system behind them existed like this.

The Three Branches of the Gwageo

The Joseon gwageo had three branches: mun-gwa, mu-gwa, and jap-gwa. Mun-gwa selected civil officials, mu-gwa selected military officials, and jap-gwa selected specialists in fields such as medicine, astronomy, and interpretation.

Source: 위키백과 조선의 과거제 (Wikipedia, Korean: "Joseon-era gwageo system")

Sogwa and Daegwa

Sogwa refers jointly to the saengwonsi and jinsasi exams; passing one of them was required to sit the daegwa (the mun-gwa exam itself). Daegwa refers to the mun-gwa exam proper.

Source: 위키백과 조선의 과거제 (Wikipedia, Korean: "Joseon-era gwageo system")

The Three Stages of Mun-gwa

Mun-gwa was held in three stages, in order: chosi, boksi, and jeonsi. Chosi selected candidates in proportion to each province's population, boksi narrowed the field to 33 candidates, and jeonsi, held before the king, decided their final ranking.

Source: 우리역사넷(국사편찬위원회) 과거 제도 (Woori History Net, National Institute of Korean History)

Siknyeonsi and Irregular Exams

The regular exam, siknyeonsi, was held every three years. Irregular exams were also held: jeunggwangsi for national celebrations, byeolsi for special occasions, and alseongsi when the king visited Seonggyungwan in person.

Source: 위키백과 조선의 과거제 (Wikipedia, Korean: "Joseon-era gwageo system")

Mu-gwa

Mu-gwa was a single track with no sogwa/daegwa split, but like mun-gwa it had three stages: chosi, boksi, and jeonsi.

Source: 위키백과 조선의 과거제 (Wikipedia, Korean: "Joseon-era gwageo system")

Jap-gwa

Jap-gwa selected technical specialists: uigwa (medicine), eumyanggwa (astronomy and geography), yeokgwa (interpretation), igwa (administration), and others.

Source: 위키백과 조선의 과거제 (Wikipedia, Korean: "Joseon-era gwageo system")

The 24 Solar Terms, Ipchun to Daehan

Gwageo-gil uses the year's 24 solar terms as one run's track. A solar term is one of 24 divisions of the year by the sun's position, starting at Ipchun (Start of Spring) and ending at Daehan (Great Cold). Their names and meanings are below.

Spring

  • Ipchun 立春: The start of spring.
  • Usu 雨水: Snow melts into rain and plants begin to bud.
  • Gyeongchip 驚蟄: Hibernating insects wake.
  • Chunbun 春分: Day and night are equal in length.
  • Cheongmyeong 淸明: The sky is clear and bright, and farming preparations begin.
  • Gogu 穀雨: Spring rain falls and nurtures the grain.

Summer

  • Ipha 立夏: The start of summer.
  • Soman 小滿: All things grow and slowly fill out.
  • Mangjong 芒種: Bearded grains are sown.
  • Haji 夏至: The longest day of the year.
  • Soseo 小暑: The lesser heat arrives.
  • Daeseo 大暑: The greater heat arrives.

Autumn

  • Ipchu 立秋: The start of autumn.
  • Cheoseo 處暑: The heat lets up.
  • Baengno 白露: White dew forms.
  • Chubun 秋分: Day and night are equal in length.
  • Hallo 寒露: Cold dew forms.
  • Sanggang 霜降: Frost falls.

Winter

  • Ipdong 立冬: The start of winter.
  • Soseol 小雪: Light snow begins to fall.
  • Daeseol 大雪: Heavy snow falls.
  • Dongji 冬至: The longest night of the year.
  • Sohan 小寒: The lesser cold arrives.
  • Daehan 大寒: The greater cold arrives.

Source: 한국민족문화대백과사전 이십사절기, 위키백과 절기

Sources

위키백과 조선의 과거제, 우리역사넷(국사편찬위원회), 한국민족문화대백과사전 이십사절기, 위키백과 절기