Nongae or Joo Nongae (Hangul: 주논개, Hanja: 朱論介) (3 September 1574 – 1593) was a gisaeng of Jinju during the Joseon Dynasty of Korea. A popular legend tells the story of her sacrificial assassination of the Japanese general Keyamura Rokusuke. Life Nongae was born in Jeolla during the Joseon Dynasty. She was born into the Sinan Joo clan. Her father was Joo Dal-mun (Hangul: 주달문, Hanja: 朱達文), who may have been a scholar, and her mother, of whom we only know her family name, Park, was from the Miryang Park clan. Nongae was a late-born child to the couple, whose son, Joo Dae-ryong (Hangul: 주대룡), died at the age of 15. In 1578, her father died and she was entrusted to the care of her uncle Joo Dal-mu (Hangul: 주달무) who lived in the House of Ahn-hyeon in Gyeongsang. Nongae's uncle attempted to have her married to a man named Kim Bu-ho (Hangul: 김부호, Hanja: 金富豪) in exchange for 50 sacks of rice. Nongae's mother stole her from her uncle when she learned of this attempted exchange. By 1579, her mother was caught with Nongae and was prosecuted. Her mother's trial was overseen by a province official, Choi Gyeong-hwi of the Haeju Choi clan (Hangul: 최경회, Hanja: 崔慶會), who ruled on behalf of her innocence. Nongae and her mother were later released and permitted to live at a residence in Hyeongam. By the age of 17, Nongae became a mistress of Choi and was given the title of "Lady Uiam of the Sinan Joo clan" (Hangul: 의암부인 신안 주씨, Hanja: 義巖夫人 新安 朱氏), and lived in his house where she birthed a son. In 1592, the Imjin War began and Choi started to recruit and train soldiers in Udo, Jeolla, in which Nongae helped him. In 1593, Japanese forces invaded the Korean peninsula during which Choi was assassinated in June. Afterwards, the Japanese eventually succeeded in their invasion of Suyeong Fortress (now near Jinju). To celebrate the victory, soldiers forced all the gisaeng to serve them at the Choseokru Pavilion (nugak) on a cliff that overlooked the Nam River in Jinju. Nongae was called to entertain the victorious Japanese generals alongside the other gisaeng. Nongae walked to a steep rock sticking out of the Nam river under the Choseokru, which prevented the Japanese soldiers from joining her due to a fear of falling into the river. Nongae challenged the Japanese