While jangdo have many usages, only one particular way of using it is usually shown throughout the media. These knives regularly make an appearance in Korean television series and movies set in the past. However, they often paint the (incorrect) picture that only women used these small knives, as women are often seen taking out a jangdo to protect themselves in dangerous situations.Eun Yi Lee, “[Monthly KOREA] Eunjangdo,” Korea.net : The official website of the Republic of Korea, June 15, 2020,. Yet, the dagger wasn’t just a self-protection object similar to a modern-day self-defense keychain for women (often consisting of pepper spray, a personal alarm, a kubotanA small stick for self-defense purposes, also known as a pressure point weapon. The body is made of durable material, and has six grooves in it., and makeup accessories); they were also used for daily and home activities such as arts and crafts or gardening. It was customary for women who were about to get married to receive a jangdo, often inscribed with Chinese characters that communicated the ideals she was to represent from then on. If she ever found herself in a situation where she could not save herself from being raped, she was expected to use the jangdo to commit suicide in order to protect her chastity. This practice was based on the part of Confucian philosophy that emphasized yeolnyeo, a woman’s loyalty to her husband.MUCHADOBOUTLOVE, “Women of the Joseon Dynasty (Part 1),” The Talking Cupboard (blog), June 14, 2014,. Moreover, girls from well-off families sometimes received special jangdo that were passed down through generations when they turned 12 or 13.National Folklore Museum, “Jangdo,” Encyclopedia of Korean Folk Culture, accessed October 14, 2021,. Gisaeng, female entertainers who received many strangers as guests, also carried jangdo to protect themselves from unknown dangers.