As a woman living in Korea and someone who majored in Korean history, I’ve always found it fascinating to explore the Korean women in history in different historical periods. In particular, comparing the Goryeo Dynasty and the Joseon Dynasty offers a clear picture of how women’s rights and roles changed over time. During the Goryeo … Read more
Below is a simplified Korean History Timeline, from ancient kingdoms to modern times. This is a great starting point for anyone interested in learning about Korea’s past. While working on this blog about Korean history, I realized that I had mostly focused on simply describing historical events. To help readers better understand the overall flow … Read more
n the early summer of 1762, many people gathered quietly under the scorching sun inside the royal palace, anxiously watching two figures: Crown Prince Sado and his father, King Yeongjo. “Father, I was wrong. Please forgive me!” begged Crown Prince Sado, kneeling and crying desperately in front of King Yeongjo. However, the king stared at … Read more
Do you want to hear a chilling story this hot summer? Let me introduce a mysterious tale from the Joseon Dynasty of Korea called The Story of Janghwa and Hongryeon(Joseon Novel). Though this is a work of fiction, many believe it was inspired by real events. A case very similar to this story actually happened … Read more
Have you ever seen the 10,000-won bill from South Korea? On this bill, you’ll find the face of one of the most beloved kings in Korean history—King Sejong the Great from the Joseon Dynasty. If you visit Seoul, the capital of Korea, you’ll see two famous statues in front of Gwanghwamun Gate. One is of … Read more
In South Korea, August 15 is a national holiday called Gwangbokjeol or Korean Liberation Day. Why is this day so important? Because it marks the end of Japanese rule over Korea. At the end of World War II, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Japan. Soon after, Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration and announced … Read more
The Japanese colonial period is not ancient history—it happened just about 100 years ago. Korea regained its independence in 1945, which means that there are still many people alive today who lived through that time. In my case, both of my grandparents were born during the Japanese occupation. Although they have both passed away—my grandmother … Read more
From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, Korea struggled to survive between powerful empires. In this story, you’ll learn about King Gojong, his courageous wife Queen Myeongseong, and the righteous fighters (called Uibyeong) who rose up to resist Japan’s growing control over Korea. Heungseon Daewongun and Queen Myeongseong : Joseon Korea’s Struggle … Read more
The Rise of Heungseon Daewongun In the 1800s, the Joseon Dynasty in Korea was struggling. At that time, Joseon was ruled not by the king, but by powerful royal in-laws. This system is called Sedo politics. They used young and weak kings so they could stay in power. These families placed very young and weak … Read more
“The Tale of Chunhyang” is a famous Korean story from the Joseon Dynasty. No one knows exactly who wrote it, but it has been passed down for many generations. Many scholars believe that the story came from a traditional Korean musical performance called pansori—a mix of singing, storytelling, and drama. This tale is a beautiful … Read more
