158 Results for "history"

Original words by Robert Neff In this humorous anecdote from the turn of the 20th century, an American diplomat and a mob of Korean children strike up an unexpected friendship based on practical jokes. Horace N. Allen, the American minister to Korea from 1897-1905, found that his fondness for bicycle riding drew the attention of Korean children…

History isn’t without its foibles and quirks. If it’s not lack a of information about Shakespeare, then it’s the real truths behind Lincoln’s press for abolishing slavery. Korean history, however, benefits from a stringent documentation of history and an unforgivingly detailed account of many historical figures. So here we are from the embarrassing to the…

2,500 years after his death, Master Kong’s ideas continue to shape life on the Korean peninsula.

Photos from the collection of Robert Neff Prior to the marvels of the computer and its email service or the smartphone and its Kakao program, snail mail was the only economical way that foreigners in Korea could keep in touch with their families back home: postal service. Snail mail, as the name implies, was slow…

Photos from the collection of Robert Neff One of the most valued animals in Joseon Korea was the Korean bull, which was used for transportation, food and leather. Westerners described these bulls as “noble” and “splendid beasts” that were not only “remarkably handsome” but very “tractable.”, thus the name of Korea's noble cow. Although the…

Life at the Western gold mines in northern Korea was dangerous both inside and out in the 19th and early 20th centuries. These Korean mines were generally located in sparsely populated mountainous regions and were the favored haunts of Korea’s big cats – Siberian tigers and leopards. Tiger and, to a lesser degree, leopard attacks…

There are three things you should know about soju: your options, your manners, and your limit.

Korean Fried Chicken is a huge phenomenon. It is perhaps the most competitive business in the food industry in South Korea. In 2016, one out of every four franchises were chicken restaurants. In 2017, roughly eight chicken hofs closed for every eleven that opened. The Korean fried chicken market is so competitive that the business…

To serve more than 9 million inhabitants, Seoul has an extensive public transportation system. Seoul subway extends to a total of 466km, placing third in the top 10 longest metro systems at the end of 2017, according to figures from UITP. Since the opening of their first subway line in 1974, the city’s transport infrastructure…

If you have a lot of Korean friends you have probably been invited to go to a sauna or jjimjilbang with them. For many foreigners, their first time or two is usually rather an embarrassing affair. It is human nature to have some degree of curiosity of one’s fellow human but – at least in…