As we welcome in another New Year with copious amounts of food and alcohol in homes or at local pubs... Read More
Korea, in the summer of 1894, was a hotbed of intrigue and uncertainty. China and Japan were on the brink... Read More
At the mention of castles in Korea, images of pink-walled, crenellated love motels may spring to mind. Towering beside expressways and bus stations, and with names like Prince Hotel, these are not the representative castles of South Korea. While feudal castles still stand in Japan, what remain of Korea’s ancient... Read More
We have all been taught that aviation history was made on December 17, 1903, when the Wright brothers managed to... Read More
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, one of the most important events in village life was the five-day... Read More
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... Read More
Modern Seoul is filled with hotels and getting a room is generally not much of a problem, but it wasn’t... Read More
If you have a lot of Korean friends you have probably been invited to go to a sauna or jjimjilbang... Read More
Words by Robert Neff Photos from the collection of Robert Neff One of the earliest modernizations to Seoul was the introduction of streetcars in 1899 by an American company. It was heralded by many people as a symbol of modernization and prosperity. But not all viewed the streetcars with anticipation... Read More
During the late Joseon era, Koreans were well-known for their fondness for children—not only their own, but foreign children as... Read More