history
All of our content about history
19th Century Five-Day Markets of Northern Korea
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, one of the most important events in village life was the five-day…
Alice Roosevelt’s Visit to Joseon Korea In 1905
In the summer of 1905, the world was a scary place for Korea. The Russo-Japanese War had recently ended but…
Joseon Modesty: Korean History
If you have a lot of Korean friends you have probably been invited to go to a sauna or jjimjilbang…
History: The Introduction of Street Cars
Words by Robert Neff Photos from the collection of Robert Neff One of the earliest modernizations to Seoul was the…
History: The Innocence of Childhood in Joseon
During the late Joseon era, Koreans were well-known for their fondness for children—not only their own, but foreign children as…
Living History: 20 Ways to See Korea as it Used
Living History: 20 Ways to See Korea as it Used to Be A guide to authentic history tourism in South Korea.…
History: Dokdo’s Cousin, Pre-Colonialism – The History of Ulleung-do
Modern transportation has made travel to most places in Korea, no matter how distant from Seoul, easy and comfortable. However,…
Teaching English in Korea in the 1880s
We all know that students have it rough in Korea. They go to school early in the morning and then…
How Tobacco Was Introduced To Korea Throughout History
From unwieldy pipes to black-market cigarettes, tobacco has been an important part of Korean society for over four hundred years.…
The Original Hallyu: The Korean Video Game Industry
Words by Vaughan Wallis, Illustrations by Pat Volz You may have heard of the Korean Wave, the spread of Korean…
History: Korean Trash Treasure One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s
Original words by Robert NeffPhotos from the collection of Robert Neff Joseon Korea was generally perceived by foreign visitors as…
History: The Crookedest Railroad in Korea
Original words by Robert Neff Photos from the collection of Robert Neff In the 1890s there was a gold rush…
History: Chemulpo and the First Shots of the Russo-Japanese War
Words BY Robert Neff Photos courtesy of the Robert Neff collection A skirmish between Japanese and Russian warships in February…
History: Fear and Loathing in Pyongyang
Photos courtesy of the Robert Neff collection The anti-Western sentiment pervasive in Pyongyang today has a long history, as historian…
History: The Mystery of Queen Min’s Carpet
Words by Robert Neff With the horrible destruction of the Korean War came abject poverty. People did whatever they could…
History: Risks and Rewards on the Han River
Words by Robert Neff, Photos courtesy of the Robert Neff collection As the primary way of accessing Seoul during the early…
