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A. Korean History

A summary of Korean history that Koreans should know.

Where did the Korean face come from?

  • 2333? ~ 108 BC:   Gojoseon:

                                      The original name was Joseon, but it was called Gojoseon to distinguish it from Joseon (1392-1897).

  • 108 BC ~ 2nd Century AD:  Proto-Three Kingdoms:

                                                        4th Century BC~494:   Buyeo

                                                        3rd Century BC~ 285:   Okjeo,

                                                        82BC ~ 6th Century:    Donye,

                                                        2nd Century BC~ 3rd Century: Mahan, Jinhan, Byeonhan

  • 57 BC ~ 668:          Three Kingdoms period: Before the East Asian natural disaster, Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla had territories on the Korean Peninsula and East Asia. Each country's territory near the Yellow Sea in East Asia is Goguryeo was Shanxi and Hebei, Baekje was Hebei, Shandong and Jiangsu, and Silla was Shandong and Zhejiang.

                                         37BC~435:  Goguryeo, 435~668: Goryeo(Goguryeo changed to Goryeo): From 435, the country name was Goryeo, but it was called Goguryeo to distinguish it from Goryeo(918-1392).

                                         18BC~660: Baekje

                                         57 BC~668: Silla

  • 698 ~ 926:              Northern and Southern States Period - 698~1116: Balhae and 668~925: Silla

  • 892 ~ 918:               Later Three Kingdoms Period - Later Goguryeo, Later Baekje, Silla

  • 918 ~ 1392:              Goryeo Dynasty

                                         1138: Yooyeong (Jangyeon Byun), 1232: Ryeo (Hwangjoo Byun), 1361: Anyeol (Wonju Byun)

  • 1392 ~ 1897:             Joseon Dynasty

  1. Seoul 1884, taken by Percival Lowell

  2. Food, clothing and shelter for people of the Joseon Dynasty

 

  1. 1863-1938: Korean Face Part 1: King Yeongchin, King of Joseon and his wife travel to Europe, King Sunjong of Joseon's funeral (June 10, 1926), Unexplored lands of the Orient, Mt. Geumgang and Cheonji

  2. The late 1930s: Korean Faces Part 2: Seoul, Korean Guard, POW Camp, Napco Project, Return Ship, Chungnyeong Tower Blasting Ceremony

 

  • It reconstructs the history of suffering our ancestors experienced from the enlightenment period to liberation and the desire to restore sovereignty that we have maintained even in the midst of it. Newly collected images from the British film company British Pathe and the US Library of Congress capture the landscape and life of Joseon during the enlightenment period and the images of our ancestors who suffered during the Japanese occupation.

  • In addition, the first images excavated through the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) of the United States and the National Film and Recording Service of Australia (NFSA) include the Pacific War battles in New Guinea (1942), the Battle of Okinawa (1945), wars such as Allied prisoner of war camps, etc. The reality of being forcibly mobilized and forced to sacrifice is recorded.

  • On the other hand, through the videos collected from the Roosevelt Library, etc., it is possible to look at the scenes of the movement to restore sovereignty abroad in various ways. The Russo-Japanese War (Feb 8, 1904 – Sep 5, 1905), the first international war in the 20th century, was of great interest to the world at the time. For the first time, the reenactment of the Yalu River and Jemulpo battles, major battles of the Russo-Japanese War, produced by Edison, an early film company, will be released. Through this, we look back on the history of suffering experienced by our ancestors who had to give up their livelihood on the battlefield of Japanese imperialism.

  • The landscape of Joseon during the Japanese colonial period (1910 ~ 1945) British Pathe's 'Newsreel', which was acquired for the first time, is a documentary film that was screened in the middle of a feature film at the time, and conveys the images of the Joseon royal family and people. The video shows the funeral of King Sunjong (June 10, 1926) of the Joseon Dynasty, which sparked the June 10 Manse Movement (1926), and the scene of Prince Yeong and his wife traveling to Europe. In addition, you can enjoy the superb view of Mt. Geumgang, which was considered the best unexplored view in the Orient at the time, and Korea's largest rock-carved Buddha 'Myogilsang'. In the 1930s, Dr. Underwood's family's trip to Mt. Baekdu is also introduced with improved image quality.

  • August 15, 1945: Korean Liberation Day from Japan

  • 1945 ~ 1946: the People's Republic of Korea Established

  • 1945 ~ 1948: U.S. Army Headquarters Military Administration in Korea (U.S. control of South Korea)

  • 1946 ~ 1948: Soviet military rule (Soviet occupation of North Korea)

  • 1948 ~ Present: The North/South Era

  • June 25, 1950 - July 27, 1953 - Korean War

  1. People's Republic of Chinese Invasion of Korea(S. Korea) in the Korean War

 

B. Record Video

1. City introduction

2.  Oldies Song and Movies

3. History

4. Videos by era in South Korea

5. Korean tradition

 

C. Korean Language​s

  1. Spaces in Hangeul were first used by foreigners

  2. History of Korean/Japanese/Chinese Languages

  3. Will ancestors of the past who live on the Korean Peninsula understand the Korean language currently used in South Korea?

  4. Ancient Language

 

D. History of the Korean National Anthem

 

E. Korean National Holiday

  • March 1: It is a day to commemorate the independence movement held in prison at Seodaemun Prison on March 1, 1920, during the Japanese colonial period. It is a day to inspire patriotism by inheriting the spirit of independence.

  • June 6: Memorial Day is the day to pray for the souls of the patriots.

  • July 17: This is the day the Constitution of the Republic of Korea was enacted based on the basic ideology of liberal democracy.

  • August 15: It is a day to celebrate Liberation Day by recovering the national sovereignty lost to Japan on August 15, 1945.

  • October 3: Dangun It was established on October 3rd of the lunar calendar in the year 2333 (戊辰年) B.C. to commemorate the founding of Dangun Joseon, the first nation-state, by the national ancestor Dangun.

  • October 9: In 1446, in the 28th year of King Sejong's reign, King Sejong the Great proclaimed Hangeul, and October 9 was designated as Hangeul Day to promote the excellence and originality of Hangeul.

F. Korean flag, Taegeuk flag

  • In 1882, there is a record that Park Yeonghyo made the flag of 'Taegeuk and 4 Trigrams' at the order of King Gojong. On Korean National Day, people hold the front gate with their backs and hang the Taegeukgi on the left. Mourning flags are held on Memorial Day.

  • Taegeukgi (太極旗) is composed of a Taegeuk pattern in the middle and 4 trigrams (乾坤坎離) at the four corners on a white background. Qian (乾) means sky, Kun (坤) means earth, Gam (坎) means water, and Yi (離) means fire. The white background expresses brightness, purity, and peace.

   

G. Mugunghwa or Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus, Korean national flower

  • It is a flower that symbolizes Korea and has the meaning of ‘a flower that blooms forever and never fades.’

Korean flag and flower.jpg
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