The Korea Times

White Whiskers and the Rabbit

Scenery of Gangwon Province in the first part of the 20th century / Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffLong ago, when tigers smoked pipes, there was a huge tiger known as White Whiskers who dwelt in the wild and sparsely populated region that is now Gangwon Province. Tigers were not uncommon in the province; in fact, tigers were fairly common throughout the peninsula ― the only exception being Jeju Island and a few small islands. However, White Whiskers was known as the proudest tiger on the peninsula.A tiger bares its teeth, published in The Korea Times Jan. 1, 1974.  Korea Times fileAccording to William Elliot Griffis, whose account this article is based upon:White Whiskers “had the most fiery eyes, the longest tail, the sharpest claws, and the widest stripes of any animal in the mountains. He could pull down a cow, fight all the dogs in any village, eat up a man, and was not afraid of a hunter, unless the man carried a gun. As for calves and pigs, he considered them mere tidbits. He could claw off the roof or break the bars of stables where cattle were kept, devour one

Jan 21, 2023By Robert Neff

Opinion

Tales around the stove

The stove in Dustin's house ― a great place to eat popcorn, drink grape juice and listen to tall tales and tantalizing tidbits of the past. As evidenced by the picture, he was not one for tidiness. December 2015.  Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffIt is no secret that winters in Korea are cold but, judging from the various diaries and correspondences of Westerners residing in Seoul, the winters of the present aren't as cold as the winters of the past.In the late 1890s, Horace N. Allen, the American Consul General, described the Korean ondol heating system in fairly glowing terms. He noted that the floors (covered with thick paper and rich brown in color due to the constant polishing they received by the stockings of the owners) were always warm.I suspect Allen did not spend much time sleeping on the floor or even going about his house in just his socks but he does seem to have been truly impressed with the Korean heating system in regard to Korean-style homes. However, for the American and Europeans living in Seoul, stoves were the only option “as the paper floors do not

Jan 15, 2023By Robert Neff

Opinion

The tale of the great bell of Jongno

The Jongno area in the first part of the 20th century   Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffBosingak, the bell tower at Jongno, the main street through downtown Seoul, is a popular spot for ringing in the New Year. One of my most vivid memories of this event was on Dec. 31, 1999, when thousands upon thousands of people crowded the streets around the bell in anticipation and fear of the impending new millennium (among those fears was the Y2K bug). The atmosphere was unbelievable and for blocks, it was impossible to move more than a few inches as the crowd surged back and forth as the New Year was hammered by the bell's tolling.In the late 19th century, this bell was one of the most popular sites for foreign tourists and was frequently described in letters home as well as newspaper and magazine articles. One such writer was Horace N. Allen. Allen first arrived in Korea in 1884 as an American doctor for the diplomatic and Korean Customs Department (he was actually a missionary doctor but kept his affiliation ― at least in the beginning ― somewhat downplayed) and later served a

Jan 7, 2023By Robert Neff

Opinion

Settling debts in the New Year in Joseon

The colorful streets of Seoul in the early 20th century   Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffIn the late 19th century, the beginning of a new year meant settling debts from the previous year. Sometimes debtors tried to avoid their obligations by secretly moving to a new location while others tried more drastic means such as trying to convince their creditors that they had moved on to the afterlife.According to an American newspaper in 1889:“So many persons annually disappear in Corea from the ravages of tigers that hopeless debtors and defaulters take advantage of the presumption thus created in case of a missing person to leave their torn garments at the border of some wood and privately decamp. 'Caught by a tiger' has come to be equivalent in Corea to our American phrase, 'escaped to Canada.'”For those debtors who were unable to move or fake their own demise, they waited in anticipation of their creditors. According to A. Henry Savage-Landor, who traveled to Seoul in the early 1890s:“Creditors go about the town in search of their debtors, and should the

Jan 1, 2023By Robert Neff

Settling debts in the New Year in Joseon

Opinion

Winter scenes of Seoul's past

Hwangwonjeong Pavilion and Geoncheonggung at Gyeongbok Palace in December 2012   Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffIn the late 19th century, Westerners often described Seoul during the winter in one of two ways: a dirty, crowded city choking under the haze of smoke from countless chimneys, or as a clean and quaint city with streets blanketed by snow and its inhabitants dressed in clean white clothing except during the holidays when they wore brightly colored festive outfits. I think, for the casual observer, the latter was a truer description ― at least in the mid-1880s.In the winter of 1883-84, Percival Lowell, an American guest of the royal palace, described the city's beauty ― especially that of the surrounding mountains:“On a clear day in winter ― and about half the days are clear ― the view from any of the broader city streets is most beautiful. The houses are so low and the mountains so high that in the main thoroughfares the peaks can be seen towering above the roofs on either hand, as you pass along the street. Even in the narrower alleys, they block the end

Dec 31, 2022By Robert Neff

Opinion

The “true Christmas spirit”

A postcard which could have served as a Christmas card in the 1930s   Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffAs a boy, I often looked forward to wandering the snow-covered streets of my city to admire the Christmas decorations. Houses were lit up with countless lights ― some were obviously color-schemed while others were haphazard assortments of whatever colors could be found ― snowmen (when there was enough snow) stood silent guard in the front yards and sometimes Santa and his sleigh could be seen on the occasional rooftop. Many of the stores and businesses competed with one another to make the most beautiful Christmas display ― a smart way of advertising their goods. I especially liked the hobby and toy shops because model trains usually were a prominent feature of their displays.Churches had large nativity scenes ― some ornate while others were rather plain ― that attracted people's attention whether they were believers or not. It was the missionaries who introduced Christmas into Korea about 140 years ago. Of course, in the beginning, Christmas was rather a small and inti

Dec 25, 2022By Robert Neff

Opinion

Recycling old tin cans in Joseon

A water carrier with his heavy wooden buckets in the early 20th century.  Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert Neff“The introduction of kerosene,” according to John Jordan, the British consul in Seoul, “has worked a veritable revolution in village life in [Korea, with almost] every cottage possessing [a] Japanese lamp.”But it wasn't just the villagers. There were calls from civic leaders and editorials in The Independent (a newspaper published in Seoul) beseeching the residents of Seoul ― foreign and Korean ― to place lanterns in front of their homes so as to light the streets at night.In January 1898, Horace N. Allen, the American Minister to Korea, issued a circular to the American community in which he wrote:“The Governor of Seoul has compelled the native residents of the city to light up the fronts of their houses at night, and he is desirous that you should do the same. This improvement is enjoyed by us and we should be willing to do our share, especially so as we at present pay no taxes. I request each American property holder to place a kerosene l

Dec 20, 2022By Robert Neff

Opinion

Kerosene importers clash in Joseon

Jemulpo (modern Incheon) in the late 19th century   Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffIn the early 1880s, the first “products of Western civilization” that really appealed to Korean consumers were beer, matches and kerosene. During the 19th century, kerosene was the United States' number one export item to the Korean Peninsula. In 1885, more than 162,400 gallons (614,750 liters) of American kerosene arrived in Jemulpo (modern Incheon). Considering the average Korean household purchased relatively small amounts of the oil, the main consumers ― at least in the beginning ― may have been the Korean government and the foreign community.By 1890, Russian oil appeared on the market ― mainly through Jemulpo. Although the Russian oil was cheaper, it was not very popular because of its “bad packing.” According to Walter C. Hillier, the British consul, “The [kerosene] tins leak, and the cases are far too flimsy to stand the rough handling to which they are necessarily subjected in transport into the interior.”In 1896, the amount of Russian kerosene

Dec 18, 2022By Robert Neff

Opinion

How the great Jemulpo Fire of 1907 started

“Shokansha-dori” of Jemulpo in the early 20th century.  Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffJust prior to dawn on March 5, 1907, the streets of Jemulpo (modern Incheon) were almost completely deserted due to the early hour and the bitter cold ― aggravated by a fairly strong northerly wind. The few exceptions were probably along the waterfront where customs agents and watchmen prepared for a busy day of inspecting outgoing and incoming goods from the small steamers and junks in the bustling harbor. There was an additional exception, Tsuneno Takahashi, who, in an attempt to flee her uncle's home, would inadvertently ruin the lives of many.Following Japan's victory over the Russians during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), the Japanese population in Korea exploded, as many people came to the peninsula seeking business opportunities. Tsuneno was not an exception. Lured by the prospect of making a good living in Korea, she left her home in Tokushima Prefecture and arrived in Jemulpo in December 1906.There were about 12,000 Japanese residing in Jemulpo when she arrived,

Dec 5, 2022By Robert Neff

How the great Jemulpo Fire of 1907 started

Opinion

Containing the fire god and fighting fires in Joseon

The fierce haetae were able to keep fire at bay but not the mischievousness of children. Circa late 19th or early 20th centuries.  Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffKorean palaces have always been very popular tourist sites and in the late 19th century Gwanghwamun was especially popular with photographers. According to Horace Allen, the palace was prone to fires ― not only because of the large number of wooden buildings and fire sources but also because of supernatural influences. Fiery malevolence radiated from Namsan (South Mountain) but was contained by the Cheonggyecheon stream and the Han River. The “baneful influence of the fire-god” was diverted from its approach through the “South Gate by building a pond in front of it which [was] kept filled with water” ― which, according to Allen, was the thing it abhorred the most. And, to protect the palace from the fire elements of Mount Gwanak, “the two immense stone animals [the fire-eating haetae] were erected in the street in front of the Palace Gate with their fierce angry faces pointed toward th

Dec 4, 2022By Robert Neff

Robert Neff

Read more

White Whiskers and the Rabbit

Tales around the stove

The tale of the great bell of Jongno

Settling debts in the New Year in Joseon

Winter scenes of Seoul's past

The “true Christmas spirit”

Recycling old tin cans in Joseon

Kerosene importers clash in Joseon

How the great Jemulpo Fire of 1907 started

Containing the fire god and fighting fires in Joseon

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