The Korea Times

High price of rice in 1897

Rice exported from the port of Gunsan in the early 20th century   Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffIn the late fall of 1897, the general Korean population was worried about the ever-increasing prices in local markets. Housewives were quite pleased to discover that imported salt was reasonably inexpensive and cabbages and turnips were found in great abundance. The local newspaper noted that this was very welcome news to the thousands of kimchi makers in Seoul. While most households would be well-supplied with kimchi, many were concerned that there would not be enough rice. Rice, the main staple of production in the country, was also one of its primary exports ― its main customer being Japan. The previous year, Japan had suffered devastating floods and other natural events, causing the country to import twice the amount of rice from Korea than it had in the past.According to trade reports, most of the rice was purchased by mill owners in Osaka “for the consumption of the workers who [were] fed on the premises.” But, because of improved methods of cleaning and h

Oct 2, 2022By Robert Neff

Opinion

Toils of farming in late 19th century

Farmers plow a field in the late 19th or early 20th century.   Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffFarmers have always played a vital role in society, but in the late 19th century, they were often overlooked by the pens of visiting Western writers and only occasionally captured in their photographs. While many of these images are unflattering, they are ― through their relative simplicity ― beautiful and provide a rather fleeting glimpse of life outside of the capital and the main open ports of Jemulpo (modern Incheon), Fusan (modern Busan) and Wonsan.Horace N. Allen, who came to Korea in 1884 as a missionary physician and left in 1905 as the last American ambassador before the colonization of the peninsula by Japan, devoted a couple pages in one of his books to describing the life of a Korean farmer. His description, of course, had a healthy dose of patronizing mixed in with a pinch of humor.He began by describing Koreans as “an agricultural people” whose principal crop was rice. The Korean farmers' culture revolved around the old methods of the past which invol

Oct 1, 2022By Robert Neff

Opinion

Military parade during Joseon Dynasty

The modern Korean army in the early 1900s.  Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffThey say everyone loves a parade ― especially a military parade. In late 1888, Frank G. Carpenter, an American travel writer, had the opportunity of reviewing some of Joseon Korea's soldiers ― the old and the new. His observations were brutal. The new soldiers ― all the sons of nobles ― were “drilled twice a day in the palace grounds ― by two American advisors: General William McEntyre Dye, who had served as an officer during the American Civil War and Captain John Henry Nienstead, a former sailor in the American Asiatic Fleet. Carpenter was not overly impressed with their drill or ceremony. He noted the Korean soldiers “marched very well, but their evolutions were not those of war, and were, it seemed to me, of little practical sense.”At the archery range near the ruins of Gyeonghui Palace (also known as the Mulberry Palace) Carpenter found himself, somewhat vexingly, impressed with these modern soldiers' skills with weapons from the past ― bows and arrows ― and disgusted with thei

Sep 25, 2022By Robert Neff

Opinion

A tiger tale on the road to Wonsan

By Robert NeffThe fury of Korean tigers in the early 1900s   Robert Neff CollectionIn the past, tigers reigned in Korea ― perhaps the only exception being Jeju Island (legends claim Jeju was spared from tiger infestation due to the island having only 99 peaks) ― and could be found in even the most unexpected places, including the bedroom. In 1895, Yi Ik-seup published a “true story” about a tiger in The Korea Repository as a “warning to foreigners with their inordinate love for striped tiger skins, and to foreign ladies who dare to sleep all unconscious of the awful possibilities spread out as mats on the floor of their bedroom.”According to Yi, there once was a magistrate from Seoul who was appointed to a new post in the northeastern part of the Korean Peninsula ― presumably Wonsan ― and needed to travel from the comfort of the capital to his new post overland. This was not an easy matter and would require at least a week or so of travel. As was the general practice, the magistrate and his party stayed at inns (much to the innkeepers' displeasure as

Sep 18, 2022By Robert Neff

Tigers in Wonsan

Opinion

Tigers in Wonsan

A Korean tiger in the early 20th century   Courtesy of Diane Nars CollectionBy Robert NeffIn May 1880, the Korean port of Wonsan opened to Japanese trade and almost immediately the first tales of tiger encounters began to appear in Japanese newspapers. A Japanese resident in that port described ― almost poetically ― one of these early encounters:“It was on a dark night, the horn-like moon having sunk behind the western hills, and the dismal sea-breeze blew, chilling one's blood, when a solitary policeman on watch, sitting under a dim flickering light at the front room at the station, perceived something under his knees, sniffing very hard. Thinking it was a dog seeking food, the policeman gave a kick with his boot, but the object did not move, and began to roar louder and louder in a terrible manner, which was quite unlike a dog. Then the man took a steady gaze, [at which time] he saw a wild beast, whose eyes dazzled him. The surprised policeman stood involuntarily, and, drawing his sword, was about to assail the monster, when the latter, without opposition, ran towar

Sep 17, 2022By Robert Neff

A tiger tale on the road to Wonsan

Opinion

The perfect gift for the holiday

A stand selling fruits circa 1910-1920s. Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert Neff“Chuseok” (a Korean harvest festival and national holiday) is once again upon us. The markets are full of people rushing to buy last-minute gifts before stoically braving traffic snarls, crowded buses, trains and planes to visit their hometowns where, if they are not married, face the ever-increasing demands to know when they will find a mate and have children.Other than a wedding ring and children, money, fruits and the-ever-ubiquitous Spam are some of the most popular gifts. As a foreigner, Spam is undoubtedly the gift I am most familiar with. According to some of my Korean friends, nobody gives Spam to one another; only companies or organizations give it to their employees as a gift ― it has almost become symbolic as a compulsory gift. I don't know how accurate their opinions are, but it is no secret that Spam sells a lot of their product during Chuseok.Many years ago, when I was a young soldier, I remember the most popular gift I could give my Korean friends was not Spam or even alcohol,

Sep 11, 2022By Robert Neff

Opinion

Where was Chuseok in the past?

A Korean crowd in the early 1900s. Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert Neff“Chuseok” is, undoubtedly, one of the most important holidays in Korea. Families gather together, repair and tidy ancestors' graves, celebrate with lots of good food and drink, play games and, in the way only good friends and family are able to, banter throughout the three-day holiday.Of course, not everything associated with the holiday is good. Traffic is notorious! Obtaining bus, train and plane tickets are difficult at best ― although, it is a lot better now than it was prior to 2000 when people were forced to scramble to buy tickets weeks, if not months, in advance. Today's families are smaller than they were only a couple of decades ago and to me, as an outside observer, seem to have removed some of the magic of these gatherings when distant relatives tried to sort their familial status.For many people, including myself, it is easy to slip into nostalgia when remembering this holiday from the past. Perhaps our memories are aided by the romanticized ideas portrayed in Korean movies and dramas

Sep 10, 2022By Robert Neff

Opinion

Encounters with Kobe in early 1880s: Part 2

A view of Kobe in the early 20th century   Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffOn Feb. 28, 1880, the American merchant vessel St. Charles sailed into Hiogo (Kobe) Harbor with a small load of miscellaneous goods and 40,000 cases of kerosene from New York. The ship was relatively new (only 11 years old) and in good repair ― having been newly coppered for the voyage and equipped with new sails. After such a long voyage, one can imagine Captain E.V. Gates and his crew were more than a little excited with the prospect of celebrating the success of their voyage in one of the port's many taverns and drinking establishments. Unfortunately, there wouldn't be much of a celebration.On March 1, the ship suddenly burst into flames. The crews of three warships (British, German and Italian) rendered assistance but all efforts to extinguish the fires failed and the American merchant ship was towed into shallow water and scuttled. There was nothing anyone could do but wait for the ship to burn itself out.Adding fuel to the flames, it was discovered that the kerosene was insured, but the shi

Sep 4, 2022By Robert Neff

Encounters with Kobe in early 1880s: Part 2

Encounters with Kobe in early 1880s: Part 1

Opinion

Encounters with Kobe in early 1880s: Part 1

A view of Kobe in the early 1890s   Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffSometimes, while following the histories of Westerners residing in Korea in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it is easy to go down a rabbit hole. My rabbit hole this week was Kobe, Japan.In 1880, Kobe (commonly referred to as Hiogo) was a bustling Japanese port city of more than 200,000 residents. It had a thriving foreign community of about 875 people. The largest groups were the Chinese (516), British (232), Germans (56), Americans (33) and Portuguese (17). There were several consulates ― including Hawaii ― along with a municipal council, a police force (two Western supervisors and 5 Chinese patrolmen), a post office, a newspaper, a customs office, banks and even a railroad station. For respectable entertainment, there were two clubs (the Kobe Club and Kobe Regatta Athletics Club) and a “bowling saloon” ― the owner later added a billiard room making his establishment even more attractive.The railroad tracks connecting Kobe with the rest of Japan circa early 1890s   Robert

Sep 3, 2022By Robert Neff

Encounters with Kobe in early 1880s: Part 1

Encounters with Kobe in early 1880s: Part 2

Opinion

Western travelers to Seoul in 1882: Part 2

One of the Han River ports in the winter of 1883/84   Robert Neff CollectionBy Robert NeffIn 1890, an unnamed Westerner provided an account of his experience in Korea in the month or two following the Imo Incident of 1882. According to him, he was a junior officer aboard one of the Japanese steamships that was used to transport Japanese soldiers to Korea. While awaiting orders from headquarters, he and the rest of the crew had a lot of free time which “hung rather heavily” upon them.“So many stories were told about this strange country [Korea] that they excited quite a fascination for me as I gazed at the blue tint of the distant mountains where [Seoul] was supposed to be situated. No European, so I was told, except in disguise, had yet been inside its walls, and the glory of being the first was a strong incentive to make the attempt; besides I might perhaps be able to obtain a glance at the Court, just now under a cloud, but said to be still carried on in real Oriental splendor.”Unfortunately for him, the Japanese authorities in what would eventuall

Aug 28, 2022By Robert Neff

Western travelers to Seoul in 1882: Part 2

Western travelers to Seoul in 1882: Part 1

Robert Neff

Read more

High price of rice in 1897

Toils of farming in late 19th century

Military parade during Joseon Dynasty

A tiger tale on the road to Wonsan

Tigers in Wonsan

The perfect gift for the holiday

Where was Chuseok in the past?

Encounters with Kobe in early 1880s: Part 2

Encounters with Kobe in early 1880s: Part 1

Western travelers to Seoul in 1882: Part 2

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