In 1258, Prince Wonjo of Goryeo Kingdom traveled to China to submit to Mongolian Emperor Kublai Khan. Goryeo became a vassal state of Mongolia, while still permitted to retain its monarchy and political system.
Michael Hope, an assistant professor of Asian History at Yonsei University, will offer a comparative analysis of various Mongolian vassal states to overcome some of the myths and stereotypes surrounding Mongolian rule in Korean literature, entertainment and popular culture.
He will lecture Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m. on the second-floor lounge of Somerset Palace in downtown Seoul. All are welcome. Non-members pay 10,000 won and students pay 5,000 won. Visit raskb.com for more information.
Some weekends there's nothing to do, and other weekends everything is thrown at you all at once.
The hard rock trio Dead Buttons appears at Jebi Dabang near Hongik University this Friday at 9 p.m. Jebi Dabang shows are generally pay-by-donation, and offer only a single band per show. It's a slightly different format that has worked for a long time. Dead Buttons are one of Seoul's wildest acts, using a high level of talent and charisma to play aggressive lo-fi rock music with roots in the blues, and psychedelic and garage rock. Visit fb.com/deadbuttons for more information.
On Saturday, Jambinai, dabda and te' appear at Platform61 in Chang-dong, northeastern Seoul. Jambinai have made a name for themselves around the world for their brand of instrumental post-rock played on traditional Korean instruments. Dabda performs dream-like psychedelic music with complex rhythms and poetic lyrics. Te' from Japan is…impossible to search online based on its name. Visit fb.com/maudlinity for more information.