The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal'

  • 3

    Seoul on alert over Pyongyang's imminent spy satellite launch

  • 5

    Seoul city erroneously sends emergency alert after NK launch

  • 7

    Memorial Day 2023

  • 9

    Korea eyes launch of 4th Nuri space rocket in 2025

  • 11

    Vietnam emerges as major market for Korean chipmakers

  • 13

    ANALYSISChina's ban on Micron tests Washington-Seoul alliance

  • 15

    Top 20% of income earners fuel increase in Q1 consumption as pandemic ends

  • 17

    Local governments appeal to young generations through YouTube

  • 19

    'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' raises bar with epic battle scenes

  • 2

    Hybe's new boy group Boynextdoor aims to be 'one and only' presence in K-pop

  • 4

    ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood'

  • 6

    Korea's household debt-to-GDP ratio highest among 34 major economies

  • 8

    Brave Girls to restart activities under new name

  • 10

    Purported N. Korean 'space launch vehicle' falls into Yellow Sea after 'abnormal' flight: S. Korean military

  • 12

    Japanese destroyer flies controversial flag as it arrives in Korea for joint drill

  • 14

    Rapper Mino attends sister's wedding in U.S. amid military service

  • 16

    Korea's diplomacy put to test amid signs of thaw in US-China relations

  • 18

    Korea to ease immigration rules to attract more medical tourists

  • 20

    Actors' off-screen chemistry enthralls fans

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • About the past
  • Korea: deConstructed
  • Parchment Made of Sheepskins
  • Workable Words
  • Dialogues with Adoptees
  • Imbricated Chaos
Wed, May 31, 2023 | 13:45
The Jemulpo Centenarian
Posted : 2019-11-09 11:01
Updated : 2019-11-20 16:03
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Lee Choon-gwang circa 1910. Robert Neff Collection
Lee Choon-gwang circa 1910. Robert Neff Collection

By Robert Neff

Lee Choon-gwang was a simple man but one blessed with longevity and good health. He was born on Gangwha Island in about 1804 and lived a relatively quiet and unremarkable life.

At the relatively late age of 36, he married a 16-year-old girl (unfortunately we know little about her ― not even her name) and they "led an easy life by engaging in agriculture as tenant [farmers]."

Although their marriage was probably an arranged one, they genuinely seemed to love one another but ― much to their regret ― were never blessed with children. In fact, their respective families were apparently quite small and one can imagine they lived a relatively lonely life ― depending only upon themselves.

As the years passed, they lost all of their handful of relatives ― presumably to accidents, disease or old age. Lee and his wife, however, remained healthy ― never experiencing, according to Lee, any serious illnesses or injuries. By the late 1880s, they were all alone and the "easy life" they had enjoyed in their youth was gone.

Sometime in the 1890s they moved to Manseok-dong near Jemulpo, modern-day Incheon, where they managed to eke out a living by gathering edible shellfish from the muddy flats. Their hard work earned them less than 10 sen (about 5 American cents) daily.

It was a rough life and it took its toll. By the early 1900s, Lee's wife was toothless but still possessed excellent vision and was "able to do sewing without the help of spectacles." Lee went deaf around the age of 100 but was still physically fit enough to dig for shellfish and then haul his catch to the market where he sold it. Both were proudly able "to walk upwards of ten miles (16 kilometers) a day without the aid of sticks."

Lee was extremely fond of smoking and alcohol. He was known to be a great drinker ― having started at the age of 20 ― and was able to drink "ten bowlfuls of strong Korean wine in a day when funds permit … but that pleasure rarely [came] to him, as he [was] so poor."

Change came in 1910. In January and May, comets lit up the night skies and many feared the world would end. Lee, however, paid little attention to these rumors (probably because he was deaf). He was no stranger to these astronomical phenomena, having witnessed Halley's Comet back in 1835. Even when Korea lost its independence later in 1910, it had little impact on his life.

However, his life changed in November, when the Keijo Nippo ― a newspaper published in Korea ― printed a short article about him and generated a good deal of attention to the couple's plight. Nearly 80 yen (40 dollars) was collected and entrusted to the village leader to provide the couple a monthly allowance. A Japanese photographer living in Jemulpo made a postcard of Lee and sold each card for 3 sen ― the profits were also added to Lee's allowance fund.

What became of Lee and his wife is unclear ― they, like many others, faded from the pages of history. But unlike most, Lee left behind a legacy of his existence ― his photograph.


Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books including, Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.



Emailrobertneff103@gmail.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Korea to ease immigration rules to attract more medical tourists Korea to ease immigration rules to attract more medical tourists
2Big businesses face growing union pressure to extend retirement age Big businesses face growing union pressure to extend retirement age
3Running convenience stores becomes popular among people in 20s, 30s Running convenience stores becomes popular among people in 20s, 30s
4Anti-corruption watchdog set to investigate crypto assets of lawmakers Anti-corruption watchdog set to investigate crypto assets of lawmakers
5Naver suffers shrinking online search market share Naver suffers shrinking online search market share
6Sluggish exports behind weak Korean won Sluggish exports behind weak Korean won
7Seoul resident clashes with authorities for raising dogs to nab 'North Korean spies' Seoul resident clashes with authorities for raising dogs to nab 'North Korean spies'
8Pyongyang may have delayed spy satellite launch due to technical issues Pyongyang may have delayed spy satellite launch due to technical issues
9Doctors, pharmacists to receive 30% bonus for offering telemedicine service Doctors, pharmacists to receive 30% bonus for offering telemedicine service
10Yoon resumes public outreach upon rising approval rating Yoon resumes public outreach upon rising approval rating
Top 5 Entertainment News
1'Elemental' director on bringing his personal story of immigration to cinema 'Elemental' director on bringing his personal story of immigration to cinema
2SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal' SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal'
3ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood' ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood'
4'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' raises bar with epic battle scenes 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' raises bar with epic battle scenes
5[INTERVIEW] Long-awaited extension of Korean Pavilion at Venice Biennale to be pushed forward INTERVIEWLong-awaited extension of Korean Pavilion at Venice Biennale to be pushed forward
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group