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Opinion

Blogs

Tue, October 22, 2019 | 20:33

No shoo-in: Ponies put bite on 19th century blacksmiths

In the late 19th century, ponies and oxen were often the subject of letters sent home by Westerners living in Korea. The ponies were noted for their ferociousness and demonized for their seemingly determined need to bite and kick any living creature that came within their reach.

2019-10-20 09:31

Jipsin: These shoes are made for walking

The simplest of things are often forgotten until they are needed and then they become one of the most important - such as jipsin. These were straw shoes worn by most of the population. They were made for walking - not for status - and because of their construction and use, white stockings (socks) were usually not worn with them.

2019-10-19 11:15

Trapping tigers

In 1910, Korean tiger stories were very popular in American newspapers. One newspaper reported, “It appears that since the Japanese occupation of Korea, [Koreans] have been forbidden to carry firearms, and as a consequence, tigers have multiplied to an extraordinary extent.

2019-10-13 10:01

Murder at the palace: Queen assassinated

In the early hours of October 8, 1895, the Western community in Seoul was woken by the sound of gunfire at the palace. “This was in time of peace, and such sounds we knew must be portents of evil,” wrote Lillias Underwood, an American missionary.

2019-10-06 09:41

Dining with the Queen: foreigners help celebrate Joseon Dynasty foundation

September 4, 1895, was an important occasion - the anniversary of the foundation of the Joseon Dynasty. To celebrate it, the king and queen of Korea invited the leading members of the foreign community to a dinner at the palace. Naturally, the foreign community was thrilled - especially the women who rarely got to attend these events - but many wondered how successful the eve...

2019-10-05 10:43

Cannibalism and kindness: When Joseon crops fail

To the Joseon farmer, the first moon of the year was a tool of divination. One can imagine in 1902 that they looked to the sky in trepidation. If the moon appeared red, it was an indication there would be a drought - as had been the previous year. If it was dark, there would be a famine. If the moon was pale and white, it symbolized too much rain and flooding. But, if the moo...

2019-09-29 09:30

The humble jori: sifting evil from fortune

Not many years ago, rice sieves (jori) were a humble but essential part of every household. They were used to wash the rice before it was cooked and, in some ways, indicated status and wealth.

2019-09-28 10:01

Terror reigns as moon disappears and French warships sail into Seoul

On the night of September 24, 1866, the moon disappeared. Some of the superstitious believed the bulgae, or fire dogs, had devoured the moon but the educated - especially those in the Korean court - knew that it was merely a total lunar eclipse.

2019-09-23 09:47

French efforts sink; more Christians lose their heads

The Korean-French conflict ended in mid-November 1866 when the French, after looting and burning Ganghwa City, returned to China. Although the French had been forced to withdraw, they had done so with a fair amount of treasure and were thus able to claim some degree of victory. The Koreans were able to claim that, unlike other Asian countries - including China - they had defe...

2019-09-21 09:08

The Storming of Ganghwa City in 1866

On October 16, 1866, a large French military expedition attacked Ganghwa city. The attack was relatively unchallenged - only a few shots fired resulting in the deaths of a handful of Korean defenders.

2019-09-15 13:45

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