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Thu, December 7, 2023 | 23:06

Go Dae-su: Queen Min's giant female bodyguard

Go Dae-su: Queen Min's giant female bodyguard

Early Western accounts of Korea often portray women as meek, subservient and hidden away from view of all males except their husbands, fathers and brothers. A Korean woman was expected to obey, without deviation, every whim of the males in her life and in some cases to follow them into death. These characterizations of Korean women were made by both male and female foreign ob...

2023-12-04 07:48

Son-dol: a cold day for a ferryman and a merchant

Son-dol: a cold day for a ferryman and a merchant

Unless you have lived in Korea for a long time, you are probably unaware of Son-dol Day, which occurs every year on the 20th day of the 10th month of the lunar calendar. This year it falls on December 3.

2023-12-03 08:22

Silla, when giants ruled the peninsula

Silla, when giants ruled the peninsula

According to legends, long before tigers smoked pipes, Korea was ruled by giants.

2023-11-18 19:42

Cornerstone of Korea's independence

Cornerstone of Korea's independence

On Nov. 21, 1896, a large crowd gathered to witness the laying of the cornerstone of the Independence Arch, a symbol of Korean independence. According to the English version of The Independent - a newspaper published in Seoul:

2023-11-12 09:47

Joseon taffy’s sweet history

Joseon taffy’s sweet history

For many Koreans, Nov. 11 is Pepero Day, a fairly recent unofficial celebration that Wikipedia claims is similar to Valentine’s Day. On this day, friends and family exchange Pepero (long, thin cookie sticks covered with chocolate) as a show of affection.

2023-11-11 09:26

Joseon butterflies and legends: the ghost of Arang

Joseon butterflies and legends: the ghost of Arang

The legend of Arang is one of the most famous ghost stories in Korea. It is a tale of one-sided love, betrayal, greed. murder and, of course, a butterfly and a ghost.

2023-11-05 11:57

Joseon butterflies and legends

Joseon butterflies and legends

One of the most beautiful sights in summer are the swarms of butterflies gracing the fields of flowers found throughout Korea. Like a kaleidoscope of color, they flit about bringing joy and wonder to all who view them. To many they are symbols of transformation and the cycle of life. In Korea they symbolize prosperity and contentment. They are generally associated with light ...

2023-11-04 17:39

Korean inns in the 20th century part 3: a wonderful adventure

Korean inns in the 20th century part 3: a wonderful adventure

In the late 19th century, travelers to Korea were often faced with the daunting task of finding places to stay. Japanese hotels and inns could be found in the open ports but for many Westerners, these were not very comfortable due to the cultural and dietary differences. There were a handful of Western-style hotels - mainly in Jemulpo (modern Incheon) and later in Seoul - but...

2023-10-23 09:10

Korean inns in the 19th century part 2: bedbugs

Korean inns in the 19th century part 2: bedbugs

While travelers may have welcomed Korean country inns as a sanctuary from tigers, wolves and the elements, they were not a sanctuary from other predations. Scattered amongst the articles published in newspapers and magazines from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are accounts of robberies and murders that took place in lonely inns. Fortunately, foreigners were rarely vic...

2023-10-22 10:47

Korean inns in the 19th century

Korean inns in the 19th century

For Westerners, traveling in the interior of the Korean Peninsula in the late 19th century was very uncomfortable and dangerous - especially as night fell. The Korean roads and desolate paths were the hunting grounds for the numerous highwaymen and brigands who preyed upon small parties of travelers. Tigers stalked invisibly in the underbrush, waiting for the opportunity to g...

2023-10-14 15:48

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