Thanks to the rising global interest in K-pop and K-contents, more people around the world are
learning Korean than ever before. Their motivations vary from pursuing it as a hobby to engaging
in research and academic studies or even advancing their careers. Whatever the interest may be,
the overall number of Korean learners is growing at a noticeable pace. This phenomenon is
observed in North America and Asia as well as in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, indicating
that Korean language education is gaining momentum worldwide. Also remarkable is the fact that
the surge in students majoring or minoring in the Korean language is concurrent with the growing
interest in Korean culture and history. In response to the enthusiasm, THE FAMOUS PEOPLE IN
KOREAN HISTORY was designed to offer culture-oriented language teaching methods. It features a
curated selection of historical figures organized by six themes that align with students’ interests
inside and outside the classroom. Each story is chosen to enrich the learning experience of Korean
learners across the world. By critically examining the historical figures’ lives and achievements, the
book aims to foster a balanced perspective encompassing both a fact-based understanding of
language and culture as well as historical knowledge within and outside of Korea.

A textbook of Korean history and culture covering six themes!
Each of the six themes pairs two key figures who are important in understanding the Korean
language and culture. Chosen in alignment with the National Standards for Foreign Language
Learning of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the themes are
centered around topics of students’ current interests, both in their Korean classes and their
everyday lives.
The book begins with “King Sejong and Ju Si-gyeong,” the one who created and the other who
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protected Hangeul, to examine the correlation between language and culture. Following them are
“Sin Saimdang and Hwang Jin-i,” women who forged their own paths in an era when gender roles
and stereotypes were pervasive, in a dialogue about traditional customs and historical experiences
as women of the Joseon dynasty. The book also explores the mindsets of people who contributed
to the consolidation of peace through “Yi Sun-sin and Yu Seong-ryong,” leaders who saved the
country during times of crisis and saw war as a last resort; and “Heo Jun and Heo Im,” who made
a positive impact on society with their exceptional medical skills and advocacy of a public
healthcare system. In studying the relationship between society and art, the book shares the
stories of “Kim Hong-do and Sin Yun-bok,” artists who employed a unique Korean aesthetic to
paint a world full of satire and humor. Lastly, it reflects on how the art world resisted social
pressures through “Na Hye-seok and Yun Dong-ju,” poets who refused to stay silent during the
oppressive regime of Japanese imperialism.
In short, the book offers a three-dimensional understanding of Korean culture and enhances
readers’ understanding of the Korean language through the lives and achievements of influential
figures who have left their mark on in Korean history. The themes and the figures are laid out in
the “Composition of the Textbook” section

A textbook of Korean history and culture designed with actual classes in mind!
In consideration of the class agenda, each chapter is divided into three stages: pre-reading activity,
reading activity, and post-reading activity.
The pre-reading activity consists of “Before You Read: Activity One” and “Keyword Study,” which
are designed to help students gain important background knowledge before the main reading
activity. The reading activity comprises “People in History” and “Useful Expressions” to guide
students to an intermediate to advanced learning of Korean expressions through the stories of
historical figures. Finally, the post-reading(After You Read) activity includes “Reading Comprehension”
and “Activities Two and Three” which not only help students double-check the lesson learned but
also allow them to express their opinions on each corresponding theme.

An activity-centered textbook of Korean history and culture!
The book ultimately encourages students to share their thoughts on the learned lessons. This is
achieved through a wide range of activities, including multiliteracies that incorporate media
materials such as movies, dramas, and recordings. Also included are writing and presentation
activities that can be used as research projects within various academic disciplines such as history,
art, science, and politics. These activities naturally integrate the four areas of language: speaking,
listening, reading, and writing. Specific methods of teaching and learning that follow this approach
are suggested in the “How to Use This Book” section.

A Korean language learning textbook including vocabulary selected and explained according to the
current international Korean language curriculum!
This historical reading material is easy to understand as intermediate and high-level vocabulary are
selected and explained in both Korean and English. The selection of Korean vocabulary and idiomatic
expressions also follows the current international Korean language curriculum.

The perfect mix of Korean language and history, reviewed and recommended by Korean history experts!
This textbook provides in-depth insight into Korean history and language, and has been thoroughly
reviewed by both domestic and overseas expert historians with regard to diversity, equality, and
tolerance for Korean learners around the world.

Kim Ihnhee Lee

Associate Professor of Instruction
Coordinator of Korean Language Program
Department of Asian Languages and Cultures
Northwestern University
Ed.D. in TESOL/Second Language Education, Temple University

Cheon Sang Yee

Associate Professor of Korean Language and Linguistics
Director of the Korean Language Flagship Center
Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Ph.D. in Linguistics, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa


Min Jung Jee
Senior Lecturer in Korean
School of Languages and Cultures
The University of Queensland, Australia
Ph.D. in Foreign Language Education
The University of Texas at Austin