Letters from Korean History has been a great success in its native country among young Korean readers. This translation version will now be of help to ethnic Koreans overseas, others interested in Korea or history in general, Koreans looking to study history and English at the same time.
Progressing from the stones and bones of prehistory all the way to the turbulent twentieth century in the course of five volumes, Letters from Korean History can be browsed as a reference text or plowed through from beginning to end. As with most histories that cover such a long period, the density of information increases as the narrative approaches the present. With plenty of photos and illustrations, readers are able to acquire a vivid sense of history.
Park Eun bong
Park Eunbong gained a bachelor’s degree and pursued postgraduate studies in History at Korea University. She is the author of a number of several historical works, including Letters from Korean History (five volumes), Hanguksa sangsik barojapgi(“Restoring Common Sense in Korean History”), Segyesa 100 jangmyeon (“100 Scenes from World History”), Hanguksa 100 jangmyeon(“100 Scenes from Korean History”), Hanguksa dwinniyagi (“Below the Surface of Korean History”), Eomma-ui yeoksa pyeonji(“Historical Letters from Mom”) as well as the jointlyauthored Inmul yeoseongsa-Hanguk pyeon (“Women in History-Korean Edition”). Letters from Korean History was awarded the 45th Korea Book Award.
Jackson Ben
Ben Jackson comes from England and has a master’s degree in Korean Literature from the University of London. He is a former production editor of SEOUL magazine and has compiled English-language guides to Korean museums, galleries and architecture. He has translated several works of Korean literature and currently works as a translator and writer.
Hwaseong: King Jeongjo’s new city
New martial arts for Joseon
The Silhak vision
‘Wealth is created by the people’
Evolving farms and markets
‘Sanga yorok’: A royal physician’s cookbook
Popular culture flourishes
Yi Danjeon, the ‘nobi’ poet
Love and marriage in Joseon
Gang Jeongildang and Yun Gwangyeon in love
Kim Jeongho and ‘Daedong yeojido’
Korean maps of the past
The peasants rise up
Hong Gyeongnae and the battle of Jeongju Fortress
Seohak and Donghak
Protestantism gains royal backing
Isolation or enlightenment? Korea at the crossroads
‘Uigwe’: Joseon texts seized by France
Opening the doors
A ‘Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation’
‘A new world, for three days’: the Gapsin Coup
A military uprising: The Imo Incident
Jeon Bongjun and the Donghak Peasant Revolution
The attack on Gyeongbokgung and the Gabo Reforms
The death of Empress Myeongseong
The Daehan Empire is born
Treaty ports usher in the winds of change
When did Korea start using the solar calendar?
• Index
• Image credits and sources