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Joseon

Unbiased History & Stories on Korea for Global Audience

Sponsored by Open Korea Foundation

  • Blackpink label YG to sell its drama production unit

    May 7, 2024
    in Feeds, News
    Blackpink label YG to sell its drama production unit

    Mr. Queen, co-produced by Studioplex in 2020 (Courtesy of tvN)  K-pop sensation Blackpink’s label YG Entertainment Inc. is slated to…

    Controversy, Democracy, history, Joseon, K-pop
  • Jeong Dojeon

    Mar 21, 2024
    in History, People
    Jeong Dojeon

    Who Was Jeong Dojeon? Jeong Dojeon (1342-1398) was a prominent figure in Korean history, known for his critical role during…

    Baekje, Discussion, family, Goryeo, Historical Figure, history, Jeong Dojeon, Joseon, Justice, Korean History, Korean Military, Military, Politics
  • The Imjin War and the Aftermath: The Joseon Dynasty and Japanese Occupation

    Jun 20, 2023
    in History
    The Imjin War and the Aftermath: The Joseon Dynasty and Japanese Occupation

    Introduction to the Imjin War The Imjin War, also referred to as the Japanese invasions of Korea, took place from…

    Busan, history, Imjin War, Japan, Japan Relation, japanese invasion, Japanese Occupation, Joseon, Korean History, Korean Military, Koreans, Military, Peace, Protest, purpose
  • Jung Mongju

    May 14, 2023
    in History, People
    Jung Mongju

    Introduction to Jung Mongju Jung Mongju (鄭夢周) stands as a pivotal figure from Korea’s Goryeo dynasty, a period characterized by…

    Discussion, family, Goryeo, Historical Figure, history, Joseon, Justice, Korean Art, Korean History, Korean Military, Koreans, Military, Peace
  • Exploring the Joseon Dynasty: A Multidisciplinary Perspective

    May 7, 2023
    in History
    Exploring the Joseon Dynasty: A Multidisciplinary Perspective

    Introduction to the Joseon Dynasty The Joseon Dynasty, also known as the Joseon Dynasty, represents a pivotal era in Korean…

    China Relation, Contemporary Korean Art, family, history, Imjin War, Japan, Japan Relation, japanese invasion, Joseon, Korea Jobs, Korean Art, Korean History, Korean Military, Medical, Military, Peace, Politics
  • Wang Gun

    May 7, 2021
    in History, People
    Wang Gun

    Introduction to Wang Gun Wang Gun, a pivotal figure in Korean history, is best known for his role in founding…

    Baekje, cultural unity, Goguryeo, Goryeo, history, Japan, Joseon, Korean History, Korean Military, Koreans, Military, Silla, Three Kingdom, Unification of Korea, Wang Gun
  • The Later Goryeo Dynasty and the Founding of the Joseon Dynasty: A Historical Transition

    Apr 18, 2021
    in History
    The Later Goryeo Dynasty and the Founding of the Joseon Dynasty: A Historical Transition

    Introduction to the Later Goryeo Dynasty The Later Goryeo Dynasty, which lasted from 918 to 1392, is a crucial period…

    China Relation, fail, Goryeo, history, Japan, Japan Relation, japanese invasion, Joseon, Korean History, Korean Military, Korean Technology, Military, Peace, Politics, Question, Stress, Three Kingdom, Unification of Korea
  • The Later Three Kingdoms Era and the Birth of the Goryeo Dynasty: A Dynamic Transition in Korean History

    Mar 28, 2021
    in History
    The Later Three Kingdoms Era and the Birth of the Goryeo Dynasty: A Dynamic Transition in Korean History

    Introduction to the Later Three Kingdoms Era The Later Three Kingdoms Era marks a pivotal transition in Korean history, occurring…

    Baekje, family, Goguryeo, Goryeo, history, Japan, Joseon, Korean Art, Korean History, Korean Military, Korean Technology, Military, Peace, Politics, Silla, Three Kingdom, Unification of Korea
  • A Historical Diplomacy: Korea’s Relationship with Global Superpowers

    Dec 9, 2020
    in History
    A Historical Diplomacy: Korea’s Relationship with Global Superpowers

    Introduction: The Geopolitical Significance of Korea Korea’s geographical location in East Asia has rendered it a pivotal player in the…

    Ancient Korea, automotive, Baekje, China Relation, cold war, Democracy, Goguryeo, Goryeo, history, Imjin War, Japan, Japan Relation, japanese invasion, Joseon, K-pop, Korean Art, Korean Comapny, Korean History, Korean Military, Korean Technology, Korean War, Koreans, Military, North Korea, Peace, Perspectives, Politics, Silla, Superpower Relation, Three Kingdom, travel, USA Relation, World War
  • The Rise and Fall of the Goryeo Dynasty: A Precursor to the Joseon Era

    Jan 3, 2020
    in History
    The Rise and Fall of the Goryeo Dynasty: A Precursor to the Joseon Era

    Introduction to the Goryeo Dynasty The Goryeo Dynasty, established in 918 AD by the notable general Wang Geon, marks a…

    Baekje, fail, family, Goguryeo, Goryeo, history, Joseon, Justice, Korean Art, Korean History, Korean Military, LG, Military, Peace, Politics, Silla, study, Three Kingdom, Unification of Korea
  • The Rise and Fall of Go Joseon and the Emergence of the Three Kingdoms

    Oct 19, 2017
    in History
    The Rise and Fall of Go Joseon and the Emergence of the Three Kingdoms

    Introduction to Go Joseon The Go Joseon dynasty, often considered a pivotal era in Korean history, emerged around the end…

    Ancient Korea, Baekje, cultural unity, Discussion, fail, Goguryeo, Goryeo, history, Japan, Joseon, Korean Art, Korean History, Korean Military, Korean Technology, Military, Politics, Silla, Three Kingdom
  • Exploring Ancient Korea: A Journey into Pre-History

    Oct 12, 2017
    in History
    Exploring Ancient Korea: A Journey into Pre-History

    Introduction to Pre-Historic Korea The timeline of ancient Korea before documented history is a fascinating yet challenging area of study.…

    Ancient Korea, Anicent Korea, family, Gojoseon, history, Joseon, Korean History, Korean Language, Korean Technology, Koreans, Perspectives, Seoul, study, Three Kingdom
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Latest Korean News

  • ‘The King’s Warden,’ ‘Humint’ vie for box-office crown during Lunar New Year holidayFebruary 14, 2026
    Two Korean movies, “The King’s Warden” and “Humint,” are competing… Read more: ‘The King’s Warden,’ ‘Humint’ vie for box-office crown during Lunar New Year holiday
  • How Korean-Irish creative agency CMR is helping shape Seoul’s new creator economyFebruary 14, 2026
    Seoul-based creative agency CMR leverages its global background and its… Read more: How Korean-Irish creative agency CMR is helping shape Seoul’s new creator economy
  • Speed skating sprinters chasing 1st medalFebruary 14, 2026
    MILAN — Korean speed skating sprinters Kim Min-sun and Lee… Read more: Speed skating sprinters chasing 1st medal
  • Figure skater, snowboarder fall short as Korea goes medallessFebruary 14, 2026
    MILAN — Korea did not add to its medal total… Read more: Figure skater, snowboarder fall short as Korea goes medalless
  • No regrets for figure skater despite near missFebruary 14, 2026
    MILAN — Following the end of his free skate Friday… Read more: No regrets for figure skater despite near miss

Latest Community Feeds

  • Grilled mackerelFebruary 14, 2026
  • What non big-4 5th gen boy groups do you think have the most potential to make it big?February 14, 2026
  • green tea flavored noodles??? THE ROOOOOOOOK!February 14, 2026
  • Weekly Social Media ThreadFebruary 14, 2026
  • Something that I found impressive about SeventeenFebruary 14, 2026
  • How do you guys decide where to eat in Korea? Any tips??February 14, 2026
  • Help me find this snackFebruary 14, 2026
  • A1di’s Geonwoo is getting accused of extremely rude behaviour by KBS staffFebruary 14, 2026
  • What’s up with the gatekeeping for concert tickets?February 14, 2026
  • The Ultimate Korean Hangover Soup: ‘Yangpyeong Haejangguk’ 🍲🇰🇷 Loaded with tender beef tripe and spicy broth! [OC]February 14, 2026
  • “Merger Failed Due to Democratic Party’s ‘Far-Right’… Provincial Committee ‘Eager’ for Cho Kuk to Run in Gunsan” | “민주당 극우 탓 합당 무산”…조국 군산 출마 도당 ‘간절’February 14, 2026
  • Gov’t considers AI to draft future CSAT English section after criticism of last year’s test difficultyFebruary 14, 2026
  • Korean Gat-kimchi Bok-keum-bap(Mustard Leaf Kimchi Fried Rice)February 14, 2026
  • Give Me Your Top 5 Boy and Girl Groups, Biases, and Favorite Songs!February 14, 2026
  • Allulose recommendations?February 14, 2026
  • Many K-pop fans complain constantly but make no effort to find good music.February 14, 2026
  • K-Pop has gotten formulaic, and you can’t convince me otherwise…February 13, 2026
  • Japanese Multinational SVCV Denies Acquiring Min Hee Jin and NewJeans’s LabelFebruary 13, 2026
  • Can I still eat this??February 13, 2026
  • My attempt at sundubu-jjigaeFebruary 13, 2026

All Articles

  • Art (3)
  • Feeds (17,829)
    • Community (12,642)
    • Entertainment (988)
    • News (4,144)
  • History (41)
  • People (16)

History of Korea

  • Exploring Ancient Korea: A Journey into Pre-HistoryOctober 12, 2017
    Introduction to Pre-Historic Korea The timeline of ancient Korea before documented history is a fascinating yet challenging area of study.… Read more: Exploring Ancient Korea: A Journey into Pre-History
  • The Rise and Fall of Go Joseon and the Emergence of the Three KingdomsOctober 19, 2017
    Introduction to Go Joseon The Go Joseon dynasty, often considered a pivotal era in Korean history, emerged around the end… Read more: The Rise and Fall of Go Joseon and the Emergence of the Three Kingdoms
  • The Rise and Fall of Korea’s Three Kingdoms: A Story of Power, Conflict, and UnificationNovember 30, 2017
    Introduction to the Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms period in Korea, encompassing approximately from the 1st century BCE to the… Read more: The Rise and Fall of Korea’s Three Kingdoms: A Story of Power, Conflict, and Unification
  • Choe Chi-wonFebruary 14, 2018
    Introduction to Choe Chi-won Choe Chi-won, born in 857, stands as a notable figure in Korean history, specifically during the… Read more: Choe Chi-won
  • King Gwanggaeto the GreatMay 14, 2018
    Introduction to King Gwanggaeto King Gwanggaeto the Great, a pivotal figure in Korean history, ruled from 395 to 413 CE… Read more: King Gwanggaeto the Great
  • Won HyoOctober 14, 2018
    Introduction to Won Hyo Won Hyo, a prominent figure in Korean history, is celebrated for his profound impact on the… Read more: Won Hyo
  • Jang BogoApril 14, 2019
    Introduction to Jang Bogo Jang Bogo, a prominent historical figure from the Silla Dynasty, played a pivotal role in shaping… Read more: Jang Bogo
  • GyebaekApril 14, 2019
    Introduction to Gyebaek Gyebaek is a prominent historical figure in Korean history, particularly known for his role as a general… Read more: Gyebaek
  • King MuryeongSeptember 14, 2019
    Introduction to King Muryeong King Muryeong, reigning from 501 to 523 AD, stands as one of the most influential monarchs… Read more: King Muryeong
  • The Rise and Fall of the Goryeo Dynasty: A Precursor to the Joseon EraJanuary 3, 2020
    Introduction to the Goryeo Dynasty The Goryeo Dynasty, established in 918 AD by the notable general Wang Geon, marks a… Read more: The Rise and Fall of the Goryeo Dynasty: A Precursor to the Joseon Era

Open Korea

Open Korea

Korean Identities Beyond Borders

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Helplines in Korea

112  | Police

Call to report life-threatening situations and emergencies requiring law enforcement. Text service and location tracking service is also available.

119 | Fire & Ambulance

The fire department and health emergencies requiring ambulance service. There’s also an English reporting section on their website.

182 | Missing Persons & Stolen Vehicles

This line is also used for non-emergency reports and requests such as inquiring about the cost of a fine for a traffic violation, information on car licenses, and how to contact officers in charge of specific cases.

1339 | Korea Center for Disease Control (KCDC) Foreigner Helpline

Particularly useful during the 2015 MERS scare, the KCDC provides foreigners with information about first-aid and diseases in English, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Mongolian.

1366 | Seoul Women’s Help Hotline

Not necessarily English-friendly and not outside of Seoul, this 24-hour service immediate response line for women involved in domestic abuse, sexual violence or prostitution should still be kept handy.

1330 | Korea Tourism Organization’s Travel Helpline

Tourism and translation services. The service is available 24/7 and provides information on tourist sites, transportation, restaurants, and more.

120 | Seoul Municipal Government Info

The Seoul “Dasan” helpline provides information on restaurants (Korean and international cuisines), transportation (bus, subway, taxi, etc.), Korean language schools, interpretation services, legal consulting, lost items, volunteer services, daily living in Seoul, and tourism. Available languages are Chinese, English, Japanese, Mongolian and Vietnamese from 9 am to 10 pm.

1345 | Immigration

Foreign resident can to ask just about any immigration-related question. Keep in mind that they tend to be on the negative side, as it’s the safer way for them to answer. Tip: Get their name and information so that if you visit the immigration office and get a different story you can tell them that you were told otherwise…

1331 | National Human Rights Commission of Korea

Call here to get information on human rights laws and social justice in Korea, as well as get assistance with filing a complaint and even receive counseling.

110 | National Government Call Center

This phone number is available for the public to call and inquire about anything from government policy to civil complaints. Available in 20 different languages.

Useful Official Links on Korea

Korean Arts

  • Archive of Gugak 국악아카이브
  • Artsnet 미술포탈 아츠넷
  • Digital Archive of Performing Arts 공연예술 디지털 아카이브
  • Intangible Heritage Digital Archive 무형유산 디지털 아카이브
  • Korea Digital Archives for the Arts 한국예술디지털아카이브
  • National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea 국립현대미술관
  • ​National Museum of Korea 국립중앙박물관
  • Seoul Photo Archives 서울사진아카이브

Korean Cinema

  • HANCINEMA The Korean Movie & Drama Database
  • Intangible Heritage Digital Archive 무형유산 디지털 아카이브
  • KMDb 한국영화데이터베이스
  • Korea Digital Archives for the Arts 한국예술디지털아카이브
  • Korean Annual Box Office Results 영화진흥위원회 박스오피스
  • Korean Film Archive 한국영상자료원
  • Korean Film Archive YouTube Channel
  • Korean Film Biz Zone
  • Korean Film Council 한국영화진흥위원회
  • KTV National Record Film 한국정책방송원 e영상역사관
  • North Korean film 북한영화 (통일부 북한자료센타)

Language & Literature

  • The Academy of Korean Studies 한국학 중앙 연구원
  • DLKL (한국 문학 디지털 도서관) by 한국문학번역원Digital Library of Korean Literature
  • The Korea Comparative Literature Association 한국비교문학회
  • The Korean Association of Language Sciences 한국언어과학회
  • Korean Literature Archive
  • Korean Literature Author Data Service
  • Korean Literature E-books in Multiple Languages
  • The Learned Society of Modern Korean Literature 한국현대문학회
  • The Modern Linguistic Society of Korea 한국현대언어학회
  • The Society of Korean Oral Literature 한국 구비 문학회
  • 국어 능력 인증 시험 (한국언어문화연구원)
  • 근대 문학 종합 목록 (국립 중앙 도서관)A comprehensive database for Korean modern literature. The site provides a search for authors and titles.
  • 한국 고전 종합 DB
  • 한글 학회 (Korean Language Society)

Statistical Sources

Government sources

  • Statistics Korea (KOSTAT 통계청)
  • Korean Statistical Information Sources (KOSIS 국가통계포털)
  • Open DATA Portal (공공 데이터 포털)

Themed statistics

  • Korean Social Science Data Archive (KOSSDA) 한국사회과학자료원
  • North Korean Statistics 북한통계 (KOISS)
  • 경제통계시스템 (Economic Statistics System)
  • 국가교육통계정보센터 (Korea National Center for Education Statistics & Information)
  • 노동통계 (Labour Statistics)
  • Media Statistics (Korea Press Foundation)
  • Trade Statistics (수출입통계, 관세청 Korea Customs Service)

History related sources

  • 한국역사정보통합시스템 (국사편찬워원회)
  • 한국사 데이터베이스
  • Kyujanggak Institute (규장각 한국학 연구원)Seoul National University Kyujanggak Institute for Korean studies
  • 한국학 디지털 아카이브
  • The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty 조선 왕조 실록
  • The Daily Records of Royal Secretariat of Joseon Dynasty 승정원 일기
  • 朝鮮王朝実録 (東京大学東洋文化研究所)
  • Korean Image Archive (한국 이미지 자료원)2,400 historic, original photographs of Korea (primarily focus on images captured pre-1970, and 35mm color slides) are available for research, presentation, lectures and other forms of scholarly works.
  • Sajin Taehan Min’guk (사진 대한민국)a collection of photographic records that vividly capture the people’s daily lives and social changes.
  • Academy of Korean Studies [한국학 디지털 아카이브]

Bibliographies and Indexes

  • 한국학술지인용색인 Korea Citation Index
  • KORCIS: 한국 고문헌 종합 목록 (국립중앙도서관)Korean Old and Rare Collection Information System
  • 近代朝鮮関係書籍データベース (東京大学東洋文化研究所)
  • 한국 잡지 박물관 DB