The Lessons will be divided into certain timeframes.
I have divided the timeframes by the era or by major incident that changed its’ history after.
Choseon, Officially known as “Kingdom of Great Joseon” — Which In Korean is written as — 대조선국 (大朝鮮國), pronounced as “Dae Jo-seon-guk”, Which “Dae” means “Great” “Guk” meant “Kingdom or Country”. Which lasted from 1392 to 1897, Has taken a big part of Korean Peninsula History. Since Joseon Dynasty [Pronounced as Jo-seon***] was the longest country ever to have existed in Korean Peninsula and ruled which was 505 years, I had to divide into two parts. In all of these lessons, I would be explaining the history of Korea in terms of major incidents. Through Major Incidents and Conflicts that happened in Korea, It would be easier to grasp the History more easier and understand the flow of how the History of Korea has been continuing for last 5000 years.
So before starting all these lessons, On the first lesson, I would be introducing bit about the Specific aspects of Korea and its’ unique atmosphere. And I would also speak about what makes Korea distinct from other countries like China, India, and Japan. [I wouldn’t just talk about South Korea, but the Korean Peninsula Itself since Korean Peninsula has more history than our sorrow from division.]
And Certainly to make the class more enjoyable and interesting, I would be making the lesson more interactive. Since this is 1-to-1 tutoring, It has very high chance to share each other’s opinion than having multiple people listening to me. So, to make the class interactive, I would be asking him questions and he will also ask me questions and that’s how we will discuss the topics. Any question related to Korean History would be accepted, but i won’t be talking much detail in culture and people’s lives.
1. Choseon* Times 1 (1392 ~ 1637)
I would be talking about the former history of Choseon. In this period of time, Choseon had a lot of success and peace since there was almost no war. (actually there was, but most of it failed.) So, Since this is the beginning of Choseon Times, I would be discussing about the Choseon Dynasty itself. For instance, How did this dynasty work? What are the characteristics of the dynasty?, etc. Before Choseon Dynasty, There was a dynasty called Goryeo.[Pronounced as Go-rye-o. I know it is hard to pronounce***] And Goryeo Dynasty was also very powerful as Choseon Dynasty. [Which, they lasted from 918 to 1392. By the way, their Official Name was “Kingdom of Goryeo”]But what made Goryeo Dynasty decline? Who did it? and Why? I would be using the Five Ws and One H often to explain the event more clearly as it is not familiar with. Not only in this lesson, but in every lesson. Of Course, Major events shall be discussed, Sharing each other a opinion on the behalf of “what if we were there in that times”?
2. Choseon* Times 2 (1638 ~ 1897)
I would be discussing about the latter history of Choseon Dynasty. Latter Choseon Times had many sufferings, chaos and corruption in politics. And finally, I will be emphasizing on the event of the decline of the Choseon Dynasty. Because this event is one of the biggest event that happened in Korean Peninsula. Yet this event changed everything before and after. Still this event influences so much to our day to day life and this event also tells us why Korea now has bad relationship with China and Japan, especially very sensitive about Japan. We’ll talk more on Japan from this lesson because Japan have influenced very much in the modern history of Korean Peninsula to this date. Anyway, We’ll mainly focus on why and how Choseon Dynasty, which seemed like it would go forever, have declined. What made it do that? And what were the consequences thereafter? I am highlighting on the decline of the Choseon Dynasty as Choseon Dynasty was very firm, strong like a steel. People were very patriotic about their own dynasty. There were almost no wars. People were peaceful for about 300~400 years due to strong army system.
Plus, the commitment towards them. In Korean Peninsula, there is two particular, peculiar emotion which is embodied within its’ people and its’ culture. Both were mainstream, but one of them was before the decline, and the other one was after the decline. Before the decline of Choseon Dynasty, there was “Heung” [Pronounced as “Heu-ng”***]. In the Korean Dictionary, It defines the term “Heung” like this — Feelings that cause amusement or pleasure. But as a Korean, this doesn’t really feel like the right definition. It majorly was more of a culture which was shared by everyone — and Nongak is one of the great examples. this “Nongak” Culture is registered as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. On the other side, after decline there was “Han” [Which is a synonym for one, limit, and having same word with abbreviation of Korea.], which infers the feeling when one feels so resentful, depressed, impatient that one’s heart is weighed on it. Both Emotions are very hard to describe and define, but these two emotions have been carried again and again continuously with the burdens of its’ history — carried by Neo generations — the responsibilities that they have to face as a Korean as a whole.
3. Japan’s Invasion.** (1898 ~ 1945)
This history is one of the most controversial history ever to have existed in Korean history. This is the era where “Han” has developed drastically due to the soreness of the history. Many were highly oppressed, forced to be in part of Japan. Japanese Government at that time tried their best to demolish our civilization, culture by enforcing them to use only Japanese culture, think within Japanese mindset, philosophy and ideology. They restricted anything which promotes Korean Identity. Any thing which represents its’ distinct Korean being — apart from Japan — enchanting the independence or any resistance was highly punished, tortured and purged. There was a huge genocide. It is, indeed, Yet, one of the worst thing ever happened in the world. I am still in shock after researching the ear between 1898 ~ 1945. The Huge Oppression done by Japan during this era influenced and gave its’ vital role on future countries which was deemed to come after in Korean Peninsula. Also, it gave a birth to a lot of Extremists in Korea which , I would be talking in more detail in 4th lesson. Their Influence, still exists in today’s Korea now.
4. Modern Age. (1945~1979)
In Modern Age, I would be teaching about what did the people [like resistants and activists] did to get rid of Japanese Influences from Korea. After the Independence in August 15th, 1945, Korea was in a chaos. After Japan left Korea, there was nothing but mere turmoil in the nation. Everyone was deeply shocked by the aftermath of the severe wars.. conflict after conflict after… endless conflicts made the country develop their culture base on “Han”. Their Soreness was so huge. Japan took everything. Integrity, Purity, Innocence, “Heung”, Cultural Inheritance, Culture, Language, People, Sex, and Korea. A lot of People tried to rebuild the country. But, the desire for lasting peace didn’t go that long. June 25th, 1950, In less than 5 years of Independence from Japan, We ourselves started fighting each other in the name of “POLITICS”. We really had to thank the lord that there was no “Political Correctness” in that times. Ideology gap made us fight each other, though we, Korean Peninsula consisted of only one ethnicity — Koreans. We again question the stupidity of our acts upon the surface of radical history seamlessly made, corrupting ourselves, again doing the same thing as what Japanese had done past years. Japan’s act was relatively tolerable than us Koreans destroying our own values. But It was the question of bad or worse. Nothing more or less. No one would dare to question that. And that radical history seemed to go forever in Korea — Times went by, there were more discord than any other Korean History. Maybe, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Republic of Korea was merely a meat dish to them. I mean, USSR and US. Now It became China and US, but the essence remains constant. From this time, Emerging with Cold wars, The “Society Game” Started Gambling everyone’s lives. Especially, In these times, Korea was the one which was gambled the most. The reason why I have split this modern age into two parts by 1979, is that, 1979 is the year when, the virtual dictator “Jung-hee Park”, the President of Republic of Korea was assassinated. He is also known as “Tagaki Masao” — His Japanese Name. Yes, He was assassinated by one of his closest political colleague — Jae-gyu Kim. He assassinated him, with a shotgun, without hesitation. It was October 26th, 1979. Since then, the Democracy within “South Korea” started to rise up. There were a lot of Protests which were mainly done for Democratization. And that to which happened nationally. Since then, Strong Virtual Autocratic Government Frame Started to Split apart in the Name of Real Democracy.
5. Present Age. (1980~2018)
After the death of “Jung-hee Park”, After all these efforts done by people to democratize the country, The Citizens finally succeeded to make the government into complete Democratized System of Government, which no longer an exploited virtual Government would dare to rule over. But The People had to face one last more adamantine barricade like George Clemenceau — “Doo-Hwan Jeon” came to power. He, is the last virtual dictator in Korean History. But if, 6.10 Strife hadn’t happened, or failed, He would have dictated the Korea even longer — maybe to this date [In fact, he is alive until now, with NO PENALTY.]. 6.10 Strife was the movement to protest against the autocratic corrupted Government. He was thinking to make the Government into the Parliamentary Government System. To rule the country much much longer. Thanks to the hindsight, the 6.10 Strife succeeded, Which made it fail for him to make Parliamentary Government System. Therefore, In 29th June, 1987, Tae-woo Roh who was the main candidate for the Presidency of Republic of Korea, [Doo-Whan Jeon was going to make Tae-woo Roh as a puppet and he himself rule the country directly] made a declaration speech to basically make the Country into Democratic Country. And this is how a direct presidential election system was settled for the first time in Republic of Korea, thus allowing the people to directly vote for the president from 13th Presidency — which was Tae-woo Roh. Ironically, He was the one who was part of Doo-Hwan Jeon’s military revolution. Anyway, He Reestablished the constitution, which settled Institutional Democracy in Korea, building a proper Democracy. Consequently, He build new Republic in 1988 — Officially Known as “Sixth Republic of South Korea” and this Republic is the longest surviving republic ever in Korean History. Pretty Ironic. Until now, The Constitution had been Reestablished nine times. 10th Reestablishment is on the major debate topic nowadays, but I do not want to go off the track.
So In each lesson’s description, i have just described the very major events. Further details on these events relating them in terms of continuity and connectivity is done in lesson.
* It was the name of Dynasty which ruled Korean Peninsula from 1392 to 1897. ** Japan has Invaded Korean Peninsula indirectly from late 19th century and finally colonized Korean Peninsula in 1910.
*** To Listen to the Pronunciation, Click the Blue Speaker button.
*** Choseon Pronunciation — https://ko.dict.naver.com/deta...
*** Goryeo Pronunciation — https://ko.dict.naver.com/deta...
*** Heung Pronunciation — https://ko.dict.naver.com/deta...
