A picture is worth a thousand words. That’s certainly the case with the following collection of stunning photographs taken in Korea between 1890 and 1903 by visiting foreigners. The diverse, everyday scenes they depict shed light on the lifestyles of people at the time. Interestingly, this pictorial set was circulated around the Internet in Thailand, where people were surprised to see such vast differences in lifestyle as compared to the lives of South Koreans portrayed in modern-day K-dramas…a lot can change in a hundred years! You don’t want to miss a single one of these photos or the reactions of Thai people after seeing them! Let’s begin with a little history review. The Joseon Era of Korean history spanned from 1392-1897. It was the last dynasty in Korean history, as well as the longest-ruling Confucian dynasty. Besides several foreign invasions from neighboring countries, the era was marked by a number of significant cultural achievements, including the relocation of the capital to what is now modern-day Seoul, the construction of Gyeongbok Palace in 1395 (the greatest of the “Five Grand Palaces” built at the time), and the promulgation of the hangul writing system by King Sejong in 1446, possibly the world’s most rational alphabet (and for which there is a national holiday to celebrate on October 9 of every year in South Korea). The Joseon Era was followed by the short-lived Korean Empire in 1897, which saw the modernization of several domestic industries. After that, you may then recall from your high school history class that Korea became a protectorate of Japan and was formally annexed in 1910. Here’s the collection of historical photographs. Enjoy! (By Krista RogersKrista Rogers from www.rocketnews24.com – Source: © thailog.net )
