Tourism

Korea is well-known for its wonderful sights and sounds, delicious food, and exciting entertainment. The country has four distinct seasons and provides many opportunities to appreciate exceptional natural sceneries in the mountains, seas, and plains, as well as unique historical and cultural heritage.

Korea is also a great place to enjoy outdoor activities, like water sports or mountaineering. Visitors can get a taste of various Korean foods, touted as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world.

Its cities never sleep. Instead, the dazzling nightscape and exhilarating nightlife make the stay even more unforgettable. If such hustle and bustle is not your cup of tea, you can join a temple stay program to enjoy solitude and meditation.

Historical and cultural relics

• Palaces : Old palaces are mostly located in Seoul.
• Historical relics
A number of Korea's historical and cultural properties have been registered as UNESCO World Heritage sites. The list of internationally recognized relics include the historical sites in Gyeongju, the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom, Changdeok Palace and Jongmyo, the royal ancestral shrine in Seoul, Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, and the dolmen sites in Ganghwa.


• Cultural relics
Buddhist temples with long, illustrious history can be found all over the country. Also, old Confucian schoolhouses and administrative buildings bear testament to the beauty of ancient Korean architecture and art.

Nature

• Seas
Korea is surrounded by sea on three sides with each coast showing off its own charming sceneries. Beautiful Jeju Island in the southern sea is known for its volcanic landscape and picturesque subtropical scenery, and Hallyeosudo, a cluster of islands in the southern sea, is noted for its amazing coastline and sparkling water. The east coast boasts the clean and blue sea, while the west coast comes alive with wildlife inhabiting the vast tidal flats.


• Mountains
The mountains in the eastern province of Gangwon are not too high, yet display all the magnificence of nature. Korea's four distinct seasons each add unique, vivid colors to create beautiful mountain scenes.

Activities

• Outdoor activities
Visitors can enjoy a wide variety of leisure and recreational activities in Korea. Enthusiasm is all you need to try out water sports, winter activities, mountain climbing, or other thrilling adventures.


• Festivals
There are festivals for just about everything in Korea - the butterfly festival in Hampyeong County, the mud festival in Boryeong, and the Oriental herb festival in Yeongcheon are just a few. These assorted festivals invite you to experience the, food, nature, culture, and lifestyle of Korea.


• Cultural experience
A wide range of cultural programs await visitors. The most well-known are temple stay programs in which visitors live temporarily in temples to meditate in serenity. Other programs provide opportunities to experience the traditional Korean culture or ordinary lives of Korean people. Visitors can also see the reality of the world's only divided nation when they tour Panmunjeom in the Joint Security Area bordering North Korea.

Food and nightlife

• Food
Korea boasts a rich selection of healthy foods. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy a Korean dish of your choice, even without a reservation or in the middle of the night. Visitors can also find a number of restaurants offering international cuisine.


• Nightlife
Korean cities are thumping with energy around the clock. The Korea people have long enjoyed music and dance. Living up to that honored tradition, Korea offers ample opportunities to experience exciting nightlife. Imagine yourself as a famous singer or a dancer at one of many noraebangs (meaning sing-along rooms, or better known as karaoke bars) and night clubs. Visitors can also sample just about every kind of alcoholic beverage created by humankind.

Climate

Characteristics

Korea's climate is temperate with features of both continental and marine climates. Korea has four distinct seasons. Its summer is hot and humid, while winter is cold and dry.

Four seasons

• Summer
The hottest time of the year is from June to August. The average temperature in August is 25.4℃. Since the country is surrounded by sea on three sides, Koreans enjoy water sports in summer. July and August are the best months for swimming.


• Winter
December through February is generally the coldest period, with average temperatures ranging from -8℃ in the northern region to 0℃ in the southern coastal areas. Koreans enjoy winter sports and sightseeing during these months. The mountainous regions in the east see heavy snow precipitation, and many ski slopes and sled parks open in these parts of the country during winter. Ski season usually lasts from December through February.


• Spring and autumn
Spring is from April to May, and autumn from September to November. The weather in spring and autumn is generally mild, ideal for outdoor activities. Precipitation is heavier in spring than in autumn, but the weather is balmy and nature rejuvenates with green trees and blooming flowers. Korea's autumn is known for its clear skies and refreshing weather, making this season perfect for outdoor activities. Most sports competitions and regional festivals are scheduled in fall.

Precipitation

• Korea's average annual precipitation is 1260mm. More than 50% of the yearly precipitation is concentrated between June and early September.
• Jangma or the rainy season is marked by heavy downpours usually occurring between late June and mid-July.

Monthly average temperature (In Seoul/ past 30-year average/ Unit: ℃)

Monthly	Average temperature
1	-2.5
2	-0.3
3	5.2
4	12.1
5	17.4
6	21.9
7	24.9
8	25.4
9	20.8
10	14.4
11	6.9
12	0.2

Weather calamities

• Characteristics : Earthquakes and other ground disasters are rare. Most natural disasters in Korea are caused by bad weather, such as typhoons, torrential rain, heavy snow, warm winter, and freezing cold.
• Typhoons: Out of about 28 typhoons generated in the northern Pacific every year, two or three pass that through the Korean Peninsula can cause severe damage.
• Torrential rain: Torrential rain usually occurs during summer. Lately heavy downpours are occurring more frequently.
• Floods: Floods are generally well-controlled with multipurpose dams, but sometimes local downpours and a long rainy season can cause rivers to overflow and wreak havoc in low-lying areas. 

Korean Language

The official language of Korea is Korean. The Korean language is defined as “a language used mainly around the Korean Peninsula by the Korean people.” At present the Korean language is used by roughly 70 million people in both South and North Koreas and about 3.5 million ethnic Koreans living overseas.

Lineage of the Korean language

The most prevailing theory is that the Korean language belongs to the Altaic language family.

• Altaic language
A branch of the Korean language, which includes the Tungus language spoken from Siberia to the Volga River region, Mongolian, and Turkish.


• Korean and the Altaic language family
Linguists consider the Korean language a part of the Altaic language family because Korean and other Altaic languages share certain structural features. Those characteristics include vowel harmony, initial sound rule, and the agglutinative nature of word derivatives.

Languages of South and North Koreas

A long period of division has widened the language gap between the two Koreas. In spite of the differences in vocabulary and usage and the coining of new words, the two sides have no problem communicating, so the language differences between the South and the North can be regarded as regional dialects. Nonetheless, linguists from both sides have worked to narrow the language gap.

Dialects

Dialects are classified by region. There are roughly six regional dialects in Korea.

• Northeastern dialect: Used in North and South Hamgyeong, and Yanggang Provinces in North Korea
  
• Northwestern dialect: Used in North and South Pyeongan, and Jagang Provinces, and northern part of Hwanghae Province in North Korea
  
• Southeastern dialect: Used in North and South Gyeongsang Provinces and surrounding areas
  
• Southwestern dialect: Used in North and South Jeolla Provinces
  
• Jeju dialect: Used in Jeju Island and adjacent islands
  
• Central dialect: Used in Gyeonggi, North and South Chungcheong, and Gangwon Provinces in South Korea and most of Hwanghae Province in North Korea
  

Hangeul

Hangeul is Korea’s own unique alphabet.

Creation of Hangeul

Hangeul was created in 1443 (the 25th year of King Sejong’s reign) under the leadership of King Sejong the Great, the fourth king of the Joseon Dynasty, and proclaimed three years later in 1446. Hangeul was originally called “Hunminjeongeum,” which means “the right sounds to enlighten the people.” Hangeul is a phonemic alphabet composed of 28 letters - 17 consonants and 11 vowels – and each syllabic block is made up of at least two letters, a beginning consonant sound and a middle vowel sound, and, when necessary, an ending consonant sound.

Official script

Official documents were still recorded in Chinese characters even after Hunminjeongeum was proclaimed. A royal decree was issued in November 1894 to mandate Korean as the official written language of Korea. Thus, Hangeul became Korea’s official script 450 years after Hunminjeongeum was created.

Modern day Hangeul

The name “Hangeul” was coined by famed scholar Ju Si-gyeong in 1913. The term began to be used widely when a periodical titled “Hangeul” was published in 1927. Meaning “the writing of the Korean country,” “grand letters,” and “the greatest script in the world,” the term Hangeul and Huminjeongeum are threaded by a common theme. In accordance with the unified Hangeul spelling system established by the Joseon Language Institute in 1933, four letters were discarded from the original set, leaving 24 letters (14 consonants and 10 vowels) of today.

Structure

One syllabic block, composed of at least two of the 24 Hangeul letters, makes up one syllable. One syllable consists of as many as three sounds – beginning, middle, and ending sounds. Beginning sound: One of 14 consonants is used. The actual number of consonants that can be used for a beginning sound exceeds 14, because some consonants are doubled to form tensed consonants. Middle sound: One of 10 vowels is used. The actual number of middle vowel exceeds 10, because some vowels are in the form of diphthongs. Ending sound: Same as the beginning sound. Some syllabic blocks do not have ending sounds.

Characteristics

Hangeul is logical and easy to learn, since a consonant is always accompanied by a vowel to form a syllable.

• The most logical script in the world
Hangeul is recognized worldwide as the most scientific writing system. It is marked by the ingenuity and efficiency that comes from combining alphabet letters. Consonants and vowels are easily distinguished, and each syllabic block is arranged in a square shape to appear orderly. Hangeul is applauded as the most scientific script because the design of each consonant is modeled after the physical morphology of the mouth, palate, teeth and throat.

Source kbs world

Taegeukgi

The national flag of Korea is called Taegeukgi.

Short history of Taegeukgi

• Origin
Korea is located between the latitudes of 33 and 43 degrees north and the longitudes of 124 and 132 degrees east. The east longitude of 127 degrees and 30 minutes and the north latitude of 38 degrees cross the middle of the peninsula.

• Establishment of the national flag
It was back in 1883 when Taegeukgi was first used as the national flag, but there was no unified design. The design and specification were unified when the government of the Republic of Korea was established in 1948. The Ministry of Education officially promulgated Taegeukgi as the national flag of the Republic of Korea on October 15, 1949. Since then the regulations on the national flag began to take shape as the government legislated the National Flag Production Act (1950), the National Flag Hoisting Act (1964) and other flag-related laws and ordinances.

Design and meaning of Taegeukgi

A circle composed of blue and red semi-circles sits in the center against the white background. This circle is surrounded by four trigrams, one in each corner.

• Background
The white background symbolizes the homogeneity, integrity and peace-loving nature of the Korean people. The Korean people have traditionally worn white clothes, earning the nickname “white-clothed people.” The color white symbolizes the Korean people.


• Taegeuk pattern
The Korean people have used the blue and red swirling semi-circles of the Taegeuk pattern since ancient times. The blue section represents the ying and indicates hope, while the red represents the yang and means nobility.


• Four trigrams
A trigram is placed in each corner of the flag. The “geon” trigram represents the heaven, spring, east, and benevolence. The “gon” trigram symbolizes the earth, summer, west, and justice, the “gam” trigram the moon, winter, north, and wisdom, and the “ri” trigram the sun, autumn, south, and courtesy. The four trigrams supposedly move in an endless cycle from “geon” to “ri” to “gon” to “gam” and back to “geon” in their pursuit of perfection.


• Overall symbolism of Taegeukgi
The white background, taegeuk pattern, and four trigrams signify peace, unity, creation, hope, and eternity.

How to make Taegeukgi properly

• Size : The ratio of length to width should be 3:2.
• Tip of the flagpole : The tip should be in the shape of a rose of Sharon blossom with five sepals and the color should be gold.
• Flagpole : The flagpole should be made of hard materials like bamboo or steel. The color should be in the color of a bamboo tree, orresemble it.

National anthem

Listen to Korea's National Anthem

Korea’s national anthem is “Aegukga,” which means “the song of the love for the country.”

Short history of Aegukga

• Origin
There was no official national anthem, but the words of Aegukga were sung to the tune of the Scottish folk song Auld Lang Syne after Japan colonized Korea in 1910.

• Composition
Composer Ahn Eak-tai wrote a new melody for the lyrics in 1936. But Ahn's new composition was not considered the official national anthem tune before 1948. Instead, people continued to sing the old "Aegukga" to the of Auld Lang Syne.


• Establishment of the national anthem
“Aegukga” was officially designated Korea’s national anthem when the Korean government was founded in 1948 and the name “Aegukga,” which used to be a blanket term for all patriotic songs, remained the official title for the national anthem. The lyrics were kept as they were. Although the lyricist of Aegukga is still unknown, some speculate it to be Yun Chi-ho, Ahn Chang-ho or Min Yeong-hwan.

Description of Aegukga

• Music
The music is in A major or G major, has a four-beat rhythm, and is composed of 16 measures.


• Lyrics
The lyrics are solemn in expression, describing the dark reality of Japanese colonial rule, and Koreans’ work to overcome the sorrow of losing their country. But instead of wallowing in the sadness, the lyrics speak of Korea’s beauty and the Korean people’s hope of gaining independence from Japan and bringing prosperity.

National flower

Korea's national flower is mugunghwa (rose of Sharon).

Mugunghwa (rose of Sharon)

Mugunghwa is a deciduous flowering shrub species belonging to the family Malvaceae. Its Latin name is Hibiscus syriacus. Native to India and East Asia, this species is found in India, China, and Korea (south of South Pyeongan and Gangwon Provinces).

• Appearance
Mugunghwa bushes can grow to 2 to 3 meters in height. A mugunghwa shrub bears many sturdy branches, which are smooth, hard and fibrous. The egg-shaped, deeply-lobed leaves can grow to 4 to 10 centimeters long.


• flowers
Mugunghwa blooms in late summer, generally from July to September. Its blossoms measure 6 to 10 centimeters in diameter and its flower stalks are short. Most of the blossoms are pink with deep red gradations toward the center of the petals. Mugunghwa blooms in the early morning and starts to wilt in the afternoon, finally dropping off in the evening. A small shrub generally bears some 20 blossoms a day, while a large one can produce up to 50 flowers. Mugunghwa continues to bloom for about 100 days, so a mugunghwa bush can yield as many as 5,000 blossoms a year. Producing new blooms daily is the most noted characteristic of mugunghwa.

Mugunghwa as the national flower

• History
Mugunghwa is so abundant in Korea that during ancient times the Korean people called the country “the land of mugunghwa.” The first reference to mugunghwa and Korea is discovered in an ancient Chinese geographical document presumed to date back to the second century or earlier. The abundance of mugunghwa in Korea is frequently mentioned in Chinese and Korean literature.


• National flower
Mugunghwa has not been designated by law as Korea’s national flower, but it has represented the Korean people since the olden days. Also, the refrain of Korea’s national anthem, officially adopted in 1948, begins with “splendid rivers and mountains covered with mugunghwa,” which ensured mugunghwa’s status as the national flower. Emblems of the legislative, judicial and administrative branches all feature mugunghwa, and the tip of the flagpole is mandated to be shaped like a mugunghwa blossom.


• Symbolism of mugunghwa
This beautiful, yet unassuming flower properly symbolizes the Korean people’s disposition. Compared to other flowering trees, mugunghwa is highly resistant to diseases, indicating Koreans’ resilience. The repeated blossoming also symbolizes the Korean people’s indomitable spirit. Young mugunghwa shoots are edible, and its flower petals and fruits are used as ingredients for medicine or tea. Mugunghwa, with many versatile uses for mankind, certainly represents the ideal of humanitarianism.

Religion

The Republic of Korea guarantees freedom of religion, allowing many different religious beliefs to thrive here.

Short history of Korean religions

Ancient myths relate how prehistoric people worshipped heaven as the supernatural being that ruled over nature and everything in it. The legend of Dangun, Korea's founding myth, tells of divine beings, Hwan-in and Hwan-woong, who represent heaven, or god. Shamanistic traditions that mainly served to ward off evil and bring good fortune dominated Korea in the ancient times. But ever since Buddhism was introduced to the Three Kingdoms and Confucianism was adopted as the founding principle of the Joseon Dynasty, Korean people began to see religion as a way to seek truth. From the Three Kingdoms period through the end of the 14th century, Buddhism developed as a religion for the masses, while Confucianism was regarded more as a political ideology. As the Joseon Dynasty rose to power, however, Buddhism was suppressed, while Confucian ideas were encouraged and revered. Joseon was introduced to Christianity, a new western religion, near the end of its rule, but the nation also saw a rise in indigenous beliefs, such as the Cheondo-gyo and the Jeungsan-gyo. In modern times, Christianity and Buddhism have been established as mainstream religions, while minor traditional beliefs and shamanism have remained the underlying religions of the Korean people.

Religious population

• South Korea
According to the 2005 national census, nearly 25 million people, or over 53% of the total population, professed to have a religion, while 46.5% of the respondents answered that they don't have one.


• North Korea
Freedom of religion is not allowed in North Korea, so no religion in the true sense exists in the Communist country. The official count of the religious population in North Korea comes to only around twenty to thirty thousand. However, a large number of faithful followers are estimated to exist underground.


• Distribution of religious population in Korea

Religion	Population			Percentage
	1985	1995	2005	1985	1995	2005

Total	40,419,652	44,553,710	47,041,434
Have a religion	17,203,296	22,597,824	24,970,766	42.6%	50.7%	53.1%
Buddhism	8,059,624	10,321,012	10,726,463	46.8%	45.7%	43.0%
Protestantism	6,489,282	8,760,336	8,616,438	37.7%	38.8%	34.5%
Catholicism	1,865,397	2,950,730	5,146,147	10.8%	13.1%	20.6%
Confucianism	483,366	210,927	104,575	2.8%	0.9%	0.4%
Won Buddhism	92,302	86,823	129,907	0.5%	0.4%	0.5%
Cheondo-gyo	26,818	28,184	45,835	0.2%	0.1%	0.2%
Jeungsan-gyo	0	62,056	34,550	0.0%	0.3%	0.1%
Daejong-gyo	11,030	7,603	3,766	0.1%	0.0%	0.0%
Others	175,477	170,153	163,085	1.0%	0.8%	0.7%
No religion	23,216,356	21,953,315	21,865,160	57.4%	49.3%	46.5%
Major religion	0	2,571	205,508	0.0%	0.0%	0.4%

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• Buddhism
Buddhism was introduced to Korea around the 4th century. Unlike Buddhism that originated in southern Asia and focused more on individual salvation, the Buddhist sect that came into Korea through China preached compassion and redemption for the masses. This originally foreign faith merged with traditional culture and folk beliefs, eventually forming the foundation for Korea's national culture. Buddhist ideals and principles had governed the kingdom of Silla and the succeeding unified Silla Dynasty, as well as throughout the Goryeo Dynasty. But when Joseon was founded in the late 14th century Confucianism replaced Buddhism as the national ideology. Nonetheless, Buddhism has continued to provide comfort and guidance to the ordinary people as Korea's traditional belief. Even today, Buddhists account for more than 40% of the nation's total religious population.


• Protestantism
An American missionary first introduced Protestantism to Korea in 1884. In the late 19th and early 20th century American missionaries from various Protestant sects came to Korea to evangelize Korean people by providing medical, educational, volunteer, and social welfare services. During the Japanese occupation period from 1910 to 1945 Protestantism firmly planted itself in Korea as Korean Protestant churches played a crucial role in bringing people together to fight for the country's independence. Protestantism further thrived during the chaos and devastation of the Korean War. Protestantism now has the second largest population of believers in Korea, following Buddhism.


• Catholicism
Catholicism was introduced to Korea in the 18th century, about 100 years earlier than Protestantism. At the time scholars who were excluded from governmental posts because of their political leanings or lowly family backgrounds voluntarily studied Catholicism, then known as the western studies, as a branch of science imported from the west. Catholic scholars in Korea studied religious doctrines on their own and asked the Chinese Catholic church to send them a priest, setting an unprecedented example of voluntary evangelization. However, the xenophobic government of Joseon considered Catholics threats to the regime and persecuted them. Ruthless persecutions against Catholics in the late Joseon era claimed the lives of many Korean believers, 103 of whom were later canonized to sainthood by Pope John Paul II. Now Catholics take up roughly 20% of the total religious population, ranking as the third largest religious group in Korea.


• Islam
The first Koreans to be exposed to Islam were Korean laborers who were forcibly relocated to Manchuria during the Japanese colonial rule. A few of them came in contact with the Muslims in the area and adopted the religion. However, the real evangelization of the Islamic faith took place during the Korean War when Turkish troops were dispatched to Korea. In 1955 the Korean Islam Association was founded to elect the nation's first Korean imam. Then, in the 1970s, a mosque was built in Hannam-dong, Seoul, followed by a series of mosque constructions in Busan, Daegu, Jeonju and other local cities. As of late 2007, the Islamic population in Korea is estimated to be around 140,000.


• Indigenous religions and Shamanism
Confucianism is more of an ethical and philosophical study in nature, rather than a religion. However, most Koreans' mindsets are influenced by Confucian ideas to a large degree. Cheondo-gyo and Daejong-gyo are folk beliefs that worship Dangun, the mythical founding father of Korea. Won Buddhism and Jeungsan-do are also indigenous beliefs that sprouted up spontaneously in Korea. Shamanism is a folk religion that runs deep in the Korean culture. Many people seek the advice of fortunetellers and shamans when they are about to make important decisions, take tests, start a business, or when they wish to ward off evil and pray for good fortune or health. These Shamanistic traditions can easily be detected all over Korea.

Source  : kbs world

History Of Korea

 Korean history spans from the founding myth of Dangun through the Three Kingdom Period, the unified Silla Kingdom, Goryeo Dynasty, Joseon Dynasty, Japanese occupation, the national division, and the period of the Republic of Korea. The current Korean territory is confined to the Korean Peninsula and its adjacent islands, but Korean history holds that the Korean domain once reached as far as the northeastern part of China.

The founding myth of Dangun and Gojoseon

The history of the Korean people is traced back to the founding myth of Dangun.

• Founding myth of Dangun
In the beginning Hwan-woong, the son of god Hwan-in, came down to earth with four guardian gods and founded the Divine City at the foot of Mt. Taebaek (present day Mt. Myohyang in North Korea). Upon hearing that the son of god was on earth, a bear and a tiger asked him to turn them into humans. Hwan-woong told them to stay inside a dark cave and eat only bitter mugwort and garlic for 100 days. The tiger failed to last 100 days, but the bear endured and was transformed into Woong-nyeo (Bear Woman). She married Hwan-woong and gave birth to a son, Dangun, who grew up to found a nation called "Joseon." Dangun ruled the country for 1,500 years and became a god after living 1,908 years on earth. (Source: Samgukyusa, the History of Three Kingdoms).

• Interpretation of the Dangun myth
The process leading up to Dangun's birth can be interpreted as the development of civilization on the Korean Peninsula. The myth describes how the ancestors of Korean people settled in the region and ruled over the natives. The worship of multiple gods indicates that Koreans had agricultural and other advanced skills. Woong-nyeo represents the native people, and the marriage of Hwang-woong and Woong-nyeo represents the integration of an immigrant tribe into the native community and the resulting new tribe. Dangun was the leader and symbol of this new tribe, which is why the Korean people call themselves the "children of Dangun."


• Gojoseon (2,333 B.C.? ~ 2C B.C.)
It’s estimated that Dangun founded Gojoseon (meaning “old Joseon” as opposed to the Joseon Dynasty of later centuries) in 2,333 BC. during the prehistoric period. Since no written records exist of Gojoseon, its history is reconstructed from ancient Chinese documents or archeological remains. The title of Dangun implies that he served both as the ruler and the priest. The Gojoseon period can be further divided into Dangun Joseon, Gija Joseon, and Wiman Joseon, which implies that the leadership passed on from Dangun to Gija and then to Wiman. This period came to a close when Gojoseon was defeated by the Han Dynasty of China in a war for regional hegemony in the 2nd century B.C.

Three Kingdoms (1C B.C. ~ 668 A.D.)

During the 1st century B.C. several tribal leagues in the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria merged to give rise to three kingdoms - Goguryeo in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria, Baekje in the western region of the peninsula, and Silla in the southeastern corner. These three kingdoms each grew out of different tribes, but they shared a common heritage as the descendants of Dangun.

• Goguryeo (37 B.C. ~ 668 A.D.)
Founded by Jumong (King Dongmyeongseong) in the southern Manchurian region, Goguryeo ruled entire Manchuria and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Located right in the middle of the path linking China and the Korean Peninsula, Goguryeo was constantly threatened by China looking to expand its territory. By conquering the town-states of Nakrang and Daebang, however, Goguryeo troops succeeded in driving out the Chinese influence. The two town states were Chinese settlements built in the Korean Peninsula, following the fall of Gojoseon. Goguryeo came to be the reigning power of Northeast Asia when it beat back the invading Chinese army in 598. Thanks to its vast territory and powerful army, Goguryeo enjoyed a long period of uncontested domination. However, the prolonged war with the Sui Dynasty depleted Goguryeo's power, leading to its demise at the hands of the allied troops of Silla and China's Tang Dynasty. Goguryeo was absorbed into the Silla Kingdom after its fall, but some Goguryeo refugees moved to the north and incorporated other tribes to found Balhae.


• Baekje (18 B.C. ~ 660 A.D.)
Baekje's founding myth describes how Onjo and Biryu, the two sons of Goguryeo's King Dongmyeongseong, came south to establish a nation, basically a state built by Goguryeo migrants ousted by the ruling class. Baekje clashed with Goguryeo to the north, but traded with Chinese kingdoms across the Yellow Sea. Baekje battled Goguryeo when it conquered the southern part of the Chinese-influenced Daebang town-state and expanded to the north. Later on, it had to fight off ever-growing Silla to the east. Baekje is also noted for its brisk cultural exchanges and trade with Japan. Despite its splendid cultural achievements, however, prolonged conflicts with Goguryeo and Silla drained Baekje's might and the kingdom finally fell to the Silla-Tang alliance in 660. After the kingdom's collapse, a considerable number of Baekje refugees went to Japan to shape ancient Japanese states and culture.


• Silla (57 B.C. ~ 935 A.D./ including the Unified Silla period)
Unlike Goguryeo and Baekje, which branched off from the state of Buyeo, Silla claimed to have been founded by Bakhyeokgeose, who was born from an egg. This founding myth denotes that a new group of migrants with advanced civilization came to this region to incorporate the natives. Silla is called the Millennium Kingdom, as it existed for 992 years, almost a millennium if the Unified Silla period is included. Tucked in the southeastern corner of the Korean Peninsula, geographically isolated Silla had a hard time interacting with other states, so it took the longest time to grow into a powerful state. Nonetheless, Silla made steady progress to accomplish many military and cultural feats, which culminated in the conquests of Goguryeo and Baekje and the subsequent unification of three kingdoms with the allied troops of the Tang Dynasty.

Unified Silla (668~935)

Unified Silla refers to the Silla Kingdom after the unification of the three kingdoms. It enjoyed a flourishing Buddhist culture, as well as political independence from the Tang Dynasty of China. Silla was able to rule over the entire Korean Peninsula except for the northern region, which was consolidated into Balhae founded by Goguryeo refugees. Although Unified Silla was the first nation to bring all kingdoms and tribes together as one people, its ruling class became extravagant and complacent as time passed. With the Unified Silla leadership in disarray, local tribe leaders rose up against the ruling class and eventually opened the Later Three Kingdoms period. Unified Silla fell in the late 9th century, giving way to the Goryeo Dynasty.

Goryeo (918~1392)

Goryeo was founded by Wang Geon with Songak (present day Gaeseong in North Korea) as its capital. It incorporated Shilla in 935 and destroyed Later Baekje in 936, reuniting the Korean Peninsula. Goryeo's state religion was Buddhism and its main goal was to enlarge its territory to the north. The later years of the Goryeo Dynasty were marred by the invasion of Mongols, who subjugated the Goryeo royalty. Barely holding onto its sovereignty, Goryeo was able to get it back as China was embroiled in a chaotic struggle between the outgoing Yuan Dynasty and the incoming Ming Dynasty. However, military officials gained power over the monarchy and the Goryeo Dynasty was usurped by Yi Seong-gye, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty. The Goryeo Dynasty lasted for 474 years.

Joseon (1392~1910)

General Yi Seong-gye and military officials established the Joseon Dynasty by forcing the last Goryeo king to abdicate his throne, thus completing a bloodless coup. The new Joseon Dynasty aimed to reform the old Goryeo government with Confucianism as the guiding principle. It was a unique dynasty because although the king had absolute power, he was checked and balanced by Confucian noblemen and scholars and had to follow certain life patterns and administrative styles governed by the strict Confucian political philosophy. Joseon made a number of notable scientific and cultural achievements, like the creation of Hangeul and invention of the rain gauge and other machinery. However, it turned into a closed and inert society in later years as its ruling class became obsessed with the rigid observance of the Confucian ideology and refused to open itself to new and practical ideas from foreign countries. Xenophobic policies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries hampered Joseon from catching up with the rapidly changing world and eventually led to the Japanese colonization in 1910.

Japanese occupation (1910~1945)

Korea was under Japanese occupation from 1910 to 1945. Korea's liberation forces waged anti-Japanese campaigns in China and Russia and a provisional government was established in China to command the independence movement. The Japanese colonial rule of Korea came to an end when Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces and withdrew from Korea in 1945.

The Republic of Korea (1945~ )

Following Korea's independence in 1945, the U.S. forces occupied the southern half of the Korean Peninsula, while the Soviet troops took control of the northern half. This was the unfortunate beginning of the national division. The Republic of Korea was proclaimed in 1948 by the elected government of South Korea. It was recognized by the international community as the sole legitimate government on the Korean Peninsula. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union helped establish the Communist regime of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north. On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea to start the Korean War. The intervention of the U.N. forces and the Chinese army led to a cease-fire signed in 1953, resulting in the division of the two Koreas to this day. After the war, the Republic of Korea came out of the turbulent 1960s to achieve stellar economic growth through the 1970s.

The prosperous boom was dubbed the "Miracle on the Han River." A series of fierce anti-dictatorship protests in the late-1980s compelled the then-government to amend the Constitution to allow direct election of the president, enabling peaceful transition of power and achieving political democratization. In the new millennium, the two Koreas came to recognize each other's government and work together toward reconciliation and cooperation.

Source : kbs world

Part 2 of Caribbean Bay CFs featuring 2PM & Suzy released

Water park Caribbean Bay has released part two of the CFs featuring 2PM and miss A‘s Suzy!
The newly released CFs definitely focus more on the JYP Entertainment idols so fans should look forward to it.
Check out the previously released CFs here, making-of footage here, and watch the new ads below.
15-second version

30-second version

Source: official Everland YouTube

Girls’ Generation’s Yuri discusses life after ‘Fashion King’ with @star1

Members Yuri, Jessica, Sooyoung, and Seohyun of Girls’ Generation met up with @star1 for a paparazzi-themed photo shoot.
The shoot for the July issue was held in the “fashion mecca” Chungdamdong, where flagship stores of top clothing brands like Tory Burch are located.
Each member’s individual looks were highlighted, and the girls were dressed in styles that they themselves preferred to wear.
Yuri, who recently made a successful acting debut on the recently concluded SBS drama ‘Fashion King‘, captivated viewers in Chungdamdong wearing a simple top and shorts. She commented that the biggest difference she’s noticed after the drama is that she has more “ahjumma” fans.
Yuri stated, “I tried acting for the first time in my life, and it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Truthfully, it was difficult, but I also found it fun.”
She continued, “If there’s one thing that’s changed after ‘Fashion King’, I now have more ahjussi and ahjumma fans who recognize me. They recognize ‘Yuri from Fashion King’ when I go to restaurants or walk the streets. It’s fascinating. I realized the power of dramas.”
“I would like to have more opportunities to act in the future,” Yuri added. “I would like to continue acting.”

Source & Image : Newsen via Nate

Singer Baek Ji Young meets an ‘ahjusshi’ fan of 9 years

Singer Baek Ji Young met a long-time ahjusshi fan on the June 19th broadcast of KBS2‘s ’1 vs. 100‘.

All 100 contestants who participated were men, but one in particular stood out among the rest. He was an older fan who revealed, “I’ve been a part of [Baek Ji Young's] fan club since 2003.”

He then added, “During one of her concerts, me and [my eldest child] took a picture with Baek Ji Young, but it came out looking like a family portrait so I can’t really show it to anyone.”

MC Han Suk Joon then asked the fan, “[Did it look like] she was your daughter?” The ahjusshi fan evoked laughter by responding, “It looked more like she was my wife.”

Source & Photo: TVDaily via Nate

Eric Nam from ‘Birth of a Great Star 2′ turned down offer from JYP

Eric Nam, a contestant from ‘Birth of a Great Star 2‘, disclosed that he had once declined an offer from JYP Entertainment.
During an interview, Eric Nam stated, “A representative from JYP called me first after watching a YouTube video of me singing. They suggested that I should go to a JYP audition in New York.”
He continued, “It was during college exam time so I couldn’t go. During my first year of college, I had to focus on my studies, so I declined the offer to audition in New York.” Eric Nam then added, “But it’s not like I have any regrets.”
Netizens commented, “Rejecting a dream agency,” “As long as he’s not regretting the decision now,” and “I wonder how JYP feels.”
Source & Photo: Money Today via Naver

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