20 Best Books On Korean History (2023 Update)

If you want to discover the captivating history of korea, then keep reading… the korean peninsula today is divided into two, but there was a time when this peninsula was divided into many states. over the course of time, and besieged by expansive transient dynasties outside of this modest piece of land, many clans and tribes overran their lands. of all those malicious and greedy potential overlords, none managed to prevail. the soil is rich with the blood of the people who made korea happen, and it is the korean people who rose victorious among the maelstrom of dead empires led by hated tyrants and wars fought by people in lands far beyond their own. the koreans are survivors, known for their persistence and courage. in history of korea: a captivating guide to korean history, including events such as the mongol invasions, the split into north and south, and the korean war, you will discover topics such as land of the bear the dragon of the east sea dynasties rise and fall the joseon dynasty of goryeo foreign invasions merchants, farmers, and foreigners from independence to annexation korea at war north korea south korea and much, much more so if you want to learn more about the history of korea, scroll up and click the "add to cart" button

The most important people in korean history presents a comprehensive list of the most influential figures who shaped, affected, and inspired the country over the past 4,000 years, in an easy-to-understand chronological order, along with helpful images and references. whether you are are student studying korean history or an expat in need to understand the people and culture of korea, this book will be an essential guide that will get you fully educated. dangun wanggeom – the founding father of gojoseon, the first ever korean kingdom jumong – the holy king of the east king gwanggaeto the great – the greatest conqueror in korean history daejoyoung – the founder of the balhae kingdom queen seondeok – the first queen of korean history kim yu-shin general who led the unification of kingdoms eulji mundeok – hero of the great battle of salsu yeon gaesomun – gogyreo's super hero who saved the kingdom wonhyo the great master monk jang bo-go the emperor of the sea gang gam-chan – the great general and hero of goreyo kim busik – great scholar who led the compilation of the samguk sagi yi seong-gye – the first king of the joseon dynasty jeong mong-ju – the symbol of unwavering loyalty jeong do-jeon – first prime minister of joseon dynasty jang young-sil the genius engineer king sejong the great – korea's most beloved king yeonsangun – the dethroned tyrant king of the joseon dynasty yi hwang – the pillar of joseon's neo-confucianism sin saimdang korea's own renaissance woman yi i joseon's most prominent scholar and philosopher yi sun-sin the admiral who saved the nation heo nanseolheon – a short-lived literary genius kim hong-do the master of korean painting jeong yak-yong the joseon dynasty's social reformer heungseon daewongun – regent who vigorously enforced closed-door policy saint andrew kim taegon – korea's first catholic priest and a martyr empress myeongseong – the queen who fought to save the korean empire emperor gojong – the first emperor of the korean empire yi wanyong – traitor who put korea under japanese rule soh jaipil founder of the first korean newspaper in hangul kim koo leader of the korean independence movement an chang-ho – undying beacon for the korean independence movemen an jung-geun the patriot, assassin, hero shin chae-ho founder of korean ethnic nationalist historiography yu gwan-sun the martyr of the korean independence movement sohn kee-chung korea's first olympic gold medalist lee jung-seob – master of korean modern painting kim il-sung the first president of north korea rhee syngman the first president of south korea

South korea's amazing transformation into an economic powerhouse and a thriving democracy within a generation now serves as a model for many other developing nations. how were korean's able to achieve their "asian miracle" despite half a century of colonial rule, a ruinous war, and no earlier democratic tradition? and having accomplished it, what comes next? will korea become a rich but aging society, stagnant and lacking momentum? or will the dynamism of korean society–and the opportunity to welcome outsiders–enable it to experience another miracle to propel it into the ranks of the leading countries of the world in terms of human development and wealth? daniel tudor is a journalist who has lived in korea for a decade, and seeks the answers to these questions in interviews with scores of high-powered korean business leaders, politicians, religious leaders, sports legends, poets, rock stars and academics. in this fascinating and uncoventional book he examines korea's cultural foundations; the korean family character; the public sphere in politics, business, the workplace; the korean family and how koreans unwind including food, music, and cinema; and social issues crucial to korea's future–including their interactions with outsiders. in doing so, he touches on topics as diverse as shamanism, clan-ism, the dilemma posed by north korea (brother or enemy?), myths about doing business in korea, and why the country's infatuation with learning english is causing huge social problems. this new edition has been updated with additional materials on recent events including the park impeachment and the sewol ferry incident.

Dynamic and meticulously researched, a history of korea continues to be one of the leading introductory textbooks on korean history. assuming no prior knowledge, hwang guides readers from early state formation and the dynastic eras to the modern experience in both north and south korea. structured around episodic accounts, each chapter begins by discussing a defining moment in korean history in context, with an extensive examination of how the events and themes under consideration have been viewed up to the present day. by engaging with recurring themes such as collective identity, external influence, social hierarchy, family and gender, the author introduces the major historical events, patterns and debates that have shaped both north and south korea over the past 1500 years. this textbook is essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students of korean or asian history. the first half of the book covers pre-20th century history, and the second half the modern era, making it ideal for survey courses

A bracing account of a war that is either misunderstood, forgotten, or willfully ignored for americans, it was a discrete conflict lasting from 1950 to 1953. but for the asian world the korean war was a generations-long struggle that still haunts contemporary events. with access to new evidence and secret materials from both here and abroad, including an archive of captured north korean documents, bruce cumings reveals the war as it was actually fought. he describes its origin as a civil war, preordained long before the first shots were fired in june 1950 by lingering fury over japan’s occupation of korea from 1910 to 1945. cumings then shares the neglected history of america’s post–world war ii occupation of korea, reveals untold stories of bloody insurgencies and rebellions, and tells of the united states officially entering the action on the side of the south, exposing as never before the appalling massacres and atrocities committed on all sides.elegantly written and blisteringly honest, the korean war is, like the war it illuminates, brief, devastating, and essential.

This compelling photographic history examines the war in its entirety, from its causes and protagonists to the strategies, weapons and battles. goldstein and maihafer have collected more than 450 vivid photographs, many never before seen by the general public. published on the fiftieth anniversary of the korean conflict, the korean war remembers the experience of the american fighting man in "the forgotten war."

In 2000, as historian thomas fleming prepared an article about a crucial but little-known, covert mission of the korean war, led by a thirty-nine-year-old naval lieutenant named eugene clark, clark's widow noted that her husband had written up his own account, then put it in a safe-deposit box. would he like to read it? fleming would — and discovered an extraordinary document: a vividly written first-person chronicle filled with color, detail, and event, as honest and revealing a wartime narrative as he'd read in many years. – in late august 1950, with north korea on the attack, mac – arthur battled his own colleagues over his plan to invade inchon, behind enemy lines. they simply knew too little about the dangerous tides and miles of mudflats, the beaches, seawalls, and fortifications. it was suicide. mac – arthur convinced them, barely, and then brought in clark, because they did know too little. clark had to find the answers — and in just two weeks. that was all the time there was. – with two south korean officers, clark landed on a harbor island, but the north koreans discovered him, and soon his intelligence-gathering became filled with firefights, night raids, hand-to-hand combat, even a miniature naval battle involving armed junks. it all culminated on the night of the invasion itself — when he and his men took over a lighthouse and lit it to guide the allied fleet. – the secrets of inchon is a stunning account, rich with courage and humanity, infused by clark's growing brotherhood with his newfound allies — a new classic of military history. maps.

A history of the korean war presents a broad view of events in the korean and international arenas along with the personal narratives of individual soldiers. selected for the 2019 commandant's professional reading list updated with maps, photographs, and battlefield diagrams, this special fiftieth anniversary edition of the classic history of the korean war is a dramatic and hard-hitting account of the conflict written from the perspective of those who fought it. partly drawn from official records, operations journals, and histories, it is based largely on the compelling personal narratives of the small-unit commanders and their troops. unlike any other work on the korean war, it provides both a clear panoramic overview and a sharply drawn "you were there" account of american troops in fierce combat against the north korean and chinese communist invaders. as americans and north koreans continue to face each other across the 38th parallel, this kind of war commemorates the past and offers vital lessons for the future.

Although it has been largely neglected, the korean war served as the backdrop for many firsts in military history: the first extensive use of the helicopter, the first battles between jet aircraft, and the first time two world powers – the united states and china – met on a battlefield since world war ii. a 1953 armistice halted the fighting, yet the war technically continues today, as north and south korea remain divided.

This book is a historical text that covers korean history from its foundation to the modern era. it especially deals with pre-modern societies of korea in detail. despite its long history, life in its society and its culture are rarely spoken of outsides the peninsula. rather than arranging the historical events chronologically, this book focuses more on the details of the historical events by questioning how the diverse experiences that koreans had affected their life and culture and what influences that culture had on constructing korean history. readers could realize what koreans have endured and how it lead to their position in the world today. it also mentions their moral values and what they believe is right or wrong.

An acclaimed history of the korean peninsula from world war ii to the present day north korea is an impoverished, famine-ridden nation, but it is also a nuclear power whose dictator kim jong-un regularly threatens his neighbors and adversaries, the united states in particular, with destruction. even though kim and president donald trump's responses to him dominate the daily headlines, the idea that north korea is a menace is not a new one. indeed, ever since korea was first divided at the end of world war ii, the tension between its northern and southern halves has riveted-and threatened to embroil–the rest of the world. in this landmark history, veteran journalist don oberdorfer and korea expert robert carlin grippingly describe how a historically homogenous people became locked in a perpetual struggle for supremacy–and how other nations including the united states have tried, and failed, to broker a lasting peace.

Now in a fully revised and updated edition including new primary sources and illustrations, this comprehensive book surveys korean history from neolithic times to the present. seth explores the origins and development of korean society, politics, and still little-known cultural heritage from their inception to the two korean states of today. telling the remarkable story of the origins and evolution of a society that borrowed and adopted from abroad, seth describes how various tribal peoples in the peninsula came together to form one of the world's most distinctive communities. he shows how this ancient, culturally and ethnically homogeneous society was wrenched into the world of late-nineteenth-century imperialism, fell victim to japanese expansionism, and then became arbitrarily divided into two opposed halves, north and south, after world war ii. tracing the post-war years since 1945, the book explains how the two koreas, with their deeply different political and social systems and geopolitical orientations, evolved into sharply contrasting societies. south korea, after an unpromising start, became one of the few postcolonial developing states to enter the ranks of the first world, with a globally competitive economy, a democratic political system, and a cosmopolitan and dynamic culture. north korea, by contrast, became one of the world's most totalitarian and isolated societies, a nuclear power with an impoverished and famine-stricken population. seth describes and analyzes the radically different and historically unprecedented trajectories of the two koreas, formerly one tight-knit society. throughout, he adds a rare dimension by placing korean history into broader global perspective. all readers looking for a balanced, knowledgeable history will be richly rewarded with this clear and concise book.

An epic story of valor and sacrifice by a legendary marine company in the korean war brought to gripping, cinematic light by an acclaimed historian ("gives the brave marines of george company long overdue recognition"–new york post) "what would you want if you could have any wish?" asked the photojournalist of the haggard, bloodied marine before him. the marine gaped at his interviewer. the photographer snapped his picture, which became the iconic korean war image featured on this book's jacket. "give me tomorrow," he said at last.after nearly four months of continuous and agonizing combat on the battlefields of korea, such a simple request seemed impossible. for many men of george company, or "bloody george" as they were known-one of the forgotten war's most decorated yet unrecognized companies-it was a wish that would not come true. this is the untold story of "bloody george," a marine company formed quickly to answer its nation's call to duty in 1950. this small band of men-a colorful cast of characters, including a native american fighting to earn his honor as a warrior, a southern boy from tennessee at odds with a northern blue-blood reporter-turned-marine, and a pair of twins who exemplified to the group the true meaning of brotherhood-were mostly green troops who had been rushed through training to fill america's urgent need on the korean front. they would find themselves at the tip of the spear in some of the korean war's bloodiest battles. after storming ashore at inchon and fighting house-to-house in seoul, george company, one of america's last units in reserve, found itself on the frozen tundra of the chosin reservoir facing elements of an entire division of chinese troops. they didn't realize it then, but they were soon to become crucial to the battle-modern-day spartans called upon to hold off ten times their number. give me tomorrow is their unforgettable story of bravery and courage. thoroughly researched and vividly told, give me tomorrow is fitting testament to the heroic deeds of george company. they will never again be forgotten.

Progressing from the stones and bones of prehistory all the way to the turbulent twentieth century in the course of five volumes, each book can be browsed as a reference text or read 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 colour photos and illustrations, readers are able to acquire a vivid sense of history.

Exploring korean history from its ancient roots to the present day, a brief history of korea is the story of a people with a rich and united culture that has become two koreas in modern times–one isolated and secretive and the other among the world's most successful economies. korean culture developed on a 600-mile-long peninsula, bordered on the north by mountains and three sides by the sea, set apart from the asian mainland. korea was one of the last countries in asia to be visited by westerners and its borders have remained largely unchanged since it was unified in the seventh century. though it is one of the world's oldest and most ethnically homogeneous states, korea was not born in a vacuum. geographically isolated, the country was heavily influenced by powerful china and was often used as a bridge to the mainland by japan. calling themselves as "a shrimp among whales," koreans borrowed elements of government, culture and religion all the while fiercely fighting to maintain independence from powerful neighbors. this fascinating book tells the story of korean domestic dynasties, empires and states, as well as foreign conquest, occupation and division. today, the two koreas are starkly different–north korea a nation closed to the world and south korea an economic powerhouse and center of asian democracy. chronicling significant events right up through 2018's singapore summit, author michael j. seth presents a relevant, interesting and important history of korea within a larger global context. korea's history is a turbulent one, but ultimately the story of a resistant and resourceful people in search of lasting peace.

America's "forgotten veterans of the invisible war" are well represented in this collection of extended reminiscences by participants in the first seven months of the korean war. the majority of the voices here are those of infantrymen recounting their experiences during that fluid and bitterly fought phase of the struggle. campaigns covered include the pusan perimeter, the inchon landing, the liberation of seoul, the drive to the yalu and the long retreat following chinese entry into the war. although it was clearly necessary to edit the statements collected in the course of research, knox (death march, etc.) has compressed away much of the individuality: almost everyone seems to have the same speech pattern. after the first 300 pages, only korean war veterans are likely to remain engrossed, especially since many of the actions described are similar. the recollections are interrupted occasionally by brief summaries of strategic and tactical developments that set them in context. photos. bomc and history book club alternates. november 20copyright 1985 reed business information, inc.

The author analyzes events surrounding the korean war and provides an indictment of american foreign policy and military leadership

Love history? know your stuff with history in an hour. bringing together the military mights of the soviet union, china, north korea, south korea, the united kingdom and the united nations states, the korean war raged for three years from 1950 to 1953. not only the result of a carving of korean territories following the pacific conflicts of the second world war, it was also a battle of ideologies as general macarthur’s american military forces occupied the southern half and stalin’s soviet forced supported the northern half. initiated by infantry movements and air raids, the region gradually became mired in a static trench war by july 1951, and would continue to cost both sides in both morale and human lives. the korean war: history in an hour is the concise story to one of the most bitter and enduring conflicts of the post-war era.

The korean-born author, who later became a doctor in the united states, documents his life giving insights into korea's culture and an intimate portriat of the korean war from his perspective as a soldier. out of love, the youthful chung promises his mother to return from the war in three days. the war that separated his family and his country kept the vow from being realized for more than three decades. he expresses desire for reunion with his mother, reunification for korea, and recognition for all veterans of this "forgotten war."

The korean-born author, who later became a doctor in the united states, documents his life giving insights into korea's culture and an intimate portriat of the korean war from his perspective as a soldier. out of love, the youthful chung promises his mother to return from the war in three days. the war that separated his family and his country kept the vow from being realized for more than three decades. he expresses desire for reunion with his mother, reunification for korea, and recognition for all veterans of this "forgotten war."