Articles

One era, read from two places

If the timeline is the data, these articles are the story. Each one pairs Korean, world, and Christian history events from the same period.

Ancient · The Bronze Age

When Gojoseon was founded, the world was deep in the Bronze Age

The founding of Gojoseon in 2333 BCE, set beside the Bronze Age civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia.

 Ancient · The Three Kingdoms and Rome

As Korea's Three Kingdoms took shape, Rome entered the age of emperors

The founding of Silla, Goguryeo, and Baekje in the 1st century BCE alongside the birth of the Roman Empire.

 Ancient · Christian history

In the age Jesus was born, Rome was at peace and Korea's Three Kingdoms were just dawning

The Pax Romana at the time of Jesus' birth, set beside the newly founded kingdoms of the Korean peninsula.

 Early modern · The Imjin War and Europe

As the Imjin War began, England had just broken the Spanish Armada

Toyotomi's unification of Japan and England's victory over the Armada, set against the invasion of Korea in 1592.

 Early modern · Reformation and Joseon

While Luther lit the Reformation, Joseon's own reformer failed

Luther's Ninety-five Theses of 1517 and the purge of Jo Gwang-jo in 1519 — two reforms, two very different fates.

 Early modern · Exploration and Joseon

While Columbus crossed the Atlantic, Joseon set its house in order with a law code

Columbus's voyage of 1492 and the Gyeongguk daejeon of 1485 — expansion and consolidation, two different choices.

 Early modern · The Manchu invasion and East Asia

Behind the humiliation of 1637 lay a tectonic shift: the Ming giving way to the Qing

Reading the Manchu invasion of 1636 within the larger remaking of the East Asian order.

 Early modern · The French Revolution and Jeongjo

While France tore down its monarchy, Joseon's King Jeongjo reformed from the throne

The French Revolution of 1789 and Jeongjo's accession in 1776 — revolution and reform, two different roads.

 Modern · The Donghak Revolution and imperialism

In 1894, the year of the Donghak uprising, the great powers began their scramble for Korea

The Donghak Peasant Revolution and the Gabo Reforms, read against the Sino-Japanese War and the age of imperialism.

 Modern · 1919 and the world

In 1919, Korea rose while the world was rebuilding order from the rubble of war

The March First Movement and the Provisional Government, read alongside the end of World War I and the call for self-determination.

 Modern · Christian history · Persecution of Catholics

While Joseon persecuted Catholics, Europe was already separating church from state

The persecutions of 1801 and 1866 set beside Europe's post-revolutionary separation of church and state.

 Contemporary · Liberation and the Cold War

Behind the joy of liberation fell the new shadow of the Cold War

Korea's liberation in August 1945, read in the context of the end of World War II and the beginning of the Cold War.