Korea Old and New: A History

I taught Korean history to adults and children at a Korean language school for a few years, and while I found other "chattier" references helpful (Bruce Cummings book springs to mind), this was the book I turned to again and again. It was not only a thorough reference, it also gave me the context to fit information from other sources into. As both a Korean-American and someone with a degree in History, I of course already appreciated Korea's separate national identity and the internal conflicts from past and present that continue to haunt modern Koreans. However, one subject (out of many) that I found difficult to fully comprehend was the ornate class and economic structure that developed in Modern Korean beginning in Old Choson and then flowered into a byzantine nightmare by the end of the New Choson era. This book provided a very thorough explanation of that development throughout the dynasties and I would say on average that economic history is probably this book's strongest point. Another aspect of Korean history that the authors covered very well was the disintegration of Korea from a national entity that even the Chinese had to respect to a pawn of both European and larger Asian powers at the end of the 19th century. On balance, the authors are fair, giving due responsibility to both international predators and national parasites. However, this is not to say that this period was a complete tragedy- the book also documents the actions of Korean nationalists and patriots who more often than not gave their lives for the sake of Korean independence. The tragedy that stands out is more of a lack of organization than a lack of passion. I have to disagree with a previous reviewer who felt that the authors focused too heavily on the twentieth century. On the contrary, part of the reason I have returned to this book again and again is because it gives such a thorough explanation of the Choson and pre-Choson era. Refreshing, especially because the majority of Korean history books on the market are unable to move off of the Korean war or the division of Korean. Important topics, of course, but difficult to fully appreciate without a thorough grounding in Korea's more ancient past. There are other good Korean history books to read, but the serious student needs to start here.

I should start by saying that it's not easy to find a Korean history book in English that was actually written by Korean historians and scholars. You can find many authored by US and British authors, and having browsed through some of them, I strongly recommend AVOIDING them - I'll explain at the end of my review.On to the book: This is a fascinating account of Korean history from ancient times up to the 1980's, a span of over 2000 years. Each chapter covers a different period, and the chapters share the same organization, describing the social, cultural, political, philosophical/religous, scholarly, and military aspects of the period in respective subsections. This makes it easy to later refer to previous chapters and compare different periods. Understandably, the level of detail provided increases along with the stability of the country. The style and content changes noticeably though after the pre-Industrial Age chapters. The history up to this point is analagous to European medieval history with kings, queens, heroic warriors and devious power struggles to control the throne. However, as the 20th century dawned, Korea was overrun by Japan and roughly half a century of occupation ensued. From this point on, the book's strength is its account of modern Korea and the motivations of the Korean government. This is where accounts by foreign authors invariably fail and take on obvious biases based on the "official" information the Korean government and their own governments have dispensed. Having several Korean relatives both in the US and Korea, I should emphasize that this book's account of modern history is definitely politically liberal and populist. It presents a view of politics that is probably more agreeable to Korean university students and professors and less agreeable to older Korean generations with more conservative views.As an end-to-end reading experience, I really enjoyed this book. I mention 'keep a notepad handy' in the title of this review, and I really do encourage that. You see, the only major problem I had with this book was that the ancient history would quickly become confusing due to the frequent use of similar names, particularly the names of various kings. Also, while I'm amazed at the balance made between depth and breadth to keep a complete history under a billion pages, some of the descriptions of important historical figures are regrettably short - too short to etch them into your memory. For these reasons, I seriously recommend keeping notes (or heck, use a spreadsheet if you really want to keep this stuff straight) about the major figures and events as you go along. I really, REALLY wish they had provided a summary timeline or at least a summary of the kings as an appendix, but no such luck. If you don't keep notes, you may wind up reading the whole thing, enjoying it immensely, but then being completely incapable of recalling correct names and dates. Hint- if you ever get a Korean history trivia q

KOREA OLD AND NEW: A HISTORY is the beginning student's text Korean history has sorely needed. The result of a fruitful partnership between Korean and Western scholars, it is both well-written and researched.This book is pieced together from two earlier efforts (hence the old and new of the title). Although the second part, containing the latter history of Korea from the mid-19th century to 1990, is more detailed and analytical, the entire book is the best text around. This text has spawned new specialist histories of Choson, Buddhism, and Confucian studies. It is also better edited for typographical and linguistic errors than previous histories.However, some questions remain, mostly related to the question of Korean nationalism. The authors address the peculiar problem Korea faces: cultural chauvinism combined with dependence on foreign markets, notably Japan and the United States. The authors admirably and courageously document the role of the Japanese and American policies in Korean development, the nature of Pak Chung Hee's regime, and the fortuitous nature of Korean economic recovery, but still cling to cultural nationalist baggage about the cultural, linguistic, and racial unity of the Korean nation, downplaying the numerous historical political entities on the Korean peninsula and significant regional differences. As Korea becomes more pluralistic and its economy more open, information about the last 5 decades will continue to filter through, but, increasingly this liberalness is purchased with a racial and linguistic chauvinism that threatens to keep studies of Joseon and Koryo wrapped in inviolate sacrality. Although the authors final note of a turn to more participatory evolution of Korean politics, the bigotry and exclusivity of the Korean market is left intact.One way this is manifested in the book is the separation of political and economic sections, as in the nineteenth and twentieth chapters. The way the Pak regime operated directly impacts how Korea's economy developed. Separating the two discussions, leaves open the fallacy that Korea can continue to develop without political liberalization. It is almost a disguised tribute to Pak and his Japanese mentors. An end to mindless adulation of the supposed "Korean Miracle" is a prerequisite for continued Korean development and development of Korean studies.The book also needs to be updated for the 1990's, particularly the troubles of the two Kim administrations, because the author's concerns have important policy implications. In Korea, history is immediately played out in the contemporary arena. This book is the best place for laymen and beginning students to start. it is a model, both in its honesty and authorial collaboration, for future Korean studies.

The complicated history of Korea is a rich field of study for the professional historian. It has been ruled by Buddhist- and Confucian-based governments, and also been the victim of countless foreign invasions. Understanding the factors which have led to the modern day division of North and South Korea is no easy matter. Most works dealing with the history of that land are bogged down with the tedious analysis of obscure, period texts. These approaches use the works to explain - or attempt to explain - the underlying forces behind those changes in political structure. The problem with this approach is that many of those texts were merely rhetorical exercises written by career(-minded) politicians seeking to better their personal station by justifying the policies of the victors of this or that time and place. This approach does little to address the effects of those changes on Korea's populace, economy, and diplomatic standing in the Asian community. Happily, this book is an exception. "Old and New" does a good job of synthesizing Buddhist and Confucian polities in relation to the major periods of Korean history (Three Kingdoms period, Koryo Dynasty, Chosun Dynasty). This discussion clearly defines the major issues of each period, and segues easily into a discussion of the fall of the Chosun Dynasty in the early 1900s, when Japan occupied the "Hermit Kingdom." Much attention is rightfully devoted to the post-WWII machinations between Russia, America, and the various political factions inside Korea which led to the Korean War. The authors note that the Koreans did not stand helplessly by while Russia and the USA arbitrarily drew a dividing line between North and South. Indeed, the authors convincingly demonstrate that various Korean groups worked to manipulate the super powers, just as the super powers attempted to invoke their will on Korea. The sad result of all this was the Korean War. One area not touched on in enough detail is the role of Koreans in the Japanese army during WWII. True, the majority of Koreans who took part in that conflict were conscripted, but the book does not touch on the fact that not all Koreans were forced into the fray. There were factions inside Korea which supported Japan and the war effort, and some of the Korean army units earned a reputation in Southeast Asia for brutality which matched that of the Japanese. Still, this is an excellent overview of Korean history, and a must read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of that country's tragic history.

It is inevitable that recordings of history come with biases. However, the converged efforts of many scholars of this historical book on Korea is one of the best examples of fair representation. Accurate and insightful, the book begins with the basic introduction of nomadic Korea and with skillful elucidation explores the history from the three unified kingdoms up to Korea in the 80's. Each phase is covered in collaboration by experts of that field. Complete detail to geography, arts and culture only enhances the events that took place. Of the numerous and countless history books I've read for my Master's studies, I highly recommend this book as a "starter" for anyone remotely interested in Korea.