The Wonhyo and Uisang: Two Monks Who Shaped Korean Buddhism

The Wihwado Retreat: Yi Seong-gye’s Fateful Decision That Toppled Goryeo

In 1388, a Korean general named Yi Seong-gye was ordered to march his army north to invade the Ming dynasty. Instead, he turned his troops around and marched on the capital, setting in motion the end of the 474-year-old Goryeo dynasty and the rise of Joseon. This episode examines the Wihwado Retreat — not just as a military maneuver, but as a calculated political gamble born from Confucian ideals, Mongol influence, and a crumbling dynasty. We explore General Yi's internal conflict, the role of the powerful official Yi In-im, King U's ill-fated decision to defy Ming China, and the diplomatic breakdown that made war seem inevitable. How did one general's choice reshape Korean history for the next five centuries? We trace the tensions between the pro-Yuan and pro-Ming factions at the Goryeo court, the strategic calculations behind Yi's defiance, and the immediate aftermath — including the assassination of Jeong Mong-ju, the last loyal defender of Goryeo. This is the story of a turning point you may know by name but not by depth. #Wihwado #YiSeonggye #Goryeo #Joseon #KingU #YiInim #JeongMongju #MingDynasty #YuanDynasty #KoreanHistory #1388 #Hanyang #Gaegyeong #NeoConfucianism #MilitaryCoup #EastAsianHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Korea's Righteous Armies: The Civilian Resistance in the Imjin War

In this episode of The History of Korea, Lucas and Luna explore the role of the uibyeong, or righteous armies, during the Imjin War (1592-1598). While much attention is given to Admiral Yi Sun-sin's naval victories and the Ming intervention, the grassroots civilian militias that formed across Joseon were crucial to the war effort. Lucas details the origins of the uibyeong, led by Confucian scholars and local officials like Gwak Jae-u, Jo Heon, and Go Gyeong-myeong. He explains how these irregular forces harassed Japanese supply lines, defended key strongholds, and inspired the broader resistance. The conversation covers the Battle of Cheongju, the Siege of Jinju (where Jo Heon died), and the Second Siege of Jinju (a devastating defeat). Luna asks about the motivations of these fighters and the legacy of the uibyeong in Korean memory. The episode also touches on the role of Buddhist monk soldiers, the Seungyeong, who joined the righteous armies, and the complex social dynamics that the war revealed. Lucas connects the uibyeong spirit to later Korean independence movements, including the March First Movement and the Donghak Peasant Revolution. A reminder of listener support through Buy Me a Coffee keeps the show ad-free. #ImjinWar #Uibyeong #RighteousArmies #GwakJaeu #JoHeon #GoGyeongmyeong #BattleOfCheongju #SiegeOfJinju #Seungyeong #BuddhistMonks #Joseon #YiSunshin #KoreanHistory #EastAsianHistory #16thCentury #MilitaryHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Emperor Gojong's Secret Mission to The Hague Peace Conference

In 1907, Emperor Gojong of the Korean Empire secretly dispatched three envoys to the Second International Peace Conference in The Hague, hoping to rally world powers against Japan's encroachment on Korean sovereignty. This episode follows Yi Sang-seol, Yi Jun, and Yi Wi-jong as they journey from Seoul to the Netherlands, armed with credentials and a desperate plea. We explore the diplomatic betrayal by Western powers, Japan's furious response that forced Gojong's abdication, and how this failure accelerated Korea's colonization. Learn about the secret emissaries' backgrounds, their tense reception in The Hague, and the tragic aftermath including Yi Jun's mysterious death. The episode also examines the conference's Eurocentric biases and why Korea's voice was silenced. Key figures include Gojong, the three Yi emissaries, Japanese Resident General Ito Hirobumi, and Dutch hosts. A crucial turning point in Korean history that foreshadowed 20th-century power politics. #Gojong #HaguePeaceConference #YiJun #YiSangseol #YiWijong #KoreanEmpire #JapaneseColonialism #ItoHirobumi #Diplomacy #1907 #TheHague #SecretMission #KoreanHistory #EastAsia #History #FexingoHistory #ColonialKorea #TreatyOfEulsa Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Gojong's Gwangmu Modernization and Korea's Lost Empire

In this episode of The History of Korea, Lucas and Luna explore Emperor Gojong's ambitious Gwangmu Reform (1897–1905), a desperate modernization drive to preserve Korean sovereignty. They discuss the establishment of the Daehan Jeguk (Korean Empire), Western-style military training under Bak Je-sun, and the role of American missionary Horace N. Allen in introducing modern medicine and technology. The conversation also covers the tragic collapse of these reforms after the Russo-Japanese War, the Eulsa Treaty of 1905, and Japan's takeover. Specific details include the founding of the Cheondogyo religion, the construction of the Gyeongbokgung restoration, and the failed diplomatic missions to The Hague. This episode provides fresh context on a pivotal era not previously covered in the series. #KoreanEmpire #Gojong #GwangmuReform #DaehanJeguk #BakJeSun #HoraceAllen #RussoJapaneseWar #EulsaTreaty #Cheondogyo #Gyeongbokgung #HagueSecretMission #1897 #1905 #Westernization #KoreanHistory #FexingoHistory #History #EastAsia Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Korea's Gwangmu Reform: Emperor Gojong's Modernization Struggle

In the wake of the Gabo Reforms and the assassination of Queen Min, Emperor Gojong proclaimed the Korean Empire in 1897 and launched the Gwangmu Reform — a ambitious, decade-long modernization program from the new capital. This episode examines how Gojong tried to transform Korea into a sovereign modern state through land reform, industrial development, military modernization, and diplomatic maneuvering. We explore the creation of the imperial guard, the introduction of Western technology like streetcars and electricity in Seoul, and the controversial land survey that aimed to centralize tax collection but alienated local elites. The episode also covers the tragic end of these reforms under Japanese pressure after the Russo-Japanese War, culminating in the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1905. Along the way, we meet key figures like the reformist official Bak Je-sun and the American advisor Horace N. Allen. Through the lens of the Gwangmu Reform, we see Korea's last desperate attempt to achieve modernization on its own terms before colonial rule. #GwangmuReform #EmperorGojong #KoreanEmpire #DaehanJeguk #GaboReforms #RussoJapaneseWar #JapanKoreaTreaty1905 #HoraceAllen #BakJe-sun #KoreaModernization #JoseonDynasty #SeoulElectricity #LandReform #ImperialGuard #EastAsianHistory #LateJoseon #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]