National Museum of Korean Contemporary History to Hold Academic Conference on Modern and Contemporary History Research Books

Midterm Review of Topics Including the Great Kanto Earthquake, Gisaeng, and Yutnori

The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History will hold an academic conference on June 19 at 1:30 p.m. to review ongoing research books on the themes of modern and contemporary history. The aim is to assess the writing progress of five topics selected through a public contest and to ensure both the expertise and accessibility of the books, which are scheduled for publication in December.

'Thinking While Walking in Seoul' - The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History as seen from Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul. Photo by Yongjun Cho jun21@

The topics are the Great Kanto Earthquake, education, gisaeng (Korean female entertainers), traditional folk games, and public transportation. The book on the Great Kanto Earthquake will present previously unreleased visual materials from the Kang Deoksang Collection in a format accessible to the general public. The education section will trace the transformation of learning spaces from traditional village schools (seodang) to modern classrooms. The book on gisaeng will highlight their evolution during the Japanese colonial period, focusing on their role as political agents in the anti-Japanese movement and in women's liberation.

The section on folk games will discuss how yutnori, a traditional Korean board game, developed into modern leisure culture through chuksadaehoe (yutnori competitions) during the Japanese colonial era. The public transportation topic will interpret the history of the Seoul subway from the perspectives of urban reorganization and cultural formation.

Director Hansu stated, "I hope these topics, which are familiar yet unfamiliar and interesting yet challenging, will become more accessible and engaging through this initiative."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.