Rare Archival Photos of Ulleungdo from Over 100 Years Ago Revealed for the First Time, Vividly Depicting Residents' Daily Lives

Special Photo Exhibition to Be Held in Ulleungdo
Photos Taken by Japanese Researcher in 1919

Rare archival photographs capturing the nature, villages, and daily lives of Ulleungdo residents from over 100 years ago are being released to the public for the first time.

A special photo exhibition titled 'Ulleungdo, 1919: Ulleungdo Through Records from Over 100 Years Ago,' jointly hosted by the Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government, the Korea Overseas Cultural Heritage Research Institute, the Dokdo Museum, and the BK21 Educational Research Team of Cultural Anthropology at Yeungnam University, will be held at the Ulleungdo Suto History Exhibition Hall from August 13, 2026, to February 12, 2027. The opening ceremony will take place at 1:00 p.m. on August 14, 2026.

Poster for the Exhibition of Rare Photos of Ulleungdo from 100 Years Ago.

This exhibition features the survey records and photographs taken in 1919 during the Japanese colonial period by Japanese researcher Yatsui Seiitsu, who visited Ulleungdo, and which have been acquired by Professor Chung Inseong of Yeungnam University and are being released to the public for the first time. The images vividly portray the natural environment, village landscapes, daily life, and culture of Ulleungdo more than a century ago, offering immense academic and historical value. In particular, because original records documenting Ulleungdo at that time are exceedingly rare, their uniqueness and documentary significance are of great importance.

The exhibition is divided into five sections: the purpose of the Joseon relics survey, the method of recording relics, the remains of Ulleungdo, Ulleungdo’s landscapes, and the lives of Ulleungdo’s residents. Each section, through records from 1919, demonstrates that Ulleungdo has long been a space where people’s lives and history have accumulated over time.

The Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government stated, "We hope this exhibition serves as an opportunity to objectively shed light on early Ulleungdo during the Japanese colonial period using historical sources, to compare the past and present, and to newly appreciate the value of Ulleungdo’s history and cultural heritage. It is particularly meaningful that materials once scattered overseas have been discovered and researched to be presented to the public for the first time, and these materials hold significant value as research resources on the history of Ulleungdo."

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