Greatest Rivalries in Korean History
Course Introduction
This course covers various stories that unfolded in each period of Korean history through the method of studying history through figures. The course deals with the activities and thoughts of people who created important turning points in history, the choices and results that occurred in their mutual rivalries, and their assessments by later generations.
Course Structure
This course consists of 11 weeks in total. The instructor’s lectures will run for 10 weeks. Week 11 is for a final. Each week’s lecture is composed of 2 to 3 videos depending on specific themes of the lecture. The course includes non-video learning components such as quizzes to review the lecture content and supplementary reading materials. Students are required to watch the entire lecture videos and complete the learning activities each week to receive credit for each week.
The course introduces the historical context of Korea from the Three Kingdoms period to the last phase of the Joseon Dynasty, focusing on two key figures from each era. The course also examines how historical figures of each era understood their time, how they made important decisions, and what the outcomes of their decision were. Beyond the factual information about these historical figures, students are encouraged to place themselves in each historical context and evaluate the figures’ actions, based on their own judgments.
Subtitles
Korean, English, Chinese
1. Introduction & Confrontation among the Three Kingdoms (King Seong vs. King Jinheung)
2. Formation of the Northern and Southern States (Kim Chun-chu vs. Yeon Gaesomun)
3. Buddhism in Korean History (Wonhyo vs. Uisang)
4. Founding of Goryeo (Wang Geon vs. Gyeon Hown)
5. Society of Mid-Goryeo (Myocheong vs. Kim Bu-sik)
6. Fall of Goryeo (Choe Yeong vs. Yi Seong-gye)
7. Confucian Rule during Early Joseon (Seong Sam-mun vs. Sin Suk-ju)
8. The Imjin War (Yi Sun-sin vs. Won Gyun)
9. Factional Politics during Late Joseon (Song Si-yeol vs. Yun Jeung)
10. Isolationist Policy and the Enlightenment Policy during the Final Years of Joseon (Daewongun vs. Queen Myeonseong)
Gap-dong Kim
Gap-dong Kim received his Ph.D. in a history of the Goryeo dynasty from Korea University and is currently serving as the president of the Korean Medieval History Association. He served as a professor at Daejeon University, the president of the Hoseo History Society, and an editor of the Research Association for Korean Historical Figures. He has published numerous books and articles on a history of the Goryeo dynasty, regional history, and historic figures.