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Mon, January 30, 2023 | 10:20

'Flying rats' ruffle feathers in modern and old Seoul

'Flying rats' ruffle feathers in modern and old Seoul

They seem to be everywhere in Seoul - great flocks of pigeons swirling through the air in search of food or a place to roost. Some people seem to enjoy having them around. Occasionally, in Seoul's numerous small neighborhood parks, elderly people sit on benches and feed the pigeons stale bread and other goodies - despite signs and banners asking them not to.

2020-11-21 09:39

HMS Edgar is forgotten (part 2)

HMS Edgar is forgotten (part 2)

Often when there is a tragedy, the community comes together and grieves, honors the memories of those who are lost - often with a monument - and then continue with life. On the anniversary of the disaster there are usually small ceremonies of remembrance but, as time goes by, these, too, cease. The Edgar is no exception.

2020-11-15 09:21

Remembering HMS Edgar (part 1)

Remembering HMS Edgar (part 1)

On November 13, 1895, Korea's autumn, as well as the lives of 48 young English sailors and marines, suddenly ended with an icy cold wind from the north. The young men were part of HMS Edgar's crew and had been sent in a pinnace to an island in Jemulpo harbor to conduct small arms training. The weather that morning was blustery and while the crew trained, the ferocity of the w...

2020-11-14 11:31

French marines paint Korea red in 1902

French marines paint Korea red in 1902

In mid-August 1902, a French warship sailed into Fusan (modern Busan) and granted shore leave for a large number of marines. The foreign settlement at Fusan was predominantly Japanese - in fact, there was only a handful of non-Japanese foreign-owned establishments. The arrival of so many marines - who had been cooped up aboard their ship for some time - was a recipe for troub...

2020-11-08 10:53

Rollicking tales of the sea: French Navy sails into Korea in 1901

Rollicking tales of the sea: French Navy sails into Korea in 1901

Rollicking tales of the sea: French Navy sails into Korea in 1901

In any small community there is going to be gossip and the small Western expat community in Seoul in the early 1900s was no exception. Americans seem to have been especially plagued with wagging-tongues (and poisonous pens) that were quick to point out the perceived slights and wrong-doings of peers, the scandalous behavior of neighbors and the oddities of strangers.

2020-11-07 06:14

French marines paint Korea red in 1902

Drilling into history: ghosts, ghouls not as feared as dentists

Drilling into history: ghosts, ghouls not as feared as dentists

For some people, the sound of a dental drill is far more frightening than any ghost or goblin encountered in the night. That fear, however, is conquered when the throbbing ache of the cavity becomes too much to bear and the sufferer is forced to seek relief by the hands of a dentist and his incessant drill.

2020-11-01 09:15

The lure of candy: Child killers stalk Seoul's 1880s streets

The lure of candy: Child killers stalk Seoul's 1880s streets

In the summer of 1888, the children of Seoul were being stalked through the streets and killed. Sometimes their bodies, horribly mutilated and missing parts, were found discarded in out-of-the-way places but often the child was never found - vanished without a trace.

2020-10-31 09:38

Grave crimes: When the dead cannot rest in peace

Grave crimes: When the dead cannot rest in peace

In the late 19th century, finding a place for the dead to rest in peace often led to conflict and sometimes death.

2020-10-25 09:18

Grave crimes: Ransoming the dead

Grave crimes: Ransoming the dead

Ernest Jacob Oppert, a German merchant in Shanghai, is perhaps one of the most infamous Westerners in Joseon history. He and his co-conspirator, Stanislas Feron (a French priest who allegedly came up with the idea), planned to dig up the tomb of the Korean regent's father and hold his bones hostage until the regent (Heungseon Daewongun) agreed to open his kingdom to the West.

2020-10-24 11:12

Whispers of the past: Jeongdong from the air in 1960

Whispers of the past: Jeongdong from the air in 1960

In the fall, the Jeongdong area of Seoul is one of the most beautiful places in the downtown area for a quick afternoon stroll. The whispers of the past follow you as you walk along the cobblestone roads, framed by the gingko trees in their brilliant fall colors.

2020-10-18 09:12

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