wikipedia highlights: Korean war: As a product of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, Korea had been split into two sovereign states in 1948 with the border set at the 38th parallel. A socialist state was established in the north under the communist leadership of Kim Il-sung and a capitalist state in the south under the anti-communist leadership of Syngman Rhee. Both governments of the two newContinue reading “The Korean War”
Author Archives: Krista Marson
South Korean Street Vendor
It takes energy and talent to be a South Korean Street Vendor! Surprisingly, he was one of many. So many vendors in Seoul function this way! My travel memoir Time Traveled is available as e-book or paperback! Buy it either at Amazon or at most major retailers
Changdeokgung
Changdeokgung was originally built in 1405 as a secondary palace, but when Gyeongbokgung (Seoul’s principal palace) was destroyed during the Japanese invasion in the 1590s, it became the primary royal residence until 1872. It remained in use well into the 20th century. Like all Joseon palaces, it has a mountain behind it and a small streamContinue reading “Changdeokgung “
Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty
The Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty form a collection of 40 tombs scattered over 18 locations. Built over five centuries, from 1408 to 1966, the tombs honoured the memory of ancestors, showed respect for their achievements, asserted royal authority, and protected ancestral spirits from evil. By being entombed in the nation’s dynastic capital, itContinue reading “Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty”
Living Too Close to North Korea
In many large Seoul subway stations, there are cabinets that say “relief goods storage” that contain gas masks and other emergency-preparedness equipment. Many of these stations also serve as bomb shelters to protect the population from North Korean attacks. How prepared are we for nuclear war? Read this article to find out. Spoiler alert: the results areContinue reading “Living Too Close to North Korea”
Hieronymus Bosch Notes
Many of his works depict sin and human moral failings. Bosch used images of demons, half-human animals and machines to evoke fear and confusion to portray the evils of man. What the heck is going on in his paintings? For a man that lived before the age of dropping acid, he sure was trippy. TheContinue reading “Hieronymus Bosch Notes”
La Brea Tar Pits Notes
La Brea Tar Pits dates from the Pleistocene era. La Brea tar pits, containing one of the richest, best preserved, and best studied assemblages of Pleistocenevertebrates, including at least 59 species of mammal and over 135 species of bird. The tar pit fossils bear eloquent witness to life in southern California from 40,000 to 8,000 years ago; aside fromContinue reading “La Brea Tar Pits Notes”
Van Gogh Notes
Died, suicide 37 Bouts of melancholy, profound disillusionment Cerebral, lonely He wanted to give something of himself to this world. Wasn’t afraid to try and persevere. He was only idle when he had to be. A victim of circumstance – Felt imprisoned by poverty. Uncompromising, difficult – he knew that people didn’t like him and found himContinue reading “Van Gogh Notes”
The Scream
Munch’s The Scream is an icon of modern art, the Mona Lisa for our time. As Leonardo da Vinci evoked a Renaissance ideal of serenity and self-control, Munch defined how we see our own age – wracked with anxiety and uncertainty. Essentially The Scream is autobiographical, an expressionistic construction based on Munch’s actual experience of a scream piercing through nature while on aContinue reading “The Scream”
I Admit That I’m Not an Adventurous Eater
I don’t remember where we bought the box of chocolates for Ryan’s little half-sister that had her favorite K-pop band “Big Bang” emblazoned on the cover, but I’m pretty sure that we didn’t buy it from any store inside the Gwangjang Market. Indeed, Gwangjang Market was not where one went searching for items depicting KoreanContinue reading “I Admit That I’m Not an Adventurous Eater”
Krista Marson 