Accurately analyze the objectives of the curriculum, the intentions of the examiners, and the trends and frequency of past exam questions.
Master liberal arts Korean history and college entrance exam Korean history in just 7 days with the most scientific Korean history book!!

“Korean History for Today’s Students in 7 Days” is a history book that helps students efficiently study Korean history for the CSAT in just 7 days while also acquiring the knowledge of Korean history necessary for a liberal arts student.
It is an innovative plan that kills two birds with one stone: culture and learning.
Therefore, it will be a useful book not only for test takers but also for general readers interested in Korean history.
Another unique strength of this book is that it breaks away from the traditional method of studying history chronologically, and instead takes the time closest to the reader—the present—as its starting point.
The author asked himself, “Why do history books always have to start from the Paleolithic Age?” and, after delving into the difficulties of history education he had felt in the classroom, decided, “Let’s start with the history closest to me.”
Rather than looking at stuffed stories you might find in a museum, exploring facts related to my parents and grandparents' generation naturally makes it easier to understand the "past" that created the "present."

The main feature of this book is that, firstly, the entire content is organized to enable efficient learning.
Considering the learning efficiency of students, the main readership, the amount of study was reduced by reorganizing the content around topics and keywords that frequently appear in the Korean History section of the College Scholastic Ability Test.
We have carefully analyzed past questions from the CSAT and mock exams to help you study modern and contemporary history, which has the highest frequency of questions.
Second, this book aims for a storytelling format.
It breaks away from the rigid textbook-style historical narrative and tells the story of major events in each era, making it more enjoyable to read.
Third, we put a lot of effort into analyzing past exam questions.
Each chapter presents a previous exam question and provides a separate solution section below the question to explain in detail how the topic is covered in mock exams or the CSAT, what the exam trends are, and what study directions can be found within them.
In addition to past exam questions, the author also included questions he created himself.
Fourth, this book is structured to enable strategic learning by reading the important parts first and then solving problems yourself.
A good example is to place modern and contemporary history, which has a high proportion of questions, at the beginning to facilitate efficient study.
This is a background that allows you to understand the overall flow of history, focusing on modern and contemporary history, which has many dynamic scenes but can be difficult to understand.
Fifth, after going through each era, I introduced “Korean History through Movies/Dramas” as a device to cool down the mind.
This page introduces historical films and dramas that have been circulated among the public since their release. You can experience how the saying, “You see as much as you know” applies to movie/drama viewing.


I confidently recommend this book to high school students or test takers aiming for the Korean history section of the CSAT, as well as to parents of children in upper elementary school, middle school, or high school who are interested in Korean history.
After finishing reading, it would be a fun experience to test your upgraded skills by solving mock exam problems.

Let's take a closer look at the weighting of questions by era. Previously, there were 10 questions on pre-modern history and 10 on modern and contemporary history.
Pre-modern
The 10 questions consisted of an average of 3 questions each from ancient times and Goryeo, and 4 questions from Joseon.
The 10 questions on modern and contemporary history were 3 questions each from the Enlightenment Period and Modern History, and 4 questions from the Japanese colonial period.
In the 2015 revised curriculum, 5-6 questions on pre-modern history and 14-15 questions on modern and contemporary history are included.
Looking at it by era, it is as follows.
There are about 2 questions each from ancient times, Goryeo, and Joseon, 5 questions each from the Enlightenment Period and the Japanese colonial period, and 4 questions from modern history.
There is a deviation of about one question.
In this way, the proportion of questions on modern and contemporary history is three-quarters.
However, since we usually start from the beginning when we study, we study pre-modern history when we have the best concentration, but when we get to modern and contemporary history, which has a high proportion of questions on the exam, our concentration is broken and we sometimes go into the exam room without even looking at the latter part.
Because of this, many test takers despair because their Korean history scores are lower than expected.
So, in this book, the chronological order is reversed for efficient learning.
Modern history, which appears last but has a high proportion of questions, is placed first, and ancient history, which is the most familiar but is actually covered less on the exam, is examined last.
--- From "Analysis of Korean History and Trends in College Scholastic Ability Test Questions"

Park Chung-hee, who had been in power for 18 years, died as a result of the October 26 Incident.
Think about it.
The president of a country has died.
Moreover, the culprit was the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, who was second in the power hierarchy.
Looking at the power structure, the first and second places in our country's power hierarchy have both disappeared.
A power vacuum has arisen.
The new military forces, including Chun Doo-hwan and Roh Tae-woo, took advantage of this gap.
Martial law is declared when the country is in a state of emergency.
When martial law is declared, soldiers take over public security and administration.
The death of a country's president is a huge deal, isn't it? The new military junta, led by Chun Doo-hwan, was tasked with investigating the October 26 Incident under martial law. During this process, they gradually seized power, and on December 12, 1979, they seized control of not only political power but also the military through a coup d'état (the December 12 Incident).
The people, who had experienced dictatorship under the Syngman Rhee government and the Park Chung-hee government, were filled with anticipation that the winds of freedom would finally blow after Park Chung-hee's death.
Hopeful stories are also coming and going from the university campuses in Seoul, and the student council organization that had collapsed during the Park Chung-hee administration is being revived (Spring in Seoul).
But the new military government acts in the exact opposite direction to the people's wishes.
They had no intention of giving up power.
--- From "The Three Great Democratization Movements"

Since the 2000s, many films about modern history have been produced.
“Ode to My Father” (2014) is a film that provides a long-term view of modern Korean history from the Korean War to the present day.
The film begins around the time of the January 4th Retreat of the Korean War.
The main story of the movie is about the experiences of the young male protagonist, who lost his younger sibling at the time, as he grows up.
Familiar incidents such as the miners sent to Germany and the dispatch of troops to Vietnam during the Park Chung-hee administration are clearly revealed.
When we observe the experiences of individuals during turbulent times, we can sense that history is unfolding alongside us.
The Korean War is the most frequently filmed subject among films dealing with modern history.
Taegukgi (2004) dramatically portrayed the brotherly love between brothers in the midst of war.
〈Into the Fire〉(2010) vividly portrays the lives of student soldiers conscripted during the war.
〈Incheon Landing Operation〉(2016) portrayed the fierce intelligence war that took place before the Incheon Landing Operation in a tense manner.
The reason the Incheon Landing Operation was successful was thanks to the UN forces' diversionary tactics.
Jangsari (2019) is a story about the forgotten student soldiers who landed in Jangsari, north of Pohang, as part of Operation Yangdong.
It helps us understand why the North Korean army was helpless during the Incheon Landing Operation.
--- From "Modern History in Film"

Do you remember the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, which fell into stagnation after the collapse of the National Representative Assembly in 1923? Kim Gu, who had been protecting the Provisional Government, organized the Korean Patriotic Corps, a patriotic group affiliated with the Provisional Government, in 1931 to elevate its status and turn the tide.
Yun Bong-gil, whom you all know well as the lunchbox bomber, is a representative member of the Korean Patriotic Corps.
Many people have heard of Yun Bong-gil, but few have heard of Lee Bong-chang.
But if there had been no Lee Bong-chang, Yun Bong-gil would not have been able to carry out his uprising at Hongkou Park in Shanghai.
There is no independence activist who has had as many different jobs as Lee Bong-chang.
Born in 1900, Lee Bong-chang graduated from elementary school and began working when he was in middle school.
After working in various jobs, including as a confectionery store employee, a train driver training center manager, and a railway worker, he moved to Japan.
After moving to Japan, he made a living as a steelworker, a gas company worker, and a frame maker's assistant.
After this wandering life, Lee Bong-chang decided to dedicate himself to the independence movement and went to Shanghai to meet Kim Gu.
It is said that Kim Gu, who saw Lee Bong-chang speaking Japanese fluently, initially thought he was a Japanese spy.
Kim Gu, who learned of Lee Bong-chang's true feelings, had him join the Korean Patriotic Corps and prepared for the mission to assassinate the Japanese emperor according to Lee Bong-chang's wishes.
After much preparation, Lee Bong-chang finally threw a grenade at Emperor Hirohito in Tokyo in January 1932.

But the grenade missed.
Lee Bong-chang, who was becoming desperate, threw his last remaining grenade near Emperor Hirohito.
But this grenade doesn't explode.
It was a dud.
Lee Bong-chang was arrested at the scene and executed shortly thereafter.
however
His actions create a huge storm like the butterfly effect.
Upon hearing the news of Lee Bong-chang's assassination, a Chinese newspaper published an article titled, "A young Korean man shot the Japanese emperor, but unfortunately missed the target."
--- From "The Korean Patriotic Group That Shaked Even the Hearts of the Chinese"

Afterwards, the Independence Association turned its attention to domestic issues and held a joint government-civilian meeting in which even government officials participated.
The Independence Association resolved to present six proposals to King Gojong at the joint government-civilian meeting, and these proposals are called the Six Articles of Heonui.
In Article 6 of the Constitution, the Independence Association recognized the authority of the Emperor, but also sought to establish a mechanism to prevent tyranny by the Emperor or the government.
So, they demanded that the Privy Council, which was an advisory body at the time, be reorganized into a Western-style parliament.
King Gojong accepted the demands of the Independence Association and promulgated the Privy Council Regulations to reorganize the Privy Council.
However, the conservative forces were afraid that they would lose power if the Independence Association strengthened its influence based on the reorganized Privy Council.
So, he falsely accused King Gojong, saying, “The Independence Association is trying to abolish the monarchy and establish a republic.”
A startled Gojong ordered the dissolution of the Independence Association, and when the Association refused, he mobilized the military and peddler organizations to forcibly disband it.
The Independence Association is significant in that it attempted modern institutional reform following the Gapsin Coup and the Gabo Reform.
In particular, in a situation where the encroachment of vested interests by the great powers was intensifying, efforts were made to protect sovereignty and at the same time guarantee the people's right to vote.
While the Gapsin Coup and the Gabo Reform were carried out unilaterally from above without any persuasion from the public, the Independence Association is significant in that it engaged in activities to enlighten the people and persuade government officials.
--- From "We, too, like the West, are moving to establish an independent association council"

If I had to pick one of the biggest events in Joseon history, it would be the Imjin War.
When you think of the Imjin War, who comes to mind? Yes.
Admiral Yi Sun-sin comes to mind, right? I guess filmmakers felt the same way.
Films related to the Imjin War, or more precisely, the activities of Yi Sun-sin, include “Hansan” (2022), “Roaring Currents” (2014), and “Noryang” (2023).
The Battle of Hansan, the Battle of Myeongnyang, and the Battle of Noryang were dramatic battles that were called the three major naval battles of the Imjin War.
If you see this as a magnificent film, the emotion will be indescribable.
What's unique is that all three films were produced by the same director.
Rather than viewing them in order of release, why not watch them in the order in which they were actually fought: "Hansan" - "Roaring Currents" - "Noryang"? "Masquerade" and "The Man Who Became King" (2012) are Gwanghaegun versions of the famous "Prince and the Pauper" story.
Although it contains a lot of fiction, it allows us to examine the situation in Joseon immediately after the Imjin War and the challenges it faced.
There is also a movie based on the Byeongja Horan.
As the title suggests, “Namhansanseong” (2017) focuses on the period of resistance at Namhansanseong during the Byeongjahoran.
In particular, it vividly depicts the conflict between the pro-war faction and the pro-peace faction.
If Namhansanseong looked at the Byeongja Horan from the perspective of the ruling class, including the king, then “The Ultimate Weapon Bow” (2011) depicted the Byeongja Horan from the perspective of the lower classes.
If you want a little more exciting action, I recommend “The Ultimate Weapon Bow.”
--- From "Joseon History in Film"

The Jurchen people lived in small, scattered tribal units near the Goryeo border.
However, in the 12th century, the Jurchen people achieved unification and expanded their power to the vicinity of the Great Wall, which led to a conflict with Goryeo.
Yun Gwan said that cavalry was essential for conquering the Jurchen.
So, he decided to form a special force consisting of infantry, cavalry, and monks.
This special force is called Byeolmuban.
Yun Gwan led the Byeolmuban to subdue the Jurchen people and occupy the northeastern region.
And this is
They built nine fortresses in the northeast of the station and stationed troops there.
Then, the Jurchen people, who had lost their homeland, begged for the return of the nine provinces in the northeast.
As Goryeo was having difficulties managing its territory, it ended up returning the nine northeastern provinces to the Jurchen people after only one year.
But this was a mistake.
The Jurchen people used this place as a base and grew further, establishing the Jin Dynasty and destroying the Khitan (Liao) Dynasty.
Taking advantage of this, he went all the way to China and attacked Song, taking over northern China.
Then, they demanded that Goryeo treat them as their 'big brother'.
How did Goryeo respond? Surprisingly, it complied with the demands for tributary ...
Where did all the courage and initiative of Goryeo, which fought against the Khitan three times, go? The key to solving this question lies in the ruling class of the time.
--- From "The Jurchen (Jin)'s Change of Position, the Submission of Goryeo"

In Silla, there was a class system called bone rank.
The bone rank system, which means 'quality of bones', originally divided the ranks of the nobility, and was broadly divided into 'bone' and 'dupum'.
So, at the top are the Seonggol and Jingol, then the 6th, 5th, and 4th ranks.
Go down in order of quality.
In Silla, the upper limit of one's promotion in government office was determined by one's bone rank, and even the size of one's house was determined.
As a result, the six powerful chieftains of the late Unified Silla Dynasty were dissatisfied with Silla because their abilities were not properly utilized.
I also held it.
A representative intellectual of the six heads is Choi Chi-won.
In our country, there is a welfare system in which the government provides low-interest loans to ordinary citizens to cover living expenses.
Surprisingly, Goguryeo also had a similar welfare system called Jindaebeop.
This is a system in which, when rice ran out in the spring, the country opened its granaries and lent out rice, and then repaid it at low interest after the harvest in the fall.
In this chapter, we learned about various aspects of ancient life and culture.
Although the form and name are different, the way people live seems to be similar now as it was then.
We tend to think that people in the past were somehow different from us, or even inferior to us.
But aren't people of the past no different from us today? They must have faced similar challenges in life.
So, if you reason based on the thought, “What would I do in this situation?”, you will be able to better understand the lives of people in the past.

--- From "Silla's Bone Rank System and Goguryeo's Jindae Law"