Jeans: In Search of Gold! California's 'Gold Rush'
Silk: The Silk Road and Marco Polo's Travels
Velvet: The Brief Prague Spring and the Gentle Velvet Revolution
Black Clothes: Black Mania: Philip II, "Wear only black" Cromwell
Trench Coat: A Style Born in the Trenches of War
Witch's Clothes: Joan of Arc is a witch?
Batik: Dyed Fabrics that Live with the Lives of Indonesians
Stockings: The King of Synthetic Fibers, Nylon
Bikini: Is Bikini the name of an island? The epicenter of nuclear testing!
Tie and Suit: King George VI, the Stammerer, and Crown Prince Hirohito in a Suit

The sequel to the youth history textbook 『World History on the Table』 (winner of the 2nd Changbi Youth Book Award), which has been greatly loved by readers since its publication last year, is finally being released.
This time, it is a book titled “World History in the Closet” that explores the history contained in the clothes and fabrics we always wear.
While maintaining the concept of the previous work, which introduced major events and figures in world history through objects easily encountered in everyday life, it adds a fresh touch by encompassing a range of modern history not covered in existing history textbooks.
The book features a natural, flowing narrative, drawing out the history of the American West and the Gold Rush from jeans, the horrors of World War I from trench coats, and nuclear testing and the Hiroshima bombing from bikinis. The engaging and accessible narrative and over 50 photographs captivate the reader.


From jeans to bikinis, from stockings to ties
World history is hidden in the clothes we wear every day!

Readers of "World History on the Table" were captivated by the familiar introduction and the appropriate blend of characters and events from world history, and have eagerly awaited the sequel.
"World History in Your Closet" retains the fun of its predecessor, but reflects the characteristics of clothing as a material to tell fresher stories that encompass the history of cultural exchange, the history of science and technology, and even the horrific history of war in the 20th century.

In the section on jeans, the most familiar clothing to us, we are told the story of how these clothes were originally created as work clothes for gold miners during the gold rush in the late 19th century in the United States.
Afterwards, the perspective expands beyond the origin of jeans to the history of the American West and the suffering of Native Americans.
The trench coat also begins by revealing its origins, noting that it was first created as a uniform for British soldiers during World War I, vividly delving into the miserable reality of trench warfare.


The history of science and technology in war,
A three-dimensional perspective that transcends the dichotomous structure of Western/Eastern history

Meanwhile, the Bikini episode reveals that the name "bikini" was originally taken from the name of a South Pacific island where nuclear testing took place, and highlights the atomic bombings of World War II.
Focusing on the group of scientists, including Oppenheimer, who had to develop weapons of war at this time, it details the lives of scientists and the relationship between war and science and technology, which have not been given attention in existing youth history books.
In addition, the lives of scientists who have not been given much attention in youth history books are highlighted, such as Fritz Haber, the scientist who developed poison gas, and Carothers, the chemist who developed nylon, which is called the king of synthetic fibers. In doing so, it allows youth to feel the harsh truth that history is not simply swayed by a few politicians, but is also steered by the hands of people researching in their respective positions.


Furthermore, 『World History in the Closet』 rejects the dichotomous structure of Western and Eastern history.
When discussing silk fabrics, we focus on the exchange of Eastern and Western civilizations, maintaining a three-dimensional and balanced perspective that cannot be divided into Eastern and Western history.
Even though it deals with the story of ancient Chinese sericulture, it immediately moves on to the story of the Romans' efforts to open up trade routes to obtain silk.
In the section on Western clothing, the author reads the desire for modernization in Japan, which sought to imitate the West, through a photo of Crown Prince Hirohito wearing a Western suit. He concludes by saying that although Western-style clothing has become commonplace today, we need to make efforts to find a more Korean-style look in the future.


A book with a friendly narrative, vivid photos, and a book you'll want to keep reaching for.

"World History in the Closet" is written in a narrative format by the author, who has been a teacher for over ten years and is a mother of three children, speaking to her children in a friendly manner.
Thanks to this, it approaches readers who have felt that history is too much to memorize and is boring, as a book that is easy to pick up and makes them want to read more.
The 50 or so photo materials also attract attention.
For example, it includes documentary photos from the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, when the 'Prague Spring' was being suppressed, allowing us to vividly experience the tense situation at the time.
"World History in the Closet," which is both entertaining and informative, will appeal not only to young readers who find world history difficult, but also to general readers, teachers, and parents.