According to the Samguk Yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), envoys from the Tang Dynasty mocked Silla, claiming,

“Your country is ruled by a woman—she may be virtuous, but she lacks authority. That’s why your neighbors keep picking on you.”

Ironically, just 50 years later, Wu Zetian seized absolute control of the Tang Dynasty and declared herself Empress regnant, leading China through a 15-year era of female rule.

When Qadan (Kadan) stationed his forces in Wonju, 50 Mongol cavalrymen raided near Chiak Castle to steal cattle and horses.

Scholar-soldier Won Chung-gap led just 6 infantrymen, chased them down, and seized 8 enemy horses.

Later, enemy generals Torado, To'ena, and Boral returned with 400 soldiers and were thrilled to loot the city's government grain.

Won Chung-gap and a 7-man squad scouted the scene. Suddenly, one of the men, Joong-san, charged straight into the middle of the 400 enemy troops, decapitated one, and chased the rest past the outer gates.

The panicked Mongol forces fled, abandoning their horses, allowing the 7-man squad to capture 25 saddled horses.

Defense Commander Bok Gyu was overjoyed and gave all the captured horses to the squad.

— Essentials of Goryeo History (Goryeosa Jeoryo), February 15, 1291

In early Joseon, two high-ranking officials once mobilized private troops to fight over a woman.

According to records from December 2, 1407, General Kim U got furious when his former lover, the gisaeng Gahi-a, became Senior General Hwang Sang's concubine, leading to a small-scale armed conflict between their forces.

Neither received heavy punishment, and Gahi-a later ended up becoming a royal concubine for King Taejong.

People fabricated a heresy:

‘A 149-year-old man who died in Yunnan left a prophecy.

A great disaster is coming, and 80% of humanity will perish.

Those who do not believe will go blind, but those who copy and spread this letter will escape disaster.

One copy saves yourself, two copies save your family, and three copies bring great peace.

If you hide this letter, you will face a bloody curse.’

The crime of deluding the public with this chain letter is subject to execution by beheading.

However, this occurred prior to the general amnesty.

— The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, August 3, 1470

Templates from GUP

King Woo, the 32nd ruler of Goryeo, attempted an expedition to the Liaodong region to defy Ming China.

Choe Yeong, who favored the campaign, volunteered to lead it, but King Woo refused to let him leave.

Instead, the king appointed Yi Seong-gye—who had fiercely opposed the expedition—as the supreme commander.

Yi eventually turned the army back, overthrew Goryeo, and founded the Joseon Dynasty.

In the Joseon Dynasty, the average age of passing the highest civil service exam was in the mid-30s.

The exam consisted of two rounds of preliminary tests and three rounds of main tests.

Scholars like Yulgok Yi I, a mid-Joseon intellectual, aced his very first preliminary exam at the age of 13 and went on to rank 1st a total of 9 times by the age of 29.

In the late Joseon period, the government granted tax cuts to local Sogo-gun (reservists) who purchased their own matchlock guns.

However, due to a severe famine in 1672, this benefit was reduced, and it was entirely abolished in 1683 when the state became capable of manufacturing enough firearms on its own.

It has long been said:

‘When Envoy Lee Jeong-gu (Wolsa) entered Ming China, a certain minister invited him to his house on a promised day.

On that day, the minister had urgent official business in the palace, so he instructed his family to hold Lee there and wait for his return.

Lee arrived before breakfast, and the family, conveying the minister’s words, treated him to drink and side dishes.

As the day grew late, Lee expressed his wish to leave, saying it was before his meal.

The family then treated him to rice cakes and fruits, but since he still hadn’t eaten actual rice, he firmly requested to leave.

Fearing he might be starving, the family fed him four or five times throughout the morning.

Yet, he ultimately left on the grounds that it was still before his meal.

Upon returning, the minister heard his family’s account and said with regret:

“It is said that the people of Joseon starve if they do not eat rice. I completely forgot to tell you to serve him rice.”’

— Muo Yeonhaengrok (Record of the Envoy to Beijing), January 21, 1799

Moon Sun-deuk was a merchant who drifted out to sea in 1801 and returned home via Ryukyu and Luzon(Philippines).

He stayed in Ryukyu for 8 months and Luzon for 9 months, finally returning home after 3 years.

Later, he even served as an official interpreter for shipwrecked Filipinos in Joseon.

The Chamoe(oriental melon) is an extraordinary product; from early July through the entire month of August, the cries of 'Buy melons!' never cease outside the doors.

It is said that when melons hit the market, the sales of Korean rice shops plummet by 70%.

Lower-class Koreans eat melons instead of rice and even make bets on melon-eating contests.

The loser has to pay for all the melons eaten by the winner. In such cases, they reportedly gorge themselves on up to 20 melons, which is a massive act of gluttony.

— Korean Caricatures (Joseon Manhwa), Usuda Zanun, 1909