| |
|
BCE |
| 2333 |
|
Legendary foundation of Gojoseon kingdom, capital in Liaoning |
| 551 |
|
Gong Fuzi (Confucius) (551–479 BCE) |
| 400 |
|
Gojoseon capital moves to Pyongyang |
| 208 |
|
Gojoseon ended by Han Chinese invasion; various small states ensue |
| 108 |
|
Baekje kingdom established (to 660), various capitals in vicinity of Greater Seoul |
| 57 |
|
Silla kingdom established (to 935) |
| 37 |
|
Koguryo kingdom established (to 668) |
| 18 |
|
Baekje capital established on the Han River |
| |
|
|
| |
|
CE |
| 661 |
|
Battle of Baekgang-gu: Tang China and Silla defeat Japan and Baekje |
| 668 |
|
Silla effects uniἀcation of Korean Peninsula; allied with Tang China |
| 918 |
|
Goryeo (Koryo, Korea) kingdom established, ending Silla in 935 |
| 958 |
|
Confucian civil service examinations ἀrst held in Korea |
| 992 |
|
National University founded in Gaeseong |
| 1234 |
|
Koreans invent movable metal type printing |
| 1243 |
|
An Hyang (1243–1306), responsible for introduction of neo-Confucianism to Korea |
| 1390 |
|
Law to institute ancestor veneration |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Chosun |
| 1392 |
|
Yi (Chosun, Joseon) dynasty replaces Goryeo |
| 1394 |
|
Hanyang (Seoul) established as Chosun capital |
| 1398 |
|
Namdaemun, Great South Gate, built |
| 1403 |
|
Metal type printing technology perfected (invented in 1234) |
| 1407 |
|
Yeongeunmun Gate (Welcoming Gate for Obligation [to Chinese]) built |
| 1418 |
|
King Sejong the Great reigns (to 1450) |
| 1446 |
|
Han-gul Korean alphabet invented |
| 1455 |
|
King Sejo reigns (to 1468); strengthens Buddhist practice against Confucianism 160 |
| 1469 |
|
King Songjong reigns (to 1494); reinforces Confucian rule |
| 1563 |
|
Yi Su-gwang (1563–1628), silhak scholar; brings new Western learning from visit to Beijing (c. 1602) |
| 1569 |
|
Ho Kyun (1569–1618), author of novel Hong Kil-tong chon |
| 1592 |
|
Hideyoshi invasion of Ming and Chosun realms; Gyeongbokgung Palace destroyed |
| 1597–1598 |
|
Second Hideyoshi invasion; defeated principally by Korean admiral Yi Sun-sin in Battle of Noryang, 16 December 1598 |
| 1598 |
|
Matteo Ricci (1552–1610), Jesuit missionary in Beijing, influence to Chosun |
| 1737 |
|
Park Ji-won (1737–1805), silhak novelist and philosopher |
| 1801 |
|
Pogrom against native Catholics |
| 1824–1834 |
|
Kim Jeong-ho map of Seoul |
| 1824 |
|
Ch’oe Che-u (1824–1864) formulates ideology of Donghak |
| 1839 |
|
Second pogrom against Catholics |
| 1846 |
|
Third pogrom against Catholics |
| 1867 |
|
Gyeongbokgung Palace restored |
| 1868 |
|
Meiji Restoration |
| 1875 |
|
Japan provokes Unyo Incident against Korea |
| |
|
Syngman Rhee (1875–1965) |
| 1876 |
|
Japan establishes unequal treaty with Korea |
| 1880 |
|
Japanese legation established in Seoul |
| 1882 |
|
Military mutiny; Progressive (Independence) Party seeks to emulate Meiji Restoration |
| 1884 |
|
Violent coup launched by Progressive Party |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Colonization |
| 1894 |
|
Chon Pong-jun assumes Donghak leadership; Japanese virtual annihilation of Donghak |
| |
|
July: Japanese occupy palace, impose “protection” on King Kojong |
| |
|
Sino-Japanese War (to 1895) |
| |
|
Reform movement initiated by Korean government |
| 1895 |
|
October: Queen Min assassinated |
| 1896 |
|
February: King Kojong escapes to Russian legation |
| |
|
Independence Club founded, principally by Seo Jae-pil; Yeongeunmun demolished |
| 1897 |
|
February: King Kojong returns to Deoksugung Palace |
| |
|
October: Great Han (Daehan) Empire proclaimed |
| |
|
Tapgol (Pagoda) Park constructed |
| |
|
Independence Gate replaces Yeongeunmun Gate |
| 1898 |
|
Myeong-dong (Catholic) Cathedral |
| 1899 |
|
Daehan Cheon-il Bank established |
| |
|
Kyeongin railway links Seoul and Incheon |
| |
|
Seoul’s ἀrst tram, along Jongno |
| 1902–1910 |
|
Deoksugung Palace restructured and refashioned 261 |
| 1904–1910 |
|
Ilchinhoe, Patriotic Enlightenment (pro-Japan) Movement |
| 1905 |
|
Japanese protectorate established over Korea |
| 1906 |
|
Japanese landownership legalized in Korea |
| 1907 |
|
King Kojong deposed by Japanese Residency-General |
| |
|
Keijo (Seoul) Exhibition |
| |
|
Daehan Hospital built |
| 1907–1912 |
|
Righteous armies ἀght against colonial rule |
| 1909 |
|
Ahn Jung-geun assassinates Ito Hirobumi, ἀrst prime minister of Japan and ἀrst resident-general of Korea |
| 1910 |
|
August: Korea annexed to Japan |
| 1912 |
|
Bank of Chosun opens, designed 1907 for Japanese Dai-Ichi Bank Kim Il-sung (1912–1994) |
| 1914 |
|
First formal expansion of Seoul city boundaries; ἀrst urban planning ordinance |
| 1915 |
|
Korean Industrial Exposition |
| 1917 |
|
Park Chung-hee (1917–1979) |
| 1919 |
|
March First Movement |
| 1920 |
|
Battle of Qingshanli; Koreans defeat Japanese |
| |
|
Colonial antipublishing laws relaxed; Korean newspapers established |
| 1920s |
|
The urban hanok develops as an urban housing form; predominates to the 1960s |
| 1921 |
|
Japanese measures to strengthen Korean media and literature Cheondogyo Central Temple built |
| 1922 |
|
National University Movement established, unsuccessfully Kim Chung-up (1922–1988), architect |
| 1924 |
|
Keijo Imperial University established (closed 1946) |
| 1925 |
|
Japanese establish the Joseonsa Pyeonsuhoe, or Korean History Compilation Committee |
| |
|
Seoul Station built |
| |
|
Korean Artists Proletarian Federation founded |
| 1926 |
|
New Seoul city plan; further plans in 1928 and 1930 |
| |
|
October: Government-General Building dedicated |
| |
|
Death of Sunjong, last Chosun monarch |
| |
|
Arirang, part of ἀrst “golden age” of Korean cinema |
| 1929 |
|
Korean Exposition; Gyeongbokgung Palace demolished to make way for it Gwangju Incident |
| 1931 |
|
Tightening military rule following Gwangju Incident |
| |
|
Kim Swoo Geun (1931–1986), architect |
| 1932 |
|
Paik Nam June (1932–2006), video artist |
| 1934 |
|
Town Planning Act |
| |
|
A Day in the Life of Novelist Kubo, novel by Pak Tae-won |
| 1937 |
|
Sino-Japanese War (to 1945) |
| |
|
Hwasin Department Store opens |
| 1938 |
|
Foundation of Samsung 262 |
| 1939 |
|
Colonial education redirected to converting Koreans to loyal (Japanese) imperial subjects |
| 1940 |
|
Korean newspapers shut down by colonial government |
| 1942 |
|
American missionaries expelled; enforced assimilation of Koreans |
| |
|
October: Korean linguists arrested, tortured |
| 1943 |
|
Total mobilization |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Dictatorship |
| 1945 |
|
Tokyo obliterated by US ἀrebombing |
| |
|
15 August: End of World War II and of Japanese colonization US military government installed |
| 1948 |
|
Syngman Rhee installed as president (to 1960); the First Republic |
| 1951–1953 |
|
Korean War; Seoul obliterated |
| 1953 |
|
15 August: Government returns to Seoul |
| 1954 |
|
Rev. Sun Myung Moon establishes the Uniἀcation Church, “the Moonies” |
| 1955–1972 |
|
Second “golden age” of Korean cinema |
| 1958 |
|
Gimpo International Airport replaces Yeouido |
| 1960 |
|
19 April Revolution, the Second Republic; civil society thrives ἀe Housemaid, ἀlm by Kim Ki-young |
| 1961 |
|
The 5.16 coup d’état, Park Chung-hee, the Third Republic |
| 1962 |
|
First Five-Year Economic Development Plan |
| 1965 |
|
Normalization treaty with Japan |
| 1966 |
|
Basic Urban Planning for Seoul |
| 1967 |
|
Second Five-Year Economic Development Plan |
| |
|
Guro Industrial Complex founded; Daewoo founded |
| |
|
Sewoon Mega Complex, Kim Swoo Geun architect |
| |
|
Statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin in Taepyeongno |
| 1967–1971 |
|
Samil Expressway built over Chongyecheon Stream |
| 1968 |
|
The Blue House raid |
| |
|
Seoul tramway system ἀnally closes down |
| 1969 |
|
Seoul Plan based on 1966 Basic Urban Planning |
| 1970 |
|
Patriot Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Hall built on site of demolished (1945) Seoul Shinto Shrine |
| 1970s |
|
Emergence of Hongdae art culture district |
| 1971 |
|
National Land Development Plan |
| 1972 |
|
Yusin (Restoration) Constitution, the Fourth Republic |
| |
|
Third Five-Year Economic Development Plan |
| 1974 |
|
First Five-Year Plan for the Revival of Culture and Arts |
| |
|
Seoul subway Line 1 opens |
| 1975 |
|
National Assembly Building |
| 1977 |
|
Fourth Five-Year Economic Development Plan |
| 1979 |
|
Park Chung-hee assassinated 263 |
| 1980 |
|
Chun Doo-hwan becomes president |
| |
|
May: Gwangju uprising and massacre; Kim Dae-jung receives death sentence |
| |
|
Kyung Dong Presbyterian Church, Kim Swoo Geun’s masterpiece |
| 1981 |
|
Seoul selected to host 1988 Olympic Games |
| 1982 |
|
Fifth Five-Year Economic and Social Development Plan |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Democratization |
| 1987 |
|
Sixth Five-Year Economic and Social Development Plan |
| |
|
Mass protests; Chun and Roh Tae-woo succumb to demands for democratic elections |
| 1988 |
|
Roh Tae-woo elected president |
| |
|
Seoul Olympic Games |
| 1989 |
|
Beginning of new towns program |
| |
|
SM Entertainment founded |
| 1992 |
|
Seventh Five-Year Economic and Social Development Plan |
| |
|
Seo Tai-ji and Boys pop group launches; beginning of K-pop |
| 1993 |
|
Kim Young-sam elected president |
| 1994 |
|
Death of Kim Il-sung; succession of Kim Jong-il |
| 1995 |
|
15 August: Ritual demolition of Government-General Building |
| 1996 |
|
First Love TV drama series |
| 1997–1998 |
|
Asian ἀnancial crisis |
| 1998 |
|
Kim Dae–jung elected president |
| |
|
|
| |
|
The Korean Wave |
| 2000 |
|
Korean boy band HOT in Beijing, ἀrst Korean reference to Hallyu |
| 2001 |
|
Incheon International Airport replaces Gimpo as principal airport |
| |
|
“The second Gwangju”: attack on unionists at Daewoo plant, Bupyeong |
| 2002 |
|
Winter Sonata TV drama series |
| 2003 |
|
Roh Moo-hyun elected president, Internet role signiἀcant |
| |
|
Decision by mayor Lee Myung-bak to demolish Samil Expressway (Cheongyecheon) |
| 2003–2004 |
|
Jewel in the Palace TV drama series |
| 2005 |
|
Cheongyecheon rehabilitation completed |
| |
|
Delightful Girl Choon-Hyang, popular Korean TV drama series |
| |
|
Under the Black Umbrella: Voices from Colonial Korea, 1910–1945, by Kang Hildi |
| 2006 |
|
ἀ e Host, ἀlm by Bong Joon-ho |
| 2007 |
|
May 18 Memorial Hall to commemorate 1980 Gwangju massacre |
| 2008 |
|
Lee Myung-bak elected president |
| |
|
Global ἀnancial crisis |
| |
|
Destruction of Namdaemun by ἀre |
| 2009 |
|
New Songdo ἀrst stage opens |
| |
|
Who Ate Up All the Shinga?, novel by Park Wan-suh; Please Take Care of Mom, novel by Shin Kyung-Sook 264 |
| 2010 |
|
ἀe Housemaid, ἀlm by Im Sang-soo |
| 2011 |
|
December: Peace Monument unveiled, in front of Japanese Embassy |
| |
|
December: Death of Kim Jong-il; succession of Kim Jong-un |
| 2012 |
|
New “capital,” Yeongi-Sejong, opens |
| |
|
Cloud Atlas, ἀlm based on 2004 novel by David Mitchell; “Neo-Seoul” |
| |
|
July: Gangnam Style, by Psy (Park Jaesang) |
| |
|
December: “Gangnam Style” hits one billion views |
| 2013 |
|
Park Geun-hye elected president |
| 2014 |
|
Dongdaemun Design Plaza opens, Zaha Hadid architect |
| |
|
“Gangnam Style” “hits” break the YouTube counting barrier |
| 2015 |
|
New Songdo fails scheduled timetable |
| 2017 |
|
Park Geun-hye impeached, Hwang Kyo-ahn acting president |
| |
|
Increased North-South tension |