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In the early 1880s, the first “products of Western civilization” that really appealed to Korean consumers were beer, matches and kerosene. During the 19th century, kerosene was the United States number one export item to the Korean Peninsula. In 1885, more than 162,400 gallons (614,750 liters) of American kerosene arrived in Jemulpo (modern Incheon). ....
In the late 19th century, Westerners often described Seoul during the winter in one of two ways: a dirty, crowded city choking under the haze of smoke from countless chimneys, or as a clean and quaint city with streets blanketed by snow and its inhabitants dressed in clean white clothing except during the holidays when they wore brightly colored festive outfits. I think, for the casual observer, the latter was a truer description - at least in the mid-1880s. ....
In the early 1880s, the first “products of Western civilization” that really appealed to Korean consumers were beer, matches and kerosene. During the 19th century, kerosene was the United States number one export item to the Korean Peninsula. In 1885, more than 162,400 gallons (614,750 liters) of American kerosene arrived in Jemulpo (modern Incheon). ....
Korean palaces have always been very popular tourist sites and in the late 19th century Gwanghwamun was especially popular with photographers. According to Horace Allen, the palace was prone to fires - not only because of the large number of wooden buildings and fire sources but also because of supernatural influences. Fiery malevolence radiated from Namsan (South Mountain) but was contained by the Cheonggyecheon stream and the Han River. The “baneful influence of the fire-god” was diverted from its approach through the “South Gate by building a pond in front of it which [was] kept filled with water” - which, according to Allen, was the thing it abhorred the most. And, to protect the palace from the fire elements of Mount Gwanak, “the two immense stone animals [the fire-eating haetae] were erected in the street in front of the Palace Gate with their fierce angry faces pointed toward the south - the quarter from which the fire was supposed to come.” ....
Recently, General Richard S. Whitcomb was posthumously awarded the Mugunghwa Medal - Korea s highest Order of Civil Merit - in honor of his philanthropic efforts on the peninsula. . ....