G. W. Gilmore: Seoul Folklore / Joseon Memoirs

Gilmore, originally from the Eastern United States, graduated from Princeton University and Union Theological Seminary, became a minister, and was one of the first missionaries invited to Joseon alongside Hulbert. He wrote this book based on his experiences while serving as a teacher at Yukyeong Park for eight years. The distinctive feature of this book is its warm perspective on Koreans. It argues that the Western superiority complex prevalent among Westerners at the time—such as the notion of uncleanliness or male chauvinism—was merely an exaggeration; that most households were neat and tidy, and that there was no disparagement of women, judging by the authority of the "Madam of the Inner Hall" in noble families. Just as many Westerners consistently worry about the shadow of national ruin, Gilmore also advises young people to awaken to this reality and strive for excellence. Sands was likely the most highly educated diplomat among the Western diplomats stationed in Korea. His father, the Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, intended to make his son a diplomat from the start; he sent him to an international school in Austria at a young age to receive a foreign language education, and upon his return, raised him as a orthodox elite diplomat at Georgetown University. He was an intellectual and ruthless diplomat. At the age of 22, he was assigned to the Korean Legation and served there before eventually becoming a bureaucrat for the Joseon government, advising King Gojong on state affairs. Having served in Joseon precisely during the Russo-Japanese War, he was a key witness to the conflict and the person responsible for resolving the Yi Jae-su Rebellion on Jeju Island. While dealing directly with Ito Hirobumi to discuss the neutralization of Joseon, he was pushed back by Japanese forces and returned home without even receiving his proper salary. His experience was too short to manage a nation.

Korean title: 서울풍물지 / 조선비망록

Korean author: G. W. 길모어

Korean publisher: 집문당

ISBN-13: 9788930318402