Empress Myeongseong: The Last Queen of Joseon (Korean History)

#korea #koreanhistory #kdrama #joseon #historyofkorea (episode 55) Empress Myeongseong 명성황후, Queen Min, born Min Ja-yeong 민자영, was the wife of Gojong 고종 (1852 - 1919), the last king of Joseon and First Emperor of the Korean Empire 대한제국. She was fatherless but well educated. She didn’t seem to care for lavish social events and expensive fashion pieces. She spent a lot of her time furthering her studies by reading and writing in Hanja, something that was usually reserved for the male nobility. She could hold long and interesting conversations with others including foreigners. She fought all her life against her father-in-law Heungseon Daewongun 흥선대원군 and was, in a sense, the real power behind the throne during Gojong’s reign. Queen Min and her clan took control of the court and she placed members of her family in key positions in the government. She was much more active politically than Gojong. She was instrumental in allowing English schools to be opened as well as Western medicine hospitals. She was opened to American missionaries living in Korea as long as their teachings were helpful to Koreans. In contrast with her father in law Daewongun, Queen Min and her allies were opened to foreign influence from the West and China in order to help modernize the country. She wasn’t in favour of Japan helping Korea though. Because of this, Japan saw Queen Min as an obstacle to its complete control of Korea. She was assassinated by Japanese soldiers on October 8th, 1895. If you enjoyed this video 🙏 please like, join and subscribe. 감사합니다~ 👕🎒To support this channel you can buy some cool merch here (Art by Tasha's): https://tashas.myspreadshop.com/ 📷 Instagram:   / loonytricky   😀 📖Facebook:   / loonytricky   📜 Korean History Playlist    • Korean History Series   🎬 Recommended viewings: Empress Myeonseong TV series (명성황후) (2001-2002), KBS, 124 episodes Kingmaker: The Change of Destiny (바람과 구름과 비) TV series (2020), TV Chosun, 21 episodes Daewongun (大院君) (1990), MBC, 32 episodes . . . *Other figures and topics explored in this video: Yeoheung Min Clan 여흥 민씨, Andong Kim Clan 안동 김씨, Yi Gwi-in 귀인 이씨, Gyeongbok Palace 경복궁, Lillias Horton Underwood, Prince Wanhwa 완화군 이선, Min Seung-ho 민승호, Unhyeon Palace 운현궁, Ganghwa Island Incident, Ganghwa Treaty, Prince Imperial Waneun 완은군, Min Gyeom-ho 민겸호, Min Yeong-ik 민영익, Convention of Tientsin Tianjin 天津条約, Royal English School 육영공원, Homer B. Hulbert, Ewha Academy 이화학당, Mary Fletcher Benton Scranton, Horace Newton Allen, Royal Medical Clinic of Gwanghyewon 광혜원, 제중원, Severance Hospital 세브란스 병원, Donghak Peasant Revolution 동학농민혁명, First Sino-Japanese war, Gabo reforms, Miura Goro 三浦 梧楼, Isabella Bird Bishop, Afanasy Ivanovich Seredin-Sabatin Афанасий Иванович Середин-Сабатин, Hullyeondae Regiment 훈련대, Okhoru 옥호루, Geoncheong Palace 건청궁 0:00 Intro, Min Clan background 1:12 Gojong and his father Heungseon Daewongun 3:02 Queen Min’s personality 4:23 Gojong’s concubine 5:13 Queen Min taking control 6:26 Ganghwa Island Treaty 8:15 Domestic troubles 9:04 More treaties with Japan 9:42 Gapsin Coup 10:33 American Missionaries, schools and hospitals 12:19 Donghak Peasant Revolution 12:59 Sino-Japanese War and aftermath 14:00 Daewongun, Miura Goro and the Queen’s assassination plot 14:53 Queen Min’s assassination 17:11 Afanasy Ivanovich Seredin-Sabatin’s written account 17:50 Korean Empire and Annexation of Korea by Japan 18:25 Queen Min’s significance in Korean history