Korean History NoteSearch by initials or other names
Can't remember the full name? Type only the Korean initial consonants. Searching another name, like Prince Suyang, also finds King Sejo.
ㅅㅈ → 세조 · 성종 · 숙종
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Curious about that scene
Curious about that scene
in the drama? Find out
in 10 seconds
Why did Prince Suyang become King Sejo? What is the difference between "Daegam" and "Yeonggam"? Questions about Korean history from dramas, films, travel and the news, answered with easy person, event and term cards.
- No sign-up
- Works offline
- Gojoseon to the present
- App content is in Korean
100+People
100+Events
100+Terms
20+Dramas & films
Look it up when…
Ever wondered about these?
Tap a question. In the app, every card starts with a one-line summary like this.
What you can do
Search, understand, keep reading
No need to memorize from page one like a textbook. Just start from what you are curious about.
History behind dramas & films
The setting, the real people and fun facts of the drama or film you are watching, with what the story shows and what the records say.
Spoilers are folded awayEasy three-step cards
One-line summary → in plain words → learn more. Most questions are answered in the first two steps.
Start with the summaryOne card leads to the next
From people to events, from events to terms. Keep following related cards, and one tap takes you back to the start.
Sejo → Gyeyu Coup → Danjong → Six Martyred MinistersCard of the day
The home screen shows a person or event that matches today's date: what happened "N years ago today", one card a day.
Lunar-calendar dates matched tooSave and come back
Save the cards you want to read again. Saved and recently viewed cards stay only on your phone.
No sign-up or loginEra timeline
Seven eras, from Gojoseon to today
Pick an era to see its events in order. Swipe sideways to see more.
2333 BC – 108 BC
Gojoseon
The oldest state in Korean history
57 BC – 668
Three Kingdoms
Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla compete
668 – 926
North–South States
Unified Silla in the south, Balhae in the north
918 – 1392
Goryeo
Buddhist culture flourishes; the Mongol invasions
1392 – 1897
Joseon
A Confucian kingdom that lasted about 500 years
1897 – 1945
Early modern
The Korean Empire, colonial rule and the fight for independence
Since 1945
Contemporary
Since liberation and the founding of the Republic of Korea
History behind dramas & films
The real history of that drama, that film
Each work is linked to the cards for its setting and real people. The focus is on historical facts, not the plot.
- The Admiral: Roaring Currents 2014
- Hansan: Rising Dragon 2022
- Noryang: Deadly Sea 2023
- The Fortress 2017
- The Throne 2015
- The Face Reader 2013
- The King and the Clown 2005
- Masquerade 2012
- War of the Arrows 2011
- The Fatal Encounter 2014
- Assassination 2015
- A Taxi Driver 2017
- 12.12: The Day 2023
- Dae Jang Geum 2003
- Dae Jo Yeong 2006
- Yi San 2007
- Painter of the Wind 2008
- Dong Yi 2010
- Mr. Sunshine 2018
- The Nokdu Flower 2019
- Korea–Khitan War 2023
- Munmu 2026
Titles are used only to introduce the works. Korean History Note is not affiliated with the producers or broadcasters of these works.
Screens
Like a note written on hanji paper
A soft hanji-paper background with touches of dancheong red, easy on the eyes for long reading. Dark mode is supported too. The app is in Korean.
Korean history, right when you wonder
Free to download. Start right away, no sign-up needed.
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