Explore Korean and world history side by side
Dangun Wanggeom founded Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom.
Silla (57 BC), Goguryeo (37 BC), and Baekje (18 BC) were founded.
King Sosurim officially adopted Buddhism and established Taehak.
King Gwanggaeto ascended the throne and greatly expanded Goguryeo territory.
Daegaya was annexed by Silla, ending the Gaya confederacy.
General Eulji Mundeok defeated the Sui army at the Salsu River.
Silla expelled Tang forces and unified the Korean peninsula.
Dae Joyeong founded Balhae with Goguryeo refugees.
Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto were built during King Gyeongdeok reign.
Wang Geon founded Goryeo, laying the foundation for reunification.
King Gwangjong introduced the civil service examination system.
General Gang Gamchan defeated the Khitan army at Gwiju.
Kim Busik compiled the Samguk Sagi, the oldest Korean history book.
Carving of the Tripitaka Koreana began to resist Mongol invasions.
The Sambyeolcho forces resisted the Mongol-Goryeo alliance.
Yi Seong-gye founded Joseon and moved the capital to Hanyang.
King Sejong created Hangul, promulgated in 1446.
The Gyeongguk Daejeon, Joseon fundamental legal code, was completed.
Japan invaded Joseon. Admiral Yi Sun-sin repelled the invasion at sea.
The Qing dynasty invaded; King Injo surrendered after siege at Namhansanseong.
King Yeongjo implemented the Tangpyeong policy to balance factions.
King Jeongjo established Gyujanggak to lead a scholarly renaissance.
King Jeongjo built Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Choe Je-u founded Donghak, a new social and spiritual movement.
Korea signed the Treaty of Ganghwa with Japan, opening its ports.
The Gabo Reforms modernized the nation, abolishing the caste system.
King Gojong proclaimed the Korean Empire and became emperor.
Korea was annexed by Japan, beginning colonial rule.
Nationwide independence protests led to the establishment of the provisional government.
Korea was liberated following Japan surrender in WWII.
The Republic of Korea was officially established on August 15.
The Korean War began with North Korea invasion. Armistice signed in 1953.
Students and citizens protested against Syngman Rhee dictatorship.
The Saemaul Movement launched to modernize rural communities.
Citizens in Gwangju rose up demanding democracy.
Nationwide protests achieved direct presidential elections.
Seoul hosted the 24th Summer Olympics, raising Korea global status.
Korea requested IMF bailout during the Asian financial crisis.
First Inter-Korean Summit; June 15th Joint Declaration signed.
Korea co-hosted the World Cup and reached the semi-finals.
PyeongChang hosted the Winter Olympics; joint Korean march.
Bong Joon-ho Parasite won 4 Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Sumerians built the first civilization in the Tigris-Euphrates valley.
The Great Pyramid was built for Pharaoh Khufu, one of the Seven Wonders.
The first Olympic Games were held at Olympia, Greece.
Cleisthenes reforms established democracy in Athens.
Alexander of Macedon began his conquests, building a vast empire.
Qin Shi Huang unified China and began building the Great Wall.
Augustus became the first emperor, beginning the Roman Empire.
Christianity spread after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
The Western Roman Empire fell to Germanic leader Odoacer.
Muhammad migrated to Medina (Hijra), marking the start of Islam.
Charlemagne was crowned Emperor, shaping medieval European order.
Pope Urban II called the First Crusade to reclaim the Holy Land.
The Magna Carta was signed in England, limiting royal power.
Marco Polo traveled to Yuan China, promoting East-West exchange.
The Black Death killed about one-third of Europe population.
The Renaissance began in Italy, spreading art and learning across Europe.
The Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople, ending the Byzantine Empire.
Christopher Columbus reached the Americas.
Martin Luther 95 Theses sparked the Protestant Reformation.
England defeated the Spanish Armada, rising as a naval power.
The Thirty Years War ended; modern state sovereignty was established.
Isaac Newton published Principia, establishing classical mechanics.
The Industrial Revolution began in Britain with the steam engine.
The United States declared independence from Britain.
The French Revolution erupted, spreading ideas of liberty and equality.
Napoleon crowned himself Emperor and conquered much of Europe.
Marx and Engels published the Communist Manifesto.
The American Civil War began over slavery and states rights.
The Suez Canal opened, revolutionizing maritime trade.
World War I broke out among European powers, ending in 1918.
The Bolshevik Revolution established the world first socialist state.
The Wall Street crash triggered the global Great Depression.
World War II began, the largest conflict in human history.
The United Nations was established to maintain international peace.
Ideological rivalry between the US and USSR formed the Cold War.
The USSR launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite.
Apollo 11 landed on the Moon. ARPANET (internet precursor) launched.
The Berlin Wall fell, symbolizing the end of the Cold War.
The Soviet Union dissolved, officially ending the Cold War.
Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center; War on Terror began.
Lehman Brothers collapsed, triggering a global financial crisis.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused global lockdowns and economic shock.
Studying history helps us learn from past events, understand the present, and prepare for the future. Comparing Korean and world history reveals Korea position within the broader international context.
Use the era and category filters to focus on areas of interest. Viewing Korean and world history side by side helps you see what happened simultaneously across the globe.
Events were selected based on major milestones from Korean and world history textbooks, covering politics, wars, culture, and economy.
Most dates follow widely accepted historical standards. Some ancient dates may be subject to academic debate.
You can see what was happening in Korea and the world at the same time, providing richer historical context.
Yes, use the era filter tabs (Ancient, Medieval, Early Modern, Modern, Contemporary) to show events from that period.
Events are classified into 4 categories: Politics, War, Culture/Science, and Economy/Society. Select a category to filter events by that field.