ABSTRACT
Korea, once called ‘the hermit kingdom,’ has undergone rapid and often drastic change in the twentieth century. At the core of such change has been the ‘rocky’ road to modernity from the centuries-old tradition. From its turbulent history, Korea’s modernization was forged with the backdrop of colonization, conflicting ideologies, compromised national identity, civil war and poverty. All of these factors have continued to invigorate Koreans’ determination for rapid modernization and economic development and at the same time, have been the sources for much of the tension and conflict in modern Korean society.
