The Seoul Museum of History Features Korea in 1908,
an Exhibition of Photos Taken by a Hungarian Doctor
In Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of Korea-Hungary Diplomatic Relations
- The photo exhibition entitled Korea in 1908 through the Eyes of Hungarian Doctor, Dezső Bozóky will be on view at the Seoul Museum of History from October 1 to December 1, 2019.
- The Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts in Budapest possesses the 50 colored glass slides that will be exhibited in the museum
- Invaluable records of Jemulpo (currently Incheon), Seoul, Geomundo Island, and Busan seen through the eyes of a foreigner when the Joseon Dynasty opened its ports
□ In partnership with the Hungarian Embassy in Seoul (Ambassador Mózes Csoma), Seoul Museum of History (Director Song In-ho) is hosting a photo exhibition entitled Korea in 1908 through the Eyes of Hungarian Doctor, Dezső Bozók from Tuesday, October 1 to Sunday, December 1, 2019 in the lobby of the Seoul Museum of History in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Korea and Hungary.
□ The goal of the exhibition is to shed light on what Korea’s major cities really looked like towards the end of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) through photos taken by the Hungarian medical doctor Dezső Bozóky while travelling in the dynasty. The exhibition is being held by virtue of the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts in Budapest, the museum that possesses the displayed photos, in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Korea-Hungary diplomatic relations.
○ On February 1, 1989, Hungary was the first Eastern European country to set up diplomatic relations with Korea.
□ A naval doctor for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Dr. Bozóky Dezső (1871-1957) traveled throughout East Asia for 26 months (March 1, 1907 to April 12, 1909) onboard SMS Kaiser Franz Joseph I and took numerous photographs.
○ According to his travel log entitled, “Two Years in East Asia,” the SMS Kaiser Franz Joseph I arrived in Jemulpo in July 1908 after leaving Qifu, China. Dr. Bozóky Dezső toured Jemulpo, Seoul, Port Hamilton (currently Geomundo Island), and Busan before sailing to Japan.
□ Following in his footsteps, the exhibition is divided into sections of “1. Jemulpo,” “2. Seoul,” and “3. Geomundo/Busan.”
□ Through the exhibition of colored glass slides originating from the photographs taken by Dr. Bozóky Dezső more than 110 years ago, I hope that visitors can experience the daily lives and landscapes of Seoul at the beginning of the 20th century from a totally new perspective, as was seen through a foreigner’s camera lens,” said Song In-ho, director of the Seoul Museum of History.
□ In addition, the Hungarian Embassy in Seoul has prepared a special lecture by Ambassador Dr. Mózes Csoma on the topic of “Seoul Seen by a Hungarian during the Opening Port Area” in association with the exhibition.
○ Ambassador Dr. Mózes Csoma is a Hungarian expert in Korean studies who formerly headed the Department of Korean Studies at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) in Budapest, which was the first university to establish a Department of Korean Studies in Hungary.
○ The lecture will be given from 15:00 to 16:00 on October 23 in Study Room 1 (1F) of the Seoul Museum of History. Admission is free and reservations are not required.
○ Most notably, the lecture will be joined by Zsolt Németh, chairperson of the Committee in Foreign Affairs of the Hungarian National Assembly, who is visiting Korea to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Korea and Hungary. He is scheduled to offer words of congratulations for both the exhibition and the special lecture.
□ The exhibition will be open from 9:00 to 20:00 on weekdays and from 9:00 to 19:00 on weekends and holidays in October. From November to December, the hours will remain the same on weekdays but on weekends and holidays, the closing time will be 18:00 instead of 19:00. Admission is free.