Step back in time to 1897, when the last of Korea’s monarchs, Gojong, founded the Korean Empire. The Emperor's vision for Korean sovereignty and independence, however, was thwarted by the rise of Japan, whose ambitions in the Far East included control of the Korean peninsula.

As the 20th century unfolded, Korea faced a turbulent era of occupation, hardship, and war. From the fall of the Korean Empire and the harsh Japanese occupation, followed by the Cold War partition at the 38th parallel and the devastation of the Korean War — these were decades of profound struggle and loss for the Korean people.

The birth of the alliance between Korea and the United States in the 20th century helped alter this equation — setting the stage for the miraculous transformation of South Korea’s economy (The Miracle on the Han River) and establishing the Republic of Korea as a political, economic, and cultural leader in Asia — giving substance, finally, to the dream of Korea’s last Emperor.

With the assistance of some of the foremost Korean and American scholars, along with archival film footage, still photographs and period music,
The Evolution of the Korean Empire vividly brings this untold story to life in a two-hour/two-part historical documentary.

Premiering 2025