'Infectious Disease Records from the Joseon Dynasty to Recent Times' National Archives Hosts Special Exhibition at Seoul Museum of History

From September 2 to November 7, "Dreaming of Everyday Life Again" Exhibition

Annals of King Hyeonjong

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The National Archives of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on the 1st that, in collaboration with the Seoul Museum of History, it will hold an exhibition of records titled "Dreaming of Daily Life Again" from the 2nd to November 7th at the Seoul Museum of History.

This exhibition was prepared to convey hope that despite the current difficulties caused by COVID-19, we will soon be able to return to daily life.

At this exhibition, visitors can see efforts to overcome infectious diseases through about 100 records, ranging from the "Annals of King Sejong in 1424" to posters selected in the "2021 Love for Records Contest" held last year.

The exhibition is divided into four parts?introduction, spread, treatment, and hope?showing each stage from the introduction of infectious diseases to healing. Part 1, "The Beginning of Anxiety," examines the outbreak of infectious diseases triggered by the introduction of viruses and bacteria through historical records and infectious disease outbreak reports.

Maedong Elementary School Children's Vaccination

Part 2 tells stories of difficult and challenging times due to the spread of diseases, showcasing major infectious disease epidemics by era, including the 1918 Spanish flu, 1920 cholera, tuberculosis and smallpox in the 1950s, and cholera in the 1960s. Part 3 presents efforts to overcome infectious diseases from the Joseon Dynasty to modern times. Part 4, as before, shows hope through animation that we can overcome the current crisis and return to "daily life again."

Regarding this exhibition, Professor Hwang Sang-ik, Emeritus Professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine, said, "Humanity has progressed alongside numerous epidemics, natural disasters, and wars up to the current COVID-19. I expect this exhibition to well reveal the ancestors and ourselves who have woven adversity and pain into hope." Director Choi Jae-hee of the National Archives stated, "What the public desires now is the recovery of ordinary daily life. Therefore, we wanted to support that wish with the records we can show. I hope this becomes an opportunity to feel that we can overcome this crisis together based on our past experiences of overcoming infectious diseases."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.