This is because Hanseong had become the preferred name of the capital since the reign of King Sejong (the 4th), or perhaps slightly earlier.

This map seems to reflect the first 100–200 years of Joseon, during which Hanyang was designated the capital. It is unclear which Joseon era this map sought to represent 500 years under 27 kings is a long time, and land names and masses alter over time. Maps are captivating and instructive because what is and is not represented brings to light the historical context and the cartographer’s political inclinations. Visitors are welcomed by the Joseon Dynasty’s map at the start of the exhibition. Alternatively, you can leaf through this post for five artefacts that I found interesting and worth exploring. If you’re planning a visit to the exhibition before it closes on Sunday, you can follow ACM’s Facebook for updates and recommended artefacts. Having amassed years of consuming South Korean culture (and/or studying Korean contemporary literature and history like I did), I suppose Singaporeans are now more comfortable with Korean history lessons, which would otherwise have been entirely uninteresting and irrelevant. It is opportune as many Singaporeans have gradually come to embrace the Hallyu wave that swept the region over the last decade with an equal measure of Kpop and Korean cinema/TV (think makjang, variety shows, thriller films and period dramas).

The exhibition, which started in April, was intellectually and visually satisfying as it attempted to condense the vicissitudes of Joseon’s 500-year history (1392–1897) by relating stories of more than 150 artefacts. Finally, I visited the Joseon Korea: Court Treasures And City Life exhibition at Singapore’s Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) before it closes this Sunday.

Seasons by Hannah Pang