Once known as the 'Hermit Kingdom', Korea remains a little-known country. Yet its distinct culture and history could not be more colorful or fascinating. This first-ever comprehensive history of photography in Korea presents a unique anthology of photographs collected from key private collections and museum archives in Europe, America and Russia. It includes the very first photographs ever taken on Korean soil, by the famous war photographer Felice Beato who accompanied the American squadron which landed in 1871 to attempt to open Korea to trade.With a wide range of pictures by the photographic pioneers who fast travelled Korea, including stereoscopes, glass slides and albumen prints -- all reproduced in duotone -- plus hand-tinted photographs reproduced in color, readers will for the first time be able to see the people, the landscape, the town-life and the traditional crafts and costumes of Korea at the turn of the last century.