Korean Studies

Hanbang herbal medicine, originally from China but indigenized in Korea, began to lose its significance on the introduction of Western medicine to Korea over a century ago. The trend continued during the Japanese colonial period (1910-5) and the early period of economic growth in the 1960s and 1970s. However, hanbang began to regain its significance as affluence increased during the 1980s. This study attempts to explain this resurgence of hanbang medicine and continuing growth of Western biomedicine by exploring the links between both types of medicine and the rapid industrialization of Korean society.