During Japan’s rule, more than just people were controlled—Korea’s cultural treasures were taken too. Gyeongbokgung, the famous royal palace built in 1395, was a symbol of Korean power. However, the Japanese government destroyed over a third of its buildings and turned the rest into sites for tourists. Historian Heejung Kang explains that while Japan saved some Korean art, they used it to make themselves look modern and superior. By calling Korea backward in books and museums, they tried to change how Koreans felt about their own history.