Kim Il-sung’s death scuttled what would have been the first inter-Korean summit, unsettling the peninsula. A run of disasters, including the Seongsu Bridge collapse, heightened public concern over safety, while youth-oriented pop culture, from basketball dramas to new-generation pop, flourished.
The year in Korea
JulNorth Korean leader Kim Il-sung died, and the first inter-Korean summit planned for late July was called off. [Source]
SepPolice arrested members of the “Jijonpa,” a gang behind a series of murders, shocking the nation. [Source]
OctA section of Seoul’s Seongsu Bridge collapsed during the morning commute, killing 32 people. [Source]
OctA fire broke out on a sightseeing boat on Chungju Lake in North Chungcheong Province, claiming many lives. [Source]
DecA city gas facility exploded in Ahyeon-dong, Mapo District, Seoul. [Source]
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Around the world
AprThe Rwandan genocide began, killing an enormous number of people over the following months. [Source]
AprSouth Africa held its first all-race elections, won by Nelson Mandela’s ANC. [Source]
Songs, shows & trends
TV drama
MBC – “The Final Match” — A youth drama about college basketball that fueled a nationwide basketball craze. [Source]
Music
Seo Taiji and Boys – “Dreaming of Balhae” — The title track of their third album, expressing hope for peaceful reunification. [Source]
Sports
Park Chan-ho joins the LA Dodgers — He became the first Korean-born player in Major League Baseball. [Source]
1994 FIFA World Cup in the U.S. — Korea reached its third straight finals and gave Germany a close game. [Source]
Year League: the best year
Sources
Each [Source] link points to the Wikipedia article for that item. Wikipedia content is available under CC BY-SA. More about this year on Wikipedia