Queen Seondeok of Silla was revered for her wisdom, her compassion, and most importantly – her ability to use nature’s signs to foretell the future! And with some truly audacious international diplomacy (and a resolute refusal to bend to patriarchal bullying) she would lay the foundations for the unification of The Three Kingdoms – now known as Korea.
Karen Wang Diggs, author of The Book of Awesome Asian Women, helps us uncover the life of this elusive and fascinating queen.
Special thanks to Joanne Kim, Corey Warburton, and to Suwan Choi and the Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago.
photo by Corey Warburton
photo by Junho Jung
photo by Zsinj
photo by Rennles
photo by Dal Gial
Karen Wang Diggs describes herself as a ‘history hound.’ Her work is dedicated to sharing lesser-told stories to show the world that strong women have always been, and always will be, crucial to the future of the world. Karen was born in Hong Kong but grew up in Hawaii. She was raised by a single mother whose strength and resilience fed into her passion for uncovering the stories of strong women throughout history. After studying at the University of Hawaii, she moved to the rolling hills of San Francisco and got her credentials as a classically trained chef and certified nutritionist. Karen continues to cook up a storm as a professional chef while expanding her deep history education by pursuing a Master’s in Applied Anthropology. Follow her on Tiktok, Instagram or Facebook.
Music featured in this episode included:
Samulnori performed by the Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago
Dance Music of the Imperial Palace performed by Cao Jianguo, Li Xiangting and Zhu Runfu
Huan Sha performed by the Shanxii Provincial Song and Dance Troupe
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