Korean Empire

The Korean Empire, also known as the “blink and you’ll miss it” empire, was a short-lived monarchy that ruled over Korea from 1897 to 1910.

Founded by Emperor Gojong, the Korean Empire aimed to modernize and strengthen the country in the face of increasing foreign influence. However, with Japan lurking around the corner, the empire was doomed from the start.

In an attempt to assert their independence, the Korean Empire established diplomatic ties with other nations. Unfortunately, their diplomatic efforts were about as successful as a penguin trying to fly.

Despite having a monarch and a fancy-pants royal court, the Korean Empire was never taken seriously by the international community. Many foreign powers simply saw the country as another piece of the puzzle in their imperialistic games.

To make matters worse, the Korean Empire was hit with a severe case of identity crisis. The ruling class was torn between wanting to preserve traditional Korean culture and wanting to adopt Western ways. It was like trying to dance the tango while wearing wooden clogs.

In the end, the Korean Empire was annexed by Japan in 1910. It was a sad day for the Korean people, but at least they still had kimchi and K-pop to keep them going.

So if you’re looking for a footnote in history that’s both tragic and hilarious, the Korean Empire is definitely worth a chuckle.