What's the best POD for a decent 19thCent. Korean modernization

[general_tiu]

I'm planning to build a Korean modernization timeline. The problem is, what is the best POD.

[Neroon]

The biggest problem with a successful Korean modernization in the 19th century is to make the conservative Civil Service Bureocrats who ran the country want to modernize in the 1st place.
Korea had a lot of things going for it after all:
- Much more natural resources than Japan
- higher literacy than in usual undeveloped countries
- A country that considers itself a nation, rather than just a collection of tribes
- A culture that values education

The problem was it CHOOSE to isolate itself rather than open up and modernize. So the trick will have to be to have some something happen that's drastic enough to get a modernization faction in power without it being too drastic to make it too little too late.
Perhaps the Europeans being nastier than OTL to China and Japan might work. Seeing the Qing Empier humilitated worse (and more visibly especially) might shake things loose perhaps.

[general_tiu]

Or maybe more civil service bureaucrats adopt Western learning and be more outspoken.