WI European explorers had reached King Sejong's court?

King Sejong the Great was a great believer in science and technology, and who had a dim view of hidebound Confucianism. He invented hangul to help educate the poor masses and encouraged the work of Korean inventors and astronomers, elevating those of low birth despite the protests of the elite. He was a keen military moderniser and supporter of literature.

It seems to me that King Sejong would have been the most receptive Korean leader to European ideas and sciences, but he was perhaps born a few centuries too early for Jesuits or explorers. WI an ATL European explorer with knowledge of the sciences had arrived in Korea during the reign of King Sejong. Given the great distances and the natural isolationism of Korea's elite, how likely is it for at least some western ideas (or at least some greater curiousity and understanding of the far western civilisation) to filter in?
 
His reign was about thirty years too early, the Portuguese had not even rounded Africa at the time of his death.
 
yes, right.....

Back to the topic.

If the Europeans reached anywhere in Asia like they planned when they left Europe and went west, they would of most likely landed in Cinpangu (old European name for Japan) and been slaughtered by the samurai. With the men of this voyage never returning, the European people would assume that they had falled off the edge of the world and exploration to the west would be halted for many years to come.
 
yes, right.....

Back to the topic.

If the Europeans reached anywhere in Asia like they planned when they left Europe and went west, they would of most likely landed in Cinpangu (old European name for Japan) and been slaughtered by the samurai. With the men of this voyage never returning, the European people would assume that they had falled off the edge of the world and exploration to the west would be halted for many years to come.

People knew that world was spherical back then.
 
yes, right.....

Back to the topic.

If the Europeans reached anywhere in Asia like they planned when they left Europe and went west, they would of most likely landed in Cinpangu (old European name for Japan) and been slaughtered by the samurai. With the men of this voyage never returning, the European people would assume that they had falled off the edge of the world and exploration to the west would be halted for many years to come.

This was also before the Tokugawa Shogunate, so the Europeans would have simply been treated as a curiosity at worst.
 
His reign was about thirty years too early, the Portuguese had not even rounded Africa at the time of his death.

I was thinking more along the lines of a Marco Polo style explorer. But it wouldn't really have the same effect.

Sejong was probably a one hit wonder but what would be the effect of a similarly intelligent, curious and progressive ruler in later Korean history? Though its hard for lightning to strike twice.
 
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