Would there be interest in a late Chosŏn timeline?

The POD would be that Crown Prince Munhyo, who in the real world died at the age of four during a measles epidemic in 1786, survives to be a competent ruler. The timeline ends around 1880 as Korea begins to make formal contact with the West, so the posts will generally stay in Korea (it might spread to a declining Qing China, but I'm wary of the worldwide butterflies that would result).

For style, I prefer "history-book" style. I'm fond of Mote's writing in Imperial China: 900-1800 so I'll try to imitate that, but maybe without that much success. Maybe some primary sources (letters, Veritable Records, etc). I'm not going to write any first-person narratives, mind you.

Would there be any interest? It's rare that you see a Korean, or even generally East Asian, timeline around here.
 
Well I've always believed, that Korea was basically doomed (as in doomed to continue stagnation and eventually become someone's colony) after the death of King Jeongjo. Or more precisely, that he was the last chance of the Korean gouvernment saving itself, before devolving into nothing more than an embezzlement-fest. Having a son who died in OTL continue his policies instead of the in Sunjos reign might do the trick.
So yes I'd definitely be interested. Two things though:
1. Write it to beyond 1880. Preferrably until you catch up with present day ;) .
2. If you want to modernize Korea before it's too late for it to not become at least vassalized by either Russia or Japan, Korea should make formal contact with the West considerably before 1880. My suggestion would be the King using the example of Chinas humiliating defeat in the Opium War to scare the Court into accepting foreign traders and technology.
 
Well I've always believed, that Korea was basically doomed (as in doomed to continue stagnation and eventually become someone's colony) after the death of King Jeongjo. Or more precisely, that he was the last chance of the Korean gouvernment saving itself, before devolving into nothing more than an embezzlement-fest. Having a son who died in OTL continue his policies instead of the in Sunjos reign might do the trick.
[.....]
2. If you want to modernize Korea before it's too late for it to not become at least vassalized by either Russia or Japan, Korea should make formal contact with the West considerably before 1880. My suggestion would be the King using the example of Chinas humiliating defeat in the Opium War to scare the Court into accepting foreign traders and technology.
Actually, I have no plans to make Korea "modernized" like Meiji Japan besides some limited military reforms as a response to the Qing failure in the two Opium Wars and the general disintegration of China. There will be a significant sociopolitical change, but that will be a response to the conditions within Korea (in particular the Third Pandemic in 1859) that in real history lead to, among other things, the emergence of Tonghak and the 1862 risings.

1. Write it to beyond 1880. Preferrably until you catch up with present day ;) .
Honestly I'm not ready to handle the rampant butterflies and I'm going to go way out of the areas that I actually know about :p
 
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