Seohak, in Korean history, the study of Western culture, introduced into Korea from the Chinese Ming and Qing dynasties in the 17th and 18th centuries. In a broad sense, the term Seohak refers to the study of Western thought, religion, ethics, science, and technology. In a narrow sense, it sometimes refers only to the study of Western religion and ethics during this period. In the latter case, the term is also used to refer to Roman Catholicism, or Cheonhak (“Heavenly Learning”), which was introduced into Korea in the same era.
Many of the scholars interested in Seohak were identified with the Silhak school, a branch of Confucianism dedicated to a realistic empirical approach to problems of statecraft. Although interest in Western religion and technology continued to grow, Seohak met with severe government repression in the late 18th century and the 19th century.