Numerous well-known names, professors, and various institutions participated in an online conference held by the Korea University (KU) Institute for Sinographic Literatures and Philology on January 22, with the purpose of studying the state exams of the Joseon Dynasty and its implications in the lives of the dynasty’s citizens. The overall theme of the conference was to incite discussion on "East Asia's Past and History of Literature." Prominent questions that were discussed  in the conference – held on both Zoom and Youtube – including specifics on how people studied for this state exam and how these systems were developed. 

Through this online meeting, foreign professors participated in the discussion by comparing the similarities and differences between Joseon’s state exam and that of Chinese dynasties such as the Ming and the Qing. They also discussed the exts these hopefuls studied to prepare for Joseon’s state exam, redefining the necessity of disseminating the state exams from both academic and cultural points of view. The methods used to decide on the roles of the future generations have important cultural context for modern society, and through these conferences it is possible for a fruitful discussion in certain aspects of our ancestors’ livelihoods.