The author Cho Hyougyoun was born in the hills of Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do Province and grew up in Cheongju. While working as a newspaper reporter, he came across the world of the humanities and found it so intriguing that late in life he returned to college to study archaeology and history. Cho received a Master’s degree in Archaeology and Journalism from the Department of Archaeology and Art History at Chungbuk National University. He also received a PhD from the Department of History at Chungbuk National University, specializing in social and economic history. His writings include “Dispensations for Tribute Women and Their Families During the Early Joseon Period” and “Study on the Taverns Around the Chungju Region in the Nineteenth Century.” Formerly, he taught at Cheongju National University and Korea National University of Transportation. Currently, he is an expert adviser at the Chungbuk Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and a visiting professor in the Department of History at Chungbuk National University.