[1][2] Compilation work on the encyclopedia first began in 2011, with the scope initially focused on Koreans in China.
That work completed in 2015, and they moved to focused on other major diaspora groups, including Koryo-saram (Central Asia, former Soviet Union), Korean Americans (United States), and Zainichi Koreans (and other Koreans in Japan).
[3] The encyclopedia reportedly received 500 million views between 2018 and 2022.
[1] In 2023, the encyclopedia became part of the China–Korea cultural conflict, in which some Chinese people seek greater emphasis on the Chinese origin of some Korean cultural concepts, such as kimchi (pao cai) and hanbok (hanfu).
According to some South Korean politicians, some of the encyclopedia's articles promoted the Chinese origin of some cultural concepts too much.