The early Korean missions were started by missionary John Ross in Manchuria, Sujeong Lee in Japan, and Horace Allen, a missionary in Korea. Ross gained souls of a few Koreans in Manchuria and made Seo Sang-ryun a minister. The first Korean church, Sorae Church, was established by this young Korean man. Seo Sang-ryun helped missionary Underwood and contributed to the mission of the Presbyterian Church. Sujeong Lee, who went to Japan, was baptized in 1883 and began translating the Bible. In addition, Lee Soo-jeong wrote a letter requesting missionaries and sent them to the United States.
The Presbyterian Church mission was planned by McWilliams. He read Sujeong Lee's letter and made a donation for Korean missionary work, urging the American church to start missionary work. As a result, missionary doctor Heron was dispatched. It was Underwood who first set foot in Korea as an ordained pastor and missionary. Entering Korea on April 5, 1885, he is a figure who can be called the father of the Korean Presbyterian Church. In 1886, he built the first church in South Korea, Saemoonan Church.
The American Methodist Church sent missionary Appenzeller. He founded Jeongdong Church, the first Methodist church. He also started his first educational institution, Bae Chae Hak Dang. The Methodist Church was more interested in medical missionary and educational activities than any other denomination. Missionary Hulbert's ministry had an impact on the Korean church as a whole. First, national personnel were educated. His most representative figure is Rhee SyeungMan, the first president of the Republic of Korea. Second, he established a young Christian organization called YMCA. Third, he was the one who took the lead in the independence movement. Fourth, the missionary participated in the International Peace Conference held in The Hague, Netherlands in 1907 and carried out the anti-Japanese movement.
The Holiness Church was started by the Oriental Mission Society, which was established in Japan by the Holiness Movement Group in the United States, and those from the Tokyo Bible Institute. Juji Nakada, the founder of the Oriental Mission, visited Korea to seek the spread of the holiness gospel. Kim Sang-joon, Jung-bin, and Lee Jang-ha, who studied at Tokyo Bible Institute, returned to Korea and established the Central Missionary Center in Seoul and started Holiness Church. He established Jinnampo Jeondogwan(mission center) for missionary work to North Korea, followed by Gaeseong Jeondogwan. At the same time, Ahyeon Jeondogwan was established for missionary work in the western part of Seoul. The Holiness Church began to spread to the south of the Han River. Missionary work in the southern region began by forming evangelism groups and holding outdoor tent meetings in markets and squares.