Korean have tried to reform their education system since 1945, when Korea was liberated from Japanese Imperialism. There were two remarkable education movements that succeeded in reforming the vestiges of Japanese Imperialism. One was the New Education Movement(N.E.M) from 1945 to 1950s, and the other was the Open Education Movement(O.E.M) from late 1980s to 1990s. Both of them encompassed a similar ideology of child-centered education. Although they appeared in different era, they had similar characteristics of rise and fall. What were the conditions of these movements? What were the meanings of their ideologies? How had these movements developed in the different eras? In these aspects, how were the two movements different? What made these movements dwindle? The purpose of this study is to answer these questions. The two education movements were supported by the needs of society. Their ideologies came from child-centered education. N.E.M tried to change students' lives in school as well as the method of instruction from a teacher-centered to a child-centered approach. On the other hand, O.E.M focused the goal of their movement on the reformation of the instruction method, which was tailored to the different levels of the students. Both movements tried to reform the curriculum, and make core or united curriculum. These tries succeeded by the endeavor of teachers in schools. Their success spreaded to many schools, and the government made policy to adapt these movements to all schools. Government's hasty policies put a heavy strain on some of the schools that they resulted in unintentional negative effects. The elements of success needed for education movements are leaders, voluntary teachers, and a culture in which they can work freely and cooperatively. Also important is a government policy that is not a “top down” approach, which strains schools heavily, but a “bottom up” approach, in which schools are allowed to reform the education system in its natural environment.