One of the topic based conversations my partner and I had recently was regarding an important day in Korea. In about a week or so, it will be 삼일절 in Korea, or Independence Movement Day. This important day commemorates the protests and demonstrations that occurred on March 1st, 1919, by Koreans against Japanese colonization/occupation. Many lives were lost in valiant effort, and so many look upon this day with respect and gratitude, similar to our 9/11. Occupation began in 1910, when Korea was annexed by Japan. Thereafter, many Koreans were subjugated to many forms of suffering, and many historical documents/artifacts/buildings were lost. There isn’t much need to go into detail, but in retrospect, many holidays and figures now exist to remind us of our freedom, which was possible thanks to many factors.
삼일절 translates directly to 삼 - 3, 일 - 1, 절 - day, referring to the date, March 1st. As part of their demonstrations, many Koreans would proclaim “대한 독립 만세”, which means “Long Live Korean Independence”, or just the latter part, “만세”. Nowadays, people are more inclined to say “대한 민국 만세”, or “Long Live the Republic of Korea”, which shows how far the country has come.
There is still political/social strife between Korea and Japan, many hold bitter outlooks against Japan. However, I believe resentment has drastically reduced over time, with newer generations who aim for amends and peace. Although formal conflict may remain politically, hopefully social/cultural relations will continue to improve between the countries. These holidays are more to remind us of the valiant efforts of the Koreans of the past, and less of an admonishment against Japan.
Comments
Hey Joseph, this was really great and insightful to read, thanks for sharing. Independence Movement Day seems really important and something I personally didn't know a lot about. I can see how it can relate to your language learning as well, and the connections you made were very cool to read.