It’s one thing to learn about and understand this in an academic sense and within historical context, but it’s examples such as yours that bring it into sharper focus and make it feel real and tangible.
I concur, Barb. This was a topic I researched for writing a book set in WWII about a Korean American, but reading about it and hearing my friend's mom relate her feelings about that history were very different things. There was so much she couldn't talk about and the pain was evident. It made the history much more real and personal to me. Thank you for sharing this story, Jae-Ha!
Ohhh, now I remember why the name is familiar. This was the character played by Ha Jung-woo in Road To Boston. Thank you for sharing! Your anecdotes are always worth reading.
This was a moving testament to courage I think. We bandy that word about so often and so freely. But all those you mentioned including yourself possess a history that has resulted often, in a quiet, resolute courage in the face of attempted erasure. Thank you for sharing those stories of ofttimes hidden but extraordinary lives.
Thank you so much, Christine. My parents told me so little about this growing up. I think they felt it was theirs to bear and they didn't want to burden us children. I can only imagine how difficult it was for them during this era.
Yes, I know this in my bones, and I learned of it early on because I didn't immigrate until later - I am.sure our immigrants also don't know. Balkan countries - all of our languages have slavic origins so we have a lot of similar words with Russian, but we were under Ottoman empire for 500 years, so we also have a lot of Turkish words. The assimilation of this kind is unavoidable and unreversable.
This was a fantastic read, thank you. My partner was born & lived in Japan until he was 20, his father is American and mother is Korean - though she grew up in Japan, she will never get citizenship, and neither will he. They are granted “lifelong residency” because of the relationship between Japan & Korea specifically, which has to be repeatedly renewed when living out of the country for more than a few years - and of course covid quarantines created complications with this 🫠 to second Barb above, it really does make a difference to hear personal stories about the infinite small yet HUGE ways colonialism seeps into the groundwater of life for generations after. Thank you for sharing 💗
💔 I often wonder how many generations it will take before people begin forgetting and/or ignoring the past. That's why I think (unrevised) history (and personal recollections) are so important to remember.
Jae, I have grown up saying "담아내기" for onion and "닌진" for carrot! Years later I'd go to an HMart and see "양파" next to a pile of onions and I was totally confused.
Did you see that during the opening ceremony, the announcer called South Korea by the North's official name (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)? Granted, the confusion is understandable (since South Korea is contained within that NK name, Republic of Korea), but still, a facepalm moment.
Like what Turkey did, South Korea should rename themselves to Goryeo! Let's make it easier for the world. 😁
Thank you so much for writing this. As a sportswriter, and also a fan of Korea now thanks to BTS, I am horrified to learn of this. So many injustices done by oppressors. I think the IOC needs to go back through all medal winners and ensure they have the name/country of their choosing for their participation in the past. Just because that was what it was...does not mean it has to be today. Thank you!
Thank you, Joanne! This was addressed with the IOC in the past, and they said that changing his name and country he was from in the record books from Japanese to Korean would be too confusing. So he's still listed in the Olympic records as Son Kitei of Japan.
My dad said that back in the day, the Sohn Kee-chung was referred to as Son of Japan.
It probably would never happen, but would it be too much for the IOC to add the note that Son Kitei was actually Sohn Kee-Chung (손기정), a Korean competing under Japanese occupation? It is the history, and it is true.
It's been 79 years since Korea was liberated, but it's hard to believe that we're living in a time similar to the Japanese colonial era again because of the pro-Japanese traitor Yoon Seok-yeol and his group.
It’s one thing to learn about and understand this in an academic sense and within historical context, but it’s examples such as yours that bring it into sharper focus and make it feel real and tangible.
Thank you for sharing.
Wow, thank you, Barb. I'm so glad that it resonated with you.
I concur, Barb. This was a topic I researched for writing a book set in WWII about a Korean American, but reading about it and hearing my friend's mom relate her feelings about that history were very different things. There was so much she couldn't talk about and the pain was evident. It made the history much more real and personal to me. Thank you for sharing this story, Jae-Ha!
Thank you for adding this important perspective, Sarah.
Ohhh, now I remember why the name is familiar. This was the character played by Ha Jung-woo in Road To Boston. Thank you for sharing! Your anecdotes are always worth reading.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, Rose!
This was a moving testament to courage I think. We bandy that word about so often and so freely. But all those you mentioned including yourself possess a history that has resulted often, in a quiet, resolute courage in the face of attempted erasure. Thank you for sharing those stories of ofttimes hidden but extraordinary lives.
Thank you so much, Christine. My parents told me so little about this growing up. I think they felt it was theirs to bear and they didn't want to burden us children. I can only imagine how difficult it was for them during this era.
Yes, I know this in my bones, and I learned of it early on because I didn't immigrate until later - I am.sure our immigrants also don't know. Balkan countries - all of our languages have slavic origins so we have a lot of similar words with Russian, but we were under Ottoman empire for 500 years, so we also have a lot of Turkish words. The assimilation of this kind is unavoidable and unreversable.
Exactly this. 💔
This was a fantastic read, thank you. My partner was born & lived in Japan until he was 20, his father is American and mother is Korean - though she grew up in Japan, she will never get citizenship, and neither will he. They are granted “lifelong residency” because of the relationship between Japan & Korea specifically, which has to be repeatedly renewed when living out of the country for more than a few years - and of course covid quarantines created complications with this 🫠 to second Barb above, it really does make a difference to hear personal stories about the infinite small yet HUGE ways colonialism seeps into the groundwater of life for generations after. Thank you for sharing 💗
💔 I often wonder how many generations it will take before people begin forgetting and/or ignoring the past. That's why I think (unrevised) history (and personal recollections) are so important to remember.
Jae, I have grown up saying "담아내기" for onion and "닌진" for carrot! Years later I'd go to an HMart and see "양파" next to a pile of onions and I was totally confused.
Did you see that during the opening ceremony, the announcer called South Korea by the North's official name (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)? Granted, the confusion is understandable (since South Korea is contained within that NK name, Republic of Korea), but still, a facepalm moment.
Like what Turkey did, South Korea should rename themselves to Goryeo! Let's make it easier for the world. 😁
And 단무지? I didn't even know what that was. I grew up calling it takuan and had no idea that was what the Japanese called it!
Thank you so much for writing this. As a sportswriter, and also a fan of Korea now thanks to BTS, I am horrified to learn of this. So many injustices done by oppressors. I think the IOC needs to go back through all medal winners and ensure they have the name/country of their choosing for their participation in the past. Just because that was what it was...does not mean it has to be today. Thank you!
Thank you, Joanne! This was addressed with the IOC in the past, and they said that changing his name and country he was from in the record books from Japanese to Korean would be too confusing. So he's still listed in the Olympic records as Son Kitei of Japan.
My dad said that back in the day, the Sohn Kee-chung was referred to as Son of Japan.
It probably would never happen, but would it be too much for the IOC to add the note that Son Kitei was actually Sohn Kee-Chung (손기정), a Korean competing under Japanese occupation? It is the history, and it is true.
I *think* they did do that on the Olympics website.
I always love reading your posts, especially those that provide a glimpse of history or culture. Thank you for sharing this!
Thank you so much, Alyssa for this. I appreciate it very much!
It's been 79 years since Korea was liberated, but it's hard to believe that we're living in a time similar to the Japanese colonial era again because of the pro-Japanese traitor Yoon Seok-yeol and his group.
https://betterkorean.substack.com/p/7da?r=482b1b