Fighting for the Independence: The Righteous Army

Hi HACD friends 😊 Welcome back to this new article. Let’s go right to today’s topic: The Righteous Army!

As we already know, 15th August marks the Korean National Independence Day. On this day Koreans celebrate the end of the Japanese domination and the Restoration of the Korea’s freedom. The government institution hold ceremonies and parade where the Gwangbokjeol song (광복절 노래) is played. Population display the South Korea’s flag, the Taegeukgi (태극기).

The Taegeukgi (태극기. Photo by Lauren Seo on Unsplash)

The Japanese Domination lasted from 1910 to 1945. During this period Korea was violated in so many ways. Most of the ancient historical records were adapted to Japanese history, the use of Korean language was banned and Koreans were also forced Japanese names.

“Living everyday in the presence of those who refuse to acknowledge your humanity takes great courage.”

Pachinko, written by Lee Minjin (이민진)

Many Koreans fought for their independence and their Country, and thanks to The Righteous Army, Korea had the opportunity to free itself from the Japanese domination and recognizes his own history and rights.

But what is the Righteous Army?

The Righteous Army was an independent armed force consisting of civilians who periodically helped the government achieve independence for their country. It was supported by government forces and was crucial in pushing back the invaders.

A photo of the Righteous Army taken by Frederick Arthur McKenzie [1]

Thanks to Frederick Arthur McKenzie, a British journalist, there is a lot of information and evidence about the activities of the Righteous Army. He also reported on the poor conditions of the Korean people during the invasion. In his book, “The Tragedy of Korea, he examined 40 years of Korean suffering in history.

Righteous Army in media

Replica of the popular photo of the Righteous Army in the k-drama “Mr. Sunshine”

Thanks to many Korean directors, today we have the opportunity to get a glimpse of Korean history through media such as movies and K-dramas. One of the most popular K-dramas about the Korean independence movement is “Mr. Sunshine”.

While “Mr. Sunshine” is set in the first year of 1900, the movie “Assassination”, also known as “Amsal”, is set in 1933 and is about the birth of many independent fighters.

In summary, thanks to brave men and women, Koreans have had the chance to live in freedom, preserve their history and culture, and be one of the most beautiful Country in the World!

References:
[1] https://namu.wiki/w/%EC%9D%98%EB%B3%91