Book Trip
[Into the Book ⑤] Human Acts, One Step Closer to a Painful Memory Historical Sites of the May 18 Democratic Uprising in Gwangju Metropolitan Area
2023.12.04
Human Acts
Some memories don’t heal. Rather than fading away over time,
Han Kang’s novel published in 2014, Human Acts (Changbi Publishers), which won the Man Booker Prize in 2016, tells the story of the Gwangju May 18 Democratic Uprising* through the eyes of several characters. Even though more than 40 years have passed, Gwangju is a city that still remembers and mourns the pain of the May uprising in 1980, when citizens and university students stood up for democracy. The novel narrates the events of the ten days from May 18, 1980, through six characters. The writer focuses on individual emotions and pain, not political or social debates, so you can feel the pain as vividly as if you were there. The writer revealed that she felt a great deal of emotional aftermath because she was able to capture the pain of Gwangju Metropolitan City, where she spent her childhood. We went in search of the symbolic places of the May 18 Democratic Uprising that appear throughout Human Acts. * May 18 Democratic Uprising: A democratic movement in South Korea, May 18-28, 1980, led by the people of Gwangju, demanding the establishment of a democratic government, the removal of the neo-military forces, and the end of martial law.
5.18 Democracy Square seen from the Jeonil Building
The history of democracy in the 5.18 Democracy Square
Think of the cold trigger. Think of the warm finger that pulled it.
One of the most iconic scenes of the May 18 Democratic Uprising was when martial law forces fired at citizens gathered in front of the Jeollanam-do Provincial Government Office. In Chapter 1 of Human Acts, the scene is described in detail as Dong-Ho runs away in extreme fear as his friend Jeong-Dae is hit by a bullet. Exposed to the hail of bullets, citizens laid down in the square in front of the old government office and on the streets of Geumnam-ro, unable to get up.
5.18 Democracy Square Fountain and former Jeollanam-do government building under restoration
5.18 Clock Tower
Right next to the square is the Jeonil Building, which provides an observation deck overlooking the 5.18 Democracy Square. It was the first office building in Gwangju, a symbol of the former government office square, and the largest building in Gwangju when it was established in 1968. You can see the former government building, Sangmugwan, fountain, and clock tower from the rooftop observation deck. The Jeonil Building was recognized for its historical value when 245 bullet holes from helicopter gunshots were found on the 10th floor. It is now preserved as a cultural space, observation deck, and democracy movement exhibition hall.
The May 18 Democratic Uprising exhibit space in the Jeonil Building, with 245 helicopter gunshot holes preserved.
5.18 Archives exhibits UNESCO Memory of the World archives
I fight, and I fight alone, every day.
About 200 meters along the main road from the Jeonil Building is the 5.18 Archives, where you can learn more about the May 18 Democratic Uprising. Here, various records and materials related to the May 18 Democratic Uprising are stored and displayed. In particular, the importance of the 5.18 Archives, which preserves citizens’ statements and manifestos, medical records, and U.S. declassified documents, was heightened when the May 18 Democratic Uprising was added to the UNESCO Memory of the World list in 2011.
A view of the 5.18 Archives, an interview notebook written by a reporter from The Dong-A Ilbo at the time.
Multimedia materials in the 5.18 Archives, hot air balloon and taxi experiences in the VR Experience Room
Currently, a total of 29 historical sites related to the May 18 Democratic Uprising have been selected in Gwangju Metropolitan City, and markers have been installed to commemorate and preserve their historical significance. The first historical site marker is located at the main gate of Chonnam National University, considered the starting point of the May 18 Democratic Uprising. The marker stone here is larger than the others to commemorate the beginning of the uprising, and documents the students’ resistance to the martial law forces in detail. Other historical sites can be found throughout the city, including Chonnam National University Hospital, where the wounded were treated, the former Gwangju Munwha Broadcasting Building, Namdong Catholic Church, and the former site of the 505 Security Force.
The marker stone at the main gate of Chonnam National University, which is designated as Historic Site No.1, and the marker stone at Chonnam National University Hospital
Yangnim Historical and Cultural Village, the beginning of Gwangju’s modern history
Once you have had sufficient time to explore the May 18 Democratic Uprising, visit Yangnim Historical and Cultural Village in Yangnim-dong, Nam-gu. This cultural village marks the beginning of Gwangju’s modern history and is a popular tourist destination in Gwangju Metropolitan City, with modern heritage sites scattered throughout.
Lee Jang-Woo House, an example of early modern Korean hanok architecture, and Owen Memorial Hall, a modern Western cultural space
Human Acts is a heartbreaking history of the people of Gwangju and a tribute to the democratization process that we must remember. In her introduction, the writer expressed her hope that “more young people and young readers, will read this book.” This may be the reason why she painstakingly wrote the story of Gwangju, which has been gradually forgotten over the past 40 years. Visit the historical sites related to the May 18 Democratic Uprising in Gwangju Metropolitan City, where you can encounter the pain and memories of that day.
Written by Kim Gyu-Sung
Kim Gyu-Sung #Human Acts#Han Kang#Gwangju Metropolitan City#Democratic Uprising |
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