2019 marks the 100th anniversary of Korea's March First Independence movement when hundreds of thousands of Koreans nationwide came out onto the streets protesting against Japan's colonization.
And to commemorate the movement, various events are being held across the country, including a special exhibition at Dongdaemun Design Plaza.
Choi Si-young takes us to the scene.
A special exhibition in Seoul is displaying Korean artifacts that wealthy collector Chun Hyung-pil had saved from being taken out of the country during Japan's colonial rule.
Held annually since 2014 by Kansong Art Museum and Seoul Design Foundation, the exhibition this year contains more artifacts than before, including some that are designated as national treasures.
"To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the independence movement, we decided to recapture in depth the life of the collector who fought against Japan through 'culture' and 'education'."
And Chun Hyung-pil did more than just collect Korean artifacts.
During the colonial time, he paid to assume the ownership of a financially troubled secondary school to raise awareness of Korean identity among the youth.
It is said that on every March first when those students graduate, he read out loud the Declaration of Independence to them.
He founded also the country's first modern private museum, which housed numerous Korean artifacts he collected.
At antique auction shops during colonial time, he bought stacks of art products... all at the risk of being sold to wealthy Japanese collectors.
Most were porcelain, and some have now been designated as national treasures.
Chun ventured overseas to buy back the finest porcelain collection made under the Goryeo dynasty.
"The collector not only acquired Korean artifacts in downtown Seoul during the colonial period, but also traveled as far away as Japan to safeguard Korea’s cultural assets."
"The fact that the collector invested his wealth to save our artifacts is a victory for us descendants."
The exhibition will run into the end of March this year at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza.
Choi Si-young, Arirang News.
