They weren't Korean, but they still gave everything for Korea's independence

Korea Herald

28-02-2025

Book sheds light on 25 independence heroes from overseas, including those who are behind film, drama characters
Films and drama series set during the Japanese colonial period from 1910 to 1945 often feature people from overseas who join Korea's independence movement.
In the hit drama 'Mr. Sunshine' (2018) by screenwriter Kim Eun-sook, a journalist surnamed Mackenzie interviews anti-Japanese resistance fighters and documents their struggles, bringing their cause to the global stage.
Another character, American missionary Joseph Stenson, who serves as a father figure to the protagonist Eugene (played by Lee Byung-hun), is killed while attempting to deliver a secret letter from Emperor Gojong to the international community.
In the film 'The Age of Shadows,' (2016) a character named Ludvik participates in a mission to smuggle explosives into Korea, posing as the husband of resistance fighter Yeon Gye-soon (played by Han Ji-min).
And in the film 'Anarchist from Colony,' (2017) which focuses on Korean anarchist activist Pak Yol (played by Lee Je-hoon), Pak's partner, Japanese anarchist Kaneko Fumiko, is arrested with him for allegedly plotting the assassination of the Japanese emperor, as well as sentenced to death alongside him.
Real people behind the characters
Are these activists for Korea's independence from overseas purely fictional characters, created for dramatic effect, or are they rooted in historical fact?
In many cases, the figures portrayed in films and drama series are based on real people. All four characters mentioned above are inspired by actual people in history.
Mackenzie in 'Mr. Sunshine' is based on Frederick A. MacKenzie, the Canadian journalist who served as a traveling correspondent in East Asia for Britain's Daily Mail. He reported on Japan's colonial rule, Korea's independence movement and its resistance efforts.
Joseph Stenson was inspired by Homer Hulbert, an American missionary, journalist and educator who fought for Korea's liberation from Japan, serving as a special aide and secret envoy to Emperor Gojong. Hulbert also played a key role in laying the foundation for modern education in Korea.
Ludvik is based on "Magyar," likely an alias for a Hungarian who played a critical role in manufacturing explosives for independence fighters in Shanghai. Magyar, like the character in the film, posed as the husband of female independence activist Hyun Gye-ok. But his true identity has never been confirmed, and after the disbandment of the secret organization fighting for Korea's independence group, the Uiyeoldan, or Heroic Corps, reports simply say that he left Shanghai.
Fumiko portrayed in 'Anarchist from Colony' was Kaneko Fumiko in real life. She and Pak published magazines that addressed the hardships faced by Koreans under Japanese rule. And she was romantically involved with Pak for much of their time together. They were married a few days before their sentencing.
The book 'I Am a Foreigner Fighting for Korean Independence' (direct translation) illuminates the stories of foreign independence fighters, many of whose contributions have been forgotten or overlooked.
As of November 2024, 18,162 individuals have been officially recognized by the South Korean government as independence patriots. The book notes that among them, 76 are non-Korean foreign nationals excluding overseas Koreans.
The authors ― Kang Kuk-jin, a Seoul Shinmun reporter; Kim Seung-hoon, a reporter-turned-Culture Ministry official; and Han Jong-su, academic director at the Korean Heritage Foundation ― hope the book will raise public awareness of fighters for Korea's independence from overseas and serve as a catalyst for discovering and honoring more such figures, ensuring their stories are passed down to future generations.