Latest news with #GwangjuUprising
NHK
23-05-2025
- Politics
- NHK
Gwangju Uprising's sexual assault violence survivors speak out
After 45 years, many still don't know about the sexual violence women faced around the Gwangju Uprising. Today, the survivors are speaking out in the hopes of forcing the government to act. NHK World's Kim Chan-ju has more
Pink Villa
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Best places to visit in BTS members RM, Jin, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook's birthplaces in South Korea
BTS, the globally renowned K-pop group, has captivated audiences worldwide with their iconic music and performances. Comprising seven talented members—RM, Jin, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—the group has roots in various parts of South Korea. As fans eagerly anticipate their reunion in June, following the discharge of Jungkook, Jimin, RM, V, and SUGA from mandatory military service and the group's 12th debut anniversary, it's a good time to explore the hometowns of these artists. Each city offers unique cultural experiences and attractions that reflect the diverse backgrounds of the BTS members. 1. Busan – Birthplace of Jungkook and Jimin Busan, South Korea's second-largest city, is known for its stunning beaches, vibrant markets, and rich cultural heritage. Jagalchi Market: As the largest seafood market in South Korea, Jagalchi Market offers a plethora of fresh seafood options. Visitors can sample various delicacies and experience the bustling atmosphere of this iconic market. Gamcheon Culture Village: Often referred to as the "Machu Picchu of Busan," this colorful village is renowned for its artistic installations, murals, and labyrinthine alleyways. It's a haven for photographers and art enthusiasts. Gwangalli Beach: This crescent-shaped beach is famous for its fine sand and the stunning view of the Gwangan Bridge. It's a perfect spot for relaxation and enjoying the coastal scenery. 2. Daegu – Birthplace of V and SUGA Daegu, a city known for its fashion and textile industry, offers a blend of traditional markets and modern attractions. Seomun Market: One of the oldest and largest traditional markets in South Korea, Seomun Market is a hub for textiles, crafts, and street food. It's a great place to experience local culture and cuisine. Duryu Park: This expansive park features walking trails, sports facilities, and the Daegu Tower, offering panoramic views of the city. It's a popular spot for both locals and tourists. 3. Ilsan – Birthplace of RM Ilsan, a district in Goyang city, is known for its modern urban planning and cultural sites. Lake Park (Ilsan Lake Park): One of the largest man-made lakes in Asia, this park offers scenic walking paths, gardens, and recreational facilities. It's a peaceful retreat within the city. KINTEX (Korea International Exhibition Center): As a major convention and exhibition center, KINTEX hosts various events, including concerts, exhibitions, and conventions, reflecting the dynamic cultural scene of Ilsan. 4. Gwangju – Birthplace of J-Hope Gwangju is a city with a rich history and a strong emphasis on arts and democracy. Gwangju Biennale: This contemporary art exhibition showcases works from artists worldwide, emphasizing Gwangju's commitment to the arts. May 18th National Cemetery: A solemn site commemorating the Gwangju Uprising, it's a place of reflection and understanding of South Korea's democratic movements. 5. Anyang – Birthplace of Jin Anyang is a vibrant city that blends natural beauty with cultural landmarks. Anyang Art Park: This park is renowned for its contemporary art installations set against a backdrop of lush greenery. Visitors can enjoy a fusion of nature and art as they explore the various sculptures and exhibits. Sammaksa Temple: A historic Buddhist temple nestled in the mountains, Sammaksa offers serene landscapes and a glimpse into traditional Korean architecture and spirituality. Pyeongchon Central Park: A spacious urban park featuring walking trails, sports facilities, and seasonal flower gardens, making it a popular spot for relaxation and community events. Anyang 1st Street: The city's bustling commercial hub, offering a variety of shopping, dining, and entertainment options. As June approaches, fans worldwide are eagerly awaiting the reunion of BTS. With Jungkook, Jimin, RM, V, and SUGA completing their mandatory military service, the group is set to embark on new group activities. Exploring the birthplaces of each member offers fans a deeper connection to the band's roots and the diverse cultural tapestry of South Korea. Whether you're an ARMY or a traveler seeking to experience South Korea's rich culture, these cities provide a unique journey through the landscapes that shaped the members of BTS.
The Guardian
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Do Ho Suh: Walk the House review – all the des res of one man's life, right down to the towel rails
Home is where the art is for Do Ho Suh. The Korean conceptualist has spent his career ruminating on and exploring the places we live in, creating ghostly, beautiful facsimiles of the houses and apartments he's called home. And now those fragile, wispy, delicate buildings have been transported and rebuilt in the middle of Tate Modern. A traditional Korean hanok house looms over you as you enter. It's not made of bricks and mortar or wood and screws, but paper, carefully wrapped around the artist's childhood home and rubbed with graphite, exposing the texture of the material beneath. The paper is yellowed and mildewed from months of being left exposed to the elements, but it has survived as a sort of memorial: to childhood, architecture, migration, the past. It's the perfect expression of all of Do Ho Suh's best ideas: the haunting power of memory, the loss of your past self and the way the spaces we live in act as symbols for all of it, long after we've moved out or migrated away. But where that huge Korean house is impenetrable and opaque, the next installation actively invites you into its series of connected rooms made of wire and coloured semi-transparent polyester. Each space is a place he lived in, every detail re-created in wire and fabric – door handles and light switches, power sockets and towel rails, cupboards and tiles. Some are grandiose and European in style, others are ornately Korean. Each space is a slice of the artist's past that you are allowed to walk through, to live in for just a moment. A final structure, huge and transparent, is a full-scale replica of Suh's current home in London, made of gleaming white fabric. All along its walls are brightly coloured door handles, thermostats and fuseboxes from his former homes, objects that have been touched, which bear the wear of the resident. It's a map of his past through switches and knobs, like a portrait made in Homebase. Lots of contemporary art is about architecture and the lived environment, but Suh's emotional focus and simple nostalgic obsessiveness is what sets it apart. Even when he deals with wider, societal topics – such as the grey, grimy wall made of rubbings of a room left empty after the Gwangju Uprising in the 1980s – he treats the past as a heavy burden that haunts the present. The issue here is that the three big installations are so dominant and colourful that they dwarf everything else. The works on paper can't compete, and aren't that great to begin with. The films – long, drawn-out, eerie portraits of dilapidated apartment blocks and an animation about building a home halfway between New York and Seoul – pass by unnoticed, eclipsed by the bigger work. Only the two little white smocks filled with the artist's kids' favourite toys stand a chance against the pull of the installations. The show feels unbalanced as a result, too full, it needs more space and attention. And there's a part of me that thinks the work is too pretty for its own good, that its ideas get totally lost in the trick of allowing you to walk through a transparent polyester house, which is maybe why that Gwangju Uprising work feels a bit more impactful, with its violence and greyness. Memories aren't always pretty and pink, sometimes they're horrible and filthy. But all this ceaseless excavation of often hyper-personal memory still works, largely because it manages to trigger your own memories. It makes you think of all the flat-shares you've lived in, all the houses of your childhood. Those rooms, buildings, spaces are symbols of past joy, love, laughter, tears and arguments, every grimy student flat is a container of memory, every childhood bedroom is a place of history. The difference here is that Suh hasn't left any of it behind, he's carried his past with him, refusing to let go, refusing to forget, and the results, at their best, are as beautiful as they are moving. Do Ho Suh: Walk the House is at Tate Modern, London, 1 May until 19 October
Korea Herald
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Gwangju's battle to restore historic landmark nearly over
GWANGJU -- In the heart of Gwangju, a decade-long struggle to preserve a site of immense historical significance is finally nearing its conclusion. The former South Jeolla Provincial Office, a key landmark of the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, was partially demolished in 2015 before protests halted its destruction. Now, after years of fierce opposition, discussions and even a fire that threatened to derail restoration efforts, the project is set to be completed in the second half of 2025. Among those who fought tirelessly to protect the building are the mothers of those who lost their lives during the pro-democracy movement. In protest, those opposed to the demolition, including the members of the Mothers of May, the mothers of those who died in the Gwangju Uprising, shaved their heads, held demonstrations and mobilized public pressure to halt the demolition. Their efforts eventually led to a reversal of government plans and the decision to restore the annex instead of removing it. In 2023, the restoration process started in earnest. On Feb. 11, Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yu In-chon met with the representatives of the Guardians of the Former South Jeolla Provincial Office Restoration, who are family members of the victims who lost their lives during the Gwangju Pro-democracy Movement. 'It's been 10 years. When we first started this, we did not expect to take this long. ... In the meantime, we shaved our heads and went on a hunger strike,' Chu Hye-seong, the leader of Mothers of May, also a member of the Guardians, told Yu, urging him to closely oversee the restoration process. Chu's husband suffered from illnesses caused by torture inflicted on him during the uprising. "Right now, our priority is restoration. Once it's completed later this year, we will focus on transforming the venue into a museum dedicated to democratic movements and history. We will make great efforts to develop meaningful content to fill this space," Yu stated. The demolition was initially intended to help the city move forward from its painful past while creating a new symbol of cultural progress with the establishment of the Asia Culture Center. The ACC, now renamed National Asian Culture Center, opened in 2015. It was envisioned as a major hub for Asian arts, cultural exchange and creative industries, to bring contemporary art exhibitions, performances and research institutes to Gwangju. The demolished part — 24 meters out of the 54-meter-long annex — was supposed to serve as the new gate for the modern culture center. After years of debates, a consensus was reached to restore the original form as a reminder of what it costs to keep the nation's democracy. In October 2023, the government announced a plan to restore the six designated buildings — including the main and annex buildings of the former South Jeolla Provincial Office, the government conference room, the main and civil affairs office of the Provincial Police Headquarters, and Sangmugwan Hall — to their original state in May 1980. The interior and exterior structures, as well as the connecting passageways, were to be restored. When completed, the Main Building will showcase the 10-day struggle from May 18 to May 27, 1980; the Provincial Police Headquarters will focus on the stories of citizens who participated in the uprising. Sangmugwan Hall, which temporarily housed the bodies of victims during the Gwangju Uprising, will serve as a permanent memorial space. This location is also central to Nobel Prize winner Han Kang's novel "Human Acts," which powerfully depicts the trauma, resilience and suffering of those involved in the uprising. The novel's harrowing accounts of victims' bodies being temporarily laid in Sangmugwan have been instrumental in raising global awareness of the historical significance of this site. Mothers of May Meanwhile, as the Mothers of May await the completion of the restoration later this year, they have found a new path to healing in recent years: singing. Since 2022, all 15 members have participated in "Songs of the Mothers of May," a performance that transforms 40 years of grief and longing into music. They have performed at the ACC in Gwangju and across the country. In May and June of last year, the group commemorated both Jeju's 4.3 Incident and Seoul's June 10 Democratic Protest. Jeju's 4.3 Incident refers to the state-led massacre that took place on Jeju Island between April 3, 1948, and 1954, during which tens of thousands of civilians were killed amid the government's suppression of an alleged communist insurgency. Seoul's June 10 Democratic Protest in 1987 was a pivotal moment in South Korea's fight for democracy, as mass demonstrations against the military regime led to direct presidential elections and the country's transition to democratic rule. 'We started the performances to tell our stories through singing. Now that we're getting older and there isn't a sufficient budget, we cannot do as much as we hoped. For this year, we will perform once in Gwangju and once in Japan in June, and we will make some changes,' Chu said.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Analysis: Historic conservative rally marks shift in Gwangju's political landscape
Feb. 20 (UPI) -- In a significant departure from its traditional political alignment, Gwangju, South Korea, witnessed an unprecedented conservative gathering last weekend, as demonstrators both supporting and opposing President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment took to the streets of the historically progressive city. The Save Korea Gwangju Rally, which opposed the impeachment efforts, drew an estimated 150,000 participants, marking the largest conservative demonstration in the city since the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. The event was part of a broader nationwide movement that attracted approximately 300,000 protesters across the country. The rally, organized by the conservative Christian activist group Save Korea, proceeded despite initial attempts to prevent it. Participants gathered for an emergency prayer meeting and voiced their support for President Yoon with chants of "Free the President" and calls to investigate alleged election fraud. A defining moment of the demonstration came when Gwangju native and conservative commentator Joo Dong-sik delivered a controversial address challenging the region's long-standing political positions. In subsequent social media posts, Joo elaborated on his critique of what he termed the region's "political industrialization" -- a practice of securing national budget allocations through political influence rather than economic merit. In his widely circulated Facebook post, Joo cited several state-funded projects, including the National Asia Culture Center, Korea Institute of Energy Technology, and the Saemangeum Jamboree, as examples of what he described as inefficient allocation of national resources. His comments sparked intense debate about regional development policies and political patronage. Simultaneously, a counter-demonstration organized by the Emergency Action for Yoon's Immediate Resignation gathered approximately 20,000 participants. The pro-impeachment rally, which included Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung and several opposition lawmakers, featured protesters chanting slogans such as "Impeach Yoon" and expressing opposition to what they termed "far-right forces." Local authorities implemented comprehensive security measures, including strategic placement of police barricades between the opposing groups, ensuring the day concluded without significant confrontations. The successful management of these simultaneous demonstrations highlighted the city's capacity to accommodate divergent political expressions. The demonstrations underscore the evolving political dynamics in Gwangju, a region that has maintained strong progressive affiliations since the May 18 Uprising of 1980. The city has long been considered a stronghold of former President Kim Dae-jung's political legacy and has historically maintained distance from conservative administrations. Political analysts suggest that the successful staging of a major conservative rally in this traditionally progressive stronghold may signal a potential shift in regional political discourse. However, the simultaneous pro-impeachment demonstration underscores the continuing political divisions within the community. The events in Gwangju reflect broader national debates over South Korea's political direction, particularly regarding relations with North Korea and international alignments. Joo's speech addressed these themes directly, criticizing what he described as the region's historical opposition to liberal democracy, market economy, and South Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation. The controversy surrounding Joo's comments highlights ongoing tensions over interpretations of regional history and political identity. Despite facing criticism as a "traitor to his hometown," Joo maintained that his loyalty lies with South Korea's foundational principles of liberal democracy, market freedom, and the rule of law. Local scholars note that the demonstrations represent more than just a debate over President Yoon's impeachment. They suggest a potential reassessment of regional political attitudes and the complex relationship between local identity and national politics. The day's events have also prompted discussions about the evolution of political expression in South Korea. The peaceful coexistence of opposing demonstrations, despite their significant size difference, has been cited as evidence of the country's maturing democratic processes. As Gwangju continues to grapple with these developments, observers note that the success of the conservative rally may encourage similar events in the future, potentially reshaping the region's political landscape. However, the strong showing at the pro-impeachment demonstration suggests that progressive forces remain deeply rooted in the city's political fabric. The implications of these demonstrations extend beyond regional politics, potentially influencing national discussions about political polarization, regional development, and the balance between historical legacy and contemporary political discourse in South Korea.
