A Hero of the Same Age

Korea was under Japanese colonial rule for a long time, during which many Koreans were killed, forced into labor, and subjected to extreme brutality. Despite these injustices, Koreans continued to fight for independence. One of these efforts was the March 1st Independence Movement, during which a girl my age, Yu Gwan-sun, courageously stood up for her country. Instead of fighting with violence like the Japanese, she shouted “Long live Korea!” to protect her identity and dignity as a Korean.

As a result, she was arrested and suffered severe torture before she eventually died. Many other independence activists also sacrificed their lives to protect our nation. Today, South Korea enjoys its freedom thanks to the bravery and resilience of these countless heroes. Since her birthday is coming up on December 16th, I want to honor her courage by expressing it through my artwork.