As soon as we entered Yonsei University, we saw the memorial statue of Yi Hanyeol and his mound displayed in front of the student hall, where many students passed by. The statue is like the symbol of Yonsei University and inspires the students and people who visit the campus by representing what Korea has gone through and the sacrifice that has been made. Also, on Yi Hanyeol Mound, a stone monument is built, and it addresses the democracy that people should aim to create by mentioning the society that Yi Hanyeol wanted to accomplish and focusing on the sense of peace. By remembering what he fought for and sharing what he tried to achieve, the dark history will never be repeated. Rather, humans can make meaningful outcomes from this incident.
We also visited the Yi Hanyeol memorial museum, where we learned the historical timeline of the student movement in Korea and the importance of his death. Upon visiting the museum, I clearly remember the exhibition of the clothes he wore on the day he was shot. It was so vivid, and I genuinely felt how his death inspired other people and led to holding the national funeral. In addition, I was so shocked when I saw in the videos that the students in the protest were actually being hit and attacked by the armillary because what I saw was far more chaotic and severe than what I had imagined when I heard the student movement. A lot of students sacrificed their lives to gain democracy in South Korea.
After learning about student movements, we also visited the Democracy and Human Rights Memorial Hall, although it was not originally in our plan. The hall was yet to be opened and was still in construction. The building was the former torture place used by Japanese soldiers. Even from its appearance, it looked scary and spooky. Among dark tourism sites, there are some places that people do not even want to see or look away from. Honestly, I felt relieved that I did not have to go into the memorial hall because I would be too scared. However, looking away from the dark history is the same as forgetting those people who have sacrificed. In order to remember our history and people’s efforts and sacrifice, those historical places play crucial roles in bringing people’s attention and casting light on the dark side of history.
Comments