Here, I wanted to share with you about Korean Independence Movement Day, the national holiday, and how you can celebrate it. In Korean, the March First Movement Day is called Sam Il Jeol 삼일절, The March 1st Holiday.
March First Movement Day is a national holiday in Korea celebrating the sacrifices of the Korean people in their fight for freedom from Japanese colonial rule. The best way to celebrate the March 1st movement is to take the time to learn more about it!
While the Japanese colonized Korea, they banned all things Korean, including the Korean culture and language. They forced Koreans to change their names to Japanese names.
It became more and more clear, however, that the aim of the Japanese was nothing else than the entire absorption of the country and the destruction of every trace of Korean nationality. One of the most influential Japanese in Korea put this quite frankly to me. “You must understand that I am not expressing official views,” he told me. “But if you ask me as an individual what is to be the outcome of our policy I can only see one end…. The Korean people will be absorbed in the Japanese. They will talk our language, live our life, and be an integral part of us…. We will teach them our language, establish our institutions and make them one with us.” That is the benevolent Japanese plan; the cruder idea, more commonly entertained, is to absorb the Korean lands…
F.A. McKenzie
The Koreans responded with the March 1st movement. This happened on March 1, 1919, and consisted of a peaceful protest by Korean citizens, mainly students and religious leaders. While the Korean people fought with a peaceful protest, the Japanese did not respond in a peaceful manner. There were at least 500–7000 casualties, and the number of injured and arrested people was in the tens of thousands, many of whom died later from the harsh conditions they withstood while imprisoned.
Yes, this is a sad and dark history of the Korean people. So why do the Koreans celebrate it? The Koreans are celebrating the unity in their country as well as their will to fight for freedom and “self-determination.” They are celebrating the sacrifices that many Koreans made for freedom, such as the famous Yu-Gwansun, who was just a teenager at the time. They are celebrating the great influence their protests had on other countries. They are celebrating Korean culture, which could not have existed as it does today without all of these sacrifices.
“The Korean people overcame untold adversity, mitigated the fatalism of han, and in the process, created a legacy of fortitude and resilience from which future generations can draw inspiration and strength.”
Doug Kim
I still have a lot to learn about the March 1st Movement. Every year, I plan to dive a little deeper and learn more about the history surrounding this holiday, and I invite you to do the same!! I will share a little each year on my blog here. As a way to celebrate the holiday, dive deeper into the history, learn about the people involved, and listen to the songs and stories that go along with the Independence Movement.
Watch the following videos to find out more:
Click here to read an article all about Korean Independence Movement Day written in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the March 1st Movement.
This article is seriously thorough and will give you all the facts you need to know to understand the meaning of the March 1st movement.
Here are some vocabulary and sample sentences about the March 1st Movement:
삼일절 Independence Movement Day
유관순 Yu Guansun / Ryu Guansun
대한독립 만세! May Korea be independent for ten thousand years!
오늘은 삼일절입니다. It’s Independence Movement Day
내가 가장 좋아하는 공휴일은 삼일절입니다. My favorite holiday is Samiljeol, Independence Movement Day.
우리나라의 국경일로는 삼일절, 제헌절, 광복절, 개천절 등이 있습니다. In Korea, there are national holidays such as Independence Movement Day, Constitution Day, Liberation Day, and Foundation Day.
– Korean at Home
