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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

Historic Korean school in Manchuria revived in musical play

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • A theater group is staging a musical play titled 'Seojeon Seosuk Story' about a pioneering ethnic Korean educational institution in Manchuria.
  • The play depicts the turbulent life of Yi Sang-seol, who led the establishment of Seojeon Seosuk in 1906 under Japanese colonial rule.
  • It highlights the institution's brief but significant history of providing modern education before facing Japanese oppression and financial difficulties.

The legacy of Seojeon Seosuk, a pivotal ethnic Korean educational institution founded in Longjing (Yongjeong), Manchuria, in 1906, is being brought to life through a new musical play. Titled 'Seojeon Seosuk Story: The Tale of an Independent School Founded in Manchuria During a Lost Era,' the production by the Cheongju-based performing arts group 'Ye-sul Gongjang Dure' aims to revive the spirit of this historic school.

The Great Mount Buham stands tall, the Tumen River surrounds it, and Seojeon Seosuk is founded...

— Seojeon Seosuk School SongThe opening lyrics of the school song for Seojeon Seosuk, a historic ethnic Korean educational institution.

The play centers on the tumultuous life of Yi Sang-seol, a key figure who spearheaded the establishment of Seojeon Seosuk. It unfolds like a panorama, using song, dance, and dialogue to portray Yi's life, his death, and the lingering spirit of a man who wandered the lands north of the Great Wall. The narrative vividly depicts the founding of the school on a modest plot of land in the Seojeon plain, the hanging of its signboard, and the brief year it operated, offering modern subjects like history, geography, and arithmetic to about 20 students, before succumbing to Japanese oppression and financial woes.

'Seojeon Seosuk Story' also delves into Yi Sang-seol's involvement in the 'Heungseon Special Envoy' mission, a secret mission ordered by King Gojong, and his broader role in the overseas independence movement. The play traces his fiery life, which ended with his death in Ussuriysk, Russia, without witnessing the liberation of his homeland. Yi Sang-seol's dying wish was for his body and belongings to be cremated and for no memorial rites to be held, a testament to his unwavering dedication to the cause of Korean independence.

At the time, lyrics were often written to existing melodies of songs and hymns. The rhythm of the Seojeon Seosuk school song matched perfectly with the hymn-style children's song 'Make a Fist, Open Your Hand.' As there are no documents or records, this is a conjecture and may differ from the actual melody.

— Kim Kang-gonMusic director Kim Kang-gon explaining his inference of the melody for the Seojeon Seosuk school song.

The musical's score includes a reimagined version of the Seojeon Seosuk school song. While the original lyrics are known through historical research, the melody was inferred by music director Kim Kang-gon. He speculated that the song's rhythm might align with the popular children's song 'Make a Fist, Open Your Hand,' a common practice of the era where new lyrics were often set to existing tunes. Although this is an educated guess due to a lack of definitive records, it adds a unique layer to the performance. A memorial stele commemorating Yi Sang-seol's journey can be found by the Suifun River in Ussuriysk, Primorsky Krai, Russia.

I could not achieve the independence of my country, so burn my body and belongings and do not hold memorial rites.

— Yi Sang-seolYi Sang-seol's dying wish, reflecting his dedication to Korean independence.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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