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'Peter Pan Father' Exhibits Cherished Heirlooms at History Museum

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Jeon Gyeong-cheol, known as the "Peter Pan Father," is exhibiting his family's heirlooms at the Chungnam History Museum.
  • Jeon, who has terminal liver cancer, is preparing for his autistic son's future after a facility agreed to accept him.
  • The exhibition aims to preserve ancestral traditions and family history for future generations.

Chun Gyeong-cheol, a man diagnosed with terminal liver cancer and known as the "Peter Pan Father," is showcasing his family's heirlooms at the Chungnam History Museum. The exhibition features about 10 items of ancestral ritual objects from the Jeongseon Jeon clan, family genealogies, and essays written by Chun, including "Goodbye, Peter Pan."

Chun, 64, who raised his 20-year-old son with severe autism alone, was recently featured in a terrestrial broadcast program detailing his search for a facility for his son. A "miracle" occurred when a facility in Chungbuk agreed to admit his son, allowing Chun to focus on his remaining time.

I hope that when people see the exhibition, they remember how our ancestors set their tables and what their family trees looked like, and that despite good or bad, there were ancestors who lived for over 100 years within the order of their time.

— Chun Gyeong-cheolExpressing his hopes for the exhibition's impact.

The museum displays Chun's family history, leading visitors through regional history before culminating in the display of his donated artifacts. Videos of Chun and his son's story, as featured in media, are also shown. The museum plans to add an interactive element where visitors can leave messages of support for Chun and his son.

My ancestors have lived for generations in Gongju, where we are rooted, and I believe my father would have wanted to entrust these items here.

— Chun Gyeong-cheolExplaining his decision to donate heirlooms to the Chungnam History Museum.

Chun decided to donate his family heirlooms after his son was accepted into the facility. As the fifth-generation eldest grandson, he felt it was important to entrust these items, which hold his family's history, to a place that would cherish them. He chose the Chungnam History Museum in Gongju, his ancestral home, over the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, believing his father would have preferred it.

Among the donated items, Chun expressed particular attachment to a brass bowl called a "sijeop," used to hold chopsticks during ancestral rites. He recalled his grandmother emphasizing its importance in preserving the spirit of the clan during the Japanese colonial period. "This sijeop, used for about 150 years across five generations, is especially precious," he stated, finding great comfort in seeing it displayed.

This sijeop, used for about 150 years across five generations, is especially precious.

— Chun Gyeong-cheolHighlighting the significance of a specific heirloom.
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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