Summary of Activities
- Destination: Seoul and Incheon, South Korea
- Objective: To gain a deeper understanding of Korea’s historical consciousness through on-site investigation. By visiting historical sites, we aim to transcend the limitations of online and media-based information and cultivate a more nuanced comprehension of the past.
- Number of Participants: Ten students
- Duration: August 27th to 30th, 2024
Report of Activities
While a practical training session for the SI program in Korea was also held in 2019, this time it was planned with a guarantee of learning quality by appointing a local university professor as the coordinator of the program. The professor, from an academic perspective, carefully selected places to visit and provided in-depth explanations of history while touring with the students. Nine students and one RA from WISH participated and received lectures on history from both Japanese and Korean professors. By comparing the history learned in Japan with the history told from a Korean perspective, the students cultivated a global perspective and deepened their understanding of the diversity of historical perceptions.
■Places visited
Day 1: Incheon Open Port
Day 2: Seodaemun Prison History Museum, Seoul History Museum, Gyeongseong Shrine, Road of National Humiliation
Day 3: DMZ Tour, War Museum
Day 4: Reflection, presentation, free time”
Program Report from a participant
Hello. My name is Chitose Shindoh, and I participated in a study trip to Korea for four days and three nights at the end of August. I want to share my experience with students looking forward to entering WISH.
Our journey took us to the Incheon Open Port, the Seodaemun Prison History Museum, the Seoul Museum of History, the demilitarised zone, and the War Memorial of Korea. With a small group of 10 participants, we could engage more deeply by sharing our thoughts. Two teachers, Mr Sato and Mr Lee, from Hanyang University, gave lectures through our trip from two points of view: Japanese and Korean.
We learned that history has many perspectives, and we should broaden our views in order to understand its complexity. I was particularly struck by our visit to the Seodaemun Prison History Museum, which explained events we had never learned about in Japan. The prison was initially built in 1908 as Kyojo Prison, its purpose was to capture and torture those who opposed the Empire of Japan. We toured many rooms and saw the torture devices used at the time. I was especially surprised to learn about a girl named Ryu Gwan-sun, who died in prison at just 16 years old. She is remembered as the “Korean Jeanne d’Arc.”. We noticed negative feelings toward the Japanese Empire inside this place. I had complex feelings during the visit. However, I started to believe this is a place more Japanese people should see because we never learned how colonisation was experienced in Korea. This visit made me deeply appreciate the importance of understanding both sides of history to grasp it truly.
The main feature of a field study is the opportunity to visit the place yourself. Going there lets you immerse yourself in the local language, gain insight into the people’s lives, and experience the culture firsthand. During my free time on the trip, I enjoyed trying naengmyeon, Korean cold noodles, and hotteok, filled pancake, at Gwangjang Market, watching the fountain at Hangang Park, and wearing a hanbok at Gyeongbokgung Palace. Everything was new to me, and I had such an excellent time. Another advantage of field studies is visiting places we wouldn’t usually go. We went to places such as Seodaemun Prison History Museum and the areas near the border, which made the experience even more valuable.
Lastly, WISH is an excellent residence because living with people from different backgrounds worldwide offers an excellent opportunity to experience and understand each other’s values. As globalisation progresses, the barriers between nations are disappearing. Through this field study, I realised that to truly recognise the multifaceted nature of history, it is essential to understand each other and to visit and learn from one another’s lands physically. Moving forward, I want to continue embracing perspectives from friends from different countries while helping others learn more about my country. I encourage everyone to consider joining WISH, where you can live with invaluable friends worldwide who can help you broaden your horizons.
