Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Newbie]

So, this holiday coming up next week really has me confused. Yes, I am easily confused...

As I understand it, this holiday is to commemorate an event in which Korea held a rally telling Japan to bugger off. This was in 1919. Now, if I check my little fact book, Japan actually stayed until 1945. So, that suggests to me that the little rally was a complete failure. No? So why celebrate a complete failure? I've been trying to think of something similar in the West, where we celebrate a failure. I'm sure there must be something.

Was there more than just a rally in 1919. Were scores of people massacred? Is this when the woman was shot? Did this rally result in Japan easing up a little?

I just can't bend my mind around commemorating a failed event.

[Drunken Monkey]

I think it is to commemorate the beginning of the independence movement rather than the action taken on that day.

[RACETRAITOR]

I think it's to commemorate the sacriface made by Koreans on that day.

[mindmetoo]

America wasn't actually free on July 4, 1776 either. Granted it took a bit more time. And then blacks weren't exactly particularly free people for much, much longer. Both holidays, in a sense, are rather premature celebrations of somethin' or another.

[Demonicat]

Like the others mentioned, its Independence day. Its the day that all Koreans respect the honor and sacrifice for those lost during the Japanese period. This is a big deal.

[swetepete]

It'd be a lot like the Irish commemorating the Easter Uprising of 1917. It's not a "wooohooo, let's party, we're number one" kind of thing; more of a solemn, pissed-off, "lest we foget."

[eamo]

[joeyjoejoe]

ANZAC day in Australia and New Zealand

Gallipolli 1915 was a failure