뉴스레터

Koreans are reminded of independence activists on national holidays like the Independence Movement Day on the first of every March or Liberation Day on the fifteenth of every August. Nevertheless, it is still difficult for people to fathom the burden such activists had to carry when Imperial Japan had deprived them of their own country. It is only possible to sense a fraction of that burden through stories telling what sort of life those activists lead and how many of them sacrificed their lives without hesitation for the sole purpose of liberating their country.

The seventieth anniversary of Korea's liberation in 2015 presented opportunities to communicate and relate to the weight of patriotism through cultural experiences. And among such experiences, the film Assassin emerged as a turning point in shedding new light upon Korean female independence activists who have so far been hidden behind the veil of history. Contrary to the previous understanding that female independence activists took on assisting roles, the film's fresh take of portraying a female warrior roaming around in the enemy camp with a riffle hanging from her shoulder was bound to leave a deep impression on the Korean audience.

An Ok-youn in the Film and Nam Ja-hyeon in Real Life

The film Assassin thrillingly depicted the desperation Koreans experienced during the dark, depressing hours of their history. Setting the lead character up to go against a stereotypical image not only piqued the audience's interest, but also earned their compassion. An Ok-youn and her twin sister presented a symbolic contrast between Koreans who surrendered to Japan's invasion and Koreans who relentlessly resisted it. Rather than hiding in the back streets of history, the female warrior An Ok-youn was someone who jumped in the enemy lines to assassinate a Japanese governor-general and stood tall alongside her fellows throughout independence movements. It was no doubt a novel depiction of a female independence activist, but not unheard of considering that 284 of such activists and 29 women who fought in the liberation army have been awarded decorations by the Korean government as of August 2016. In fact, the motif for An Ok-youn in the film was taken from an actual female independence activist named Nam Ja-hyeon (1872-1933) and her attempt to assassinate a Japanese governor-general.

Longing for Independence Written in Blood

Nam Ja-hyeon was a female independence activist who joined the righteous army of Koreans once her husband passed away from taking part in the army's activities himself. She was a warrior who strived for Korea's independence by taking part in the March 1st movement as well as armed resistance in Manchuria. When disagreement erupted between different organizations fighting for independence, Nam Ja-hyeon was the one who wrote a vow with her own blood as she declared that "the way to survival is not to clash, but to fight as one." For that, she earned nicknames such as the "godmother of independence," "three-fingered female general," and "female An Jung-geun."

Armed with a gun and eight bullets, Nam Ja-hyeon slipped into the enemy camp in April 1926 with the goal of killing Governor-general Saito. However, her plans were sabotaged when a young Korean man by the name of Song Hak-seon attempted to kill a high-ranking Japanese official at the funeral procession of the Korean Emperor Sunjong on April 26, 1926. After that failed first attempt, Nam Ja-hyeon again attempted to assassinate the Japanese ambassador plenipotentiary Buto Nobuyoshi on March 1, 1933 upon word that several events would be held that day to celebrate the first anniversary of Manchukuo's establishment. She secured and transported the necessary weapons and checked the line of action, preparing even more carefully than before so as to ensure the assassination's success. The image of her preparing a gun, bullets, and two bombs is similar to that of An Ok-youn in the film. Also reminiscent of a scene from the film is the photo Nam Ja-hyeon last took with her colleagues at the Wusongdao Studio in Harbin with the 3 dayang (大洋) she borrowed before embarking on her second assassination attempt. However, at about four o'clock in the afternoon of February 27, five days before D-day, Nam Ja-hyeon was exposed by a Korean spy and was arrested while she was disguised as an old lady. Her two attempts to assassinate high-ranking Japanese officials ended up failing, but the film replaced such failure with a successful revenge that went beyond moving the audience and gave them joy.

For Independence Until Death

After being arrested, Nam Ja-hyeon suffered all kinds of torture for six months in prison. The severity of torture inflicted upon Nam Ja-hyeon, the main assailant of an attempt to assassinate a Japanese ambassador plenipotentiary, poisoned the mind of the faithful female independence activist. She began to refuse to eat and prepared for her own demise. August 17, 1933. A near dead Nam Ja-hyeon was released from prison to her family. Once they arrived at an inn run by a Korean on Diduan street, Harbin, she asked her son and grandson to retrieve a hidden pouch. Inside the pouch was cash that amounted to 249 won and 80 jeon. On her deathbed, Nam Ja-hyeon made her will that "200 won be donated to the Korean government the day Korea regains independence, and split the rest of the money in half to be used to educate her two grandsons." These last words reveal how strong Nam Ja-hyeon's commitment toward independence movements had been throughout her life.

The film Assassin secured a channel for historical memories to be communicated to the public. "We need to let them know we're still fighting," "Although roofs leaked water or suffered damage, they would not be fixed because we would soon gain independence and return to our home country," "Hey, don't forget us, three thousand dollars." These lines by independence activists in the film are casually delivered, yet capable of imprinting traces of history in the hearts of those watching and point to the anguish of independence activists who quietly but repeatedly resisted against Japanese occupation. The film's outline of course dramatizes historical facts by adding fictional contrast at a fast pace for the sake of entertainment, but the film will probably be long remembered for shining the spotlight on a forgotten female independence activist and for helping Koreans rediscover through her the youths of Joseon who lived and died for the sole purpose of setting their nation free.