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Busan Museum to Host Special Exhibition “Moments of Liberation, Walking Through That Day: Busan’s Independence Movement and Beomeosa”

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The Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that the Busan Museum will host a special exhibition titled “Moments of Liberation, Walking Through That Day: Busan’s Independence Movement and Beomeosa” from June 21 to August 15, for a total of 56 days, in its Special Exhibition Hall to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation.

○ This exhibition aims to provide an expanded and renewed perspective on the history of Korea’s independence movement by highlighting lesser-known historical facts.

The exhibition focuses on various independence movements that unfolded in Busan during the Japanese colonial era, with particular attention to the participation of Buddhist communities, especially the Beomeosa Temple.

○ Prior to Korea’s liberation, Busan served as a major base of anti-Japanese resistance. Beomeosa Temple, in particular, was a central site where local Buddhist leaders committed themselves to national independence. As one of Busan’s representative temples, it was known as a key bastion of patriotic practice and the preservation of Korean identity against Japanese oppression.

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The exhibition is organized into three sections and features relics related to Ahn Jung-geun and other independence activists.

○ Section 1: From Military Temple to Head Temple of Seon Buddhism
– Offers an overview of the history and identity of Beomeosa Temple as a regional hub of Buddhist practice.

○ Section 2: Beomeosa, the Cradle of Busan’s Independence Movement
– Highlights the anti-Japanese efforts led by Buddhist monks, with a focus on their resistance activities centered at Beomeosa.

○ Section 3: Shouts of Independence in Busan
– Revisits the actions of independence fighters from Busan and reexamines key anti-Japanese events in the city.

○ Featured Artifacts include:
– Ahn Jung-geun’s Calligraphy, designated as a national treasure
– Artifacts related to Seo Young-hae, recently registered as National Cultural Heritage
– Items related to Baek Yong-seong and Manhae Han Yong-un, among the 33 national representatives
– Relics of Oh Seong-wol, who helped elevate Beomeosa to the head temple of Seon Buddhism
– A variety of audiovisual materials will also be presented.

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A number of special events will accompany the exhibition:

○ Special Lecture by Historian Choi Tae-sung:
– “The People Who Made That Day: Independence Fighters of Busan”
– Held on June 24 at 3:00 p.m. in the Busan Museum Auditorium.

○ Curator-Guided History Tour:
– Conducted by the exhibition’s curator on July 25 at 3:00 p.m..

○ Children’s Guided Tour Program:
– “A Round in the Exhibition Hall with Bugi”
– Takes place from July 31 to August 2 at 2:00 p.m., targeting students in grades 1 to 6.
– The program features Bugi, the official communication character of Busan.

○ Interactive Photo Zone – “Busan Old Press”:
– Located at the entrance to the exhibition, this photo zone allows visitors to take pictures with a Taegeukgi (Korean national flag) backdrop and receive the image printed as a leaflet styled like the Busan Independence Newspaper.

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The exhibition is open to the public free of charge.

Reservations are required for the “A Round in the Exhibition Hall with Bugi” program.

For details, please visit the Busan Museum website (museum.busan.go.kr/busan).

For other inquiries, please contact the museum at ☎ 051-610-7144.

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Jeong Eun-woo, Director of the Busan Museum, stated,

“This special exhibition is a meaningful event commemorating the 80th anniversary of liberation.
We hope it will be an opportunity to reflect on the significance of liberation and to share the spirit and values of the independence movement with the citizens.”

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Appendix 1. Exhibition Poster

Appendix 2. Key Artifacts to be Displayed

• ●Portrait of Master Yongseong (1982, Beomeosa Seonbo Museum)

• ●Ahn Jung-geun’s Calligraphy (National Treasure, 1910, Seokdang Museum, Dong-A University)

• ●Proclamation of the Korean Buddhist Association (1919, Independence Hall of Korea / Korean National Association in the U.S.)

• ●Joseon Independence Newspaper (1919, Busan Museum)

• ●Letter from Kim Gu to Seo Young-hae (National Cultural Heritage, 1936, Busan Museum)

• ●Seo Young-hae’s Typewriter (National Cultural Heritage, 1940s, Busan Museum)