Dongjak-gu Promotes Project Commemorating 120th Anniversary of Independence Activist Sim Hun's Birth

Recruitment of 10 Artists (Teams) in Theater, Music, Crafts, etc. for Sim Hun's 120th Birth Anniversary, Up to 4 Million KRW Support... Various Linked Events Including Performances and Exhibitions in October-November

Sim Hun Statue

Sim Hun Literary Park 'When That Day Comes' Monument

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] “When that day comes, when that day comes / Mt. Samgaksan will rise and dance joyfully / The Han River’s waters will overturn and surge / If only that day would come before this life ends / I will, like a crow flying in the night sky / Ram the bell of Jongno’s In-gyeong with my head and ring it...” 'When That Day Comes, Sim Hun'

Professor C.M. Bowra of Oxford University in the UK praised Sim Hun’s poem “When That Day Comes” as a prime example of world resistance poetry in his book Poetry and Politics (1966).

Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) is promoting the “Sim Hun Project” to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the birth of Sim Hun, a poet, novelist, journalist, and independence activist during the Japanese colonial period.

This project was established to encourage local artists across various genres to discover and create cultural content, thereby developing high-quality local cultural content and supporting artists struggling due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

Though he lived passionately like a flame and passed away, Sim Hun (沈熏, 1901?1936), who still lives in our hearts, left a legacy that we briefly look back on.

Sim Hun was born in Heukseok-dong, Dongjak-gu, and, outraged by the discrimination and oppression experienced by the nation under Japanese colonial rule, actively participated in the March 1st Movement and was imprisoned in Seodaemun Prison. After his release, he went into exile in China, where he interacted with independence activists such as Shin Chae-ho and Lee Hoe-young, vowing to write works that would comfort the exhausted Korean people and instill hope for independence.

In particular, through the 1930 resistance poem “When That Day Comes,” expressing the yearning for national independence, and the 1935 novel Sangnok-su, which provided direction for the young generation at the time, he helped the Korean people overcome pain and find new hope and pride.

Accordingly, in 2014, the district erected a 2.7-meter literary monument next to the old Heukseok Sports Center at Hyosajeong Entrance, installing solar-powered lighting so residents could remember the immortal poet Sim Hun, who lived a fierce life, and appreciate his poetry.

The project call is open to individuals aged 19 or older who have resided in Dongjak-gu for more than one year as of March 1, 2021, or arts organizations established in the district for more than one year, with a total of 10 individuals (teams) to be selected.

Supported fields include performing arts such as theater, film, musicals, puppet shows, dance, and music, as well as visual arts such as painting, photography, sculpture, crafts, installation art, and public art.

For performances, applicants must submit scripts, scenarios, screenplays, or performance plans of at least 30 minutes in length. For musicals and music performances, detailed materials explaining the work, such as scores, audio recordings, stage layouts, and costumes, must be attached and submitted by May 28.

The district will select the final 10 individuals (teams) through expert document and interview evaluations, providing up to 4 million KRW in support to the selected artists (teams).

For more information, inquiries can be made to the District Office’s Sports and Culture Division or the Dongjak Cultural Foundation.

The “Sim Hun Project” will be carried out with various related events such as performances and exhibitions commemorating the 120th anniversary of Sim Hun from October to November.

Lee Soon-gi, Director of the Sports and Culture Division, said, “Through the Sim Hun Project, we hope to discover excellent cultural and artistic content in our district and revive the local arts scene, which has been stagnant due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to the interest and participation of many artists (teams).”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.