[Slate] The '1947 Boston' That Ignored Son Ki-jeong's Reproach

Son Ki-jeong, Who Shed Tears Holding His Chest After the Rising of the Japanese Flag Despite Winning Gold Medal
"My Heart Feels Like I Have Found My Homeland Again," Says Seo Yun-bok, Who Reached the Top with the Taegeukgi
Director Kang Je-gyu: "It Is Meaningful to Revisit Hidden History"
Patriotism at the Forefront... Regret Over the Absence of Conflicts Surrounding the Marathon Delegation

Sohn Kee-chung (1912?2002) won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics. The award ceremony was tragic. The Rising Sun Flag was raised on the central flagpole, and the Kimigayo anthem echoed throughout the Olympic Stadium. Sohn Kee-chung bowed his head. Then he made a resolution: "I will never run under the Rising Sun Flag again. But I will make more Koreans aware of this bitterness."

The Japanese team headquarters held a celebration party inside the athletes' village. Until dawn, the main figure could not be found. Sohn Kee-chung was attending a welcome party hosted by Mr. Ahn Bong-geun, a cousin of independence activist Ahn Jung-geun, at his residence. There, he saw the Taegeukgi for the first time in the main room. The yin and yang divided into vivid colors, and the trigrams surrounding the Taegeuk. Sohn Kee-chung never forgot that moment for his entire life.

"I trembled as if a hot electric current was flowing through my whole body. It felt like facing the face of a lost and dead homeland. Avoiding the eyes of oppression and surveillance, the Taegeukgi seemed alive, and I was filled with the conviction that the Korean people were alive as well, which made my heart flutter."

In 1947, Sohn Kee-chung was able to soothe the resentment from Berlin. He participated as a coach in the Boston Marathon and led Seo Yun-bok (1923?2017) to victory. It was the first victory achieved by our people under the Taegeukgi. He was overwhelmed with emotion in the stands and shed tears. "I found the lost homeland again, found the lost Taegeukgi again, and found the lost name of Korea again, announcing the country's survival to the world. It felt like I had found my lost homeland from 11 years ago again."

Director Kang Je-gyu faithfully captured this series of events in the film '1947 Boston.' There were two main reasons. The first was his hope that the history of victory would be reexamined. Sohn Kee-chung expressed his regret in the recommendation for the late journalist Jo Dong-pyo's book 'Marathon is Alive' (1995) as follows:

"Besides me, there were many who proudly showcased the excellence of the Korean people to the world through sports, but their achievements were not always properly recognized. For example, my junior Seo Yun-bok's victory at the 1947 Boston Marathon or the medal sweep in the 1950 competition (Ham Ki-yong, Song Gil-yoon, Choi Yoon-chil) were feats that could be evaluated even higher than mine. However, due to the circumstances of the time, they were not properly recognized then or even today."

Director Kang said, "Our history has more periods of pain than glory. Seo Yun-bok's Boston Marathon victory happened during one of those painful times," adding, "I thought it was meaningful to revisit hidden history. It was not an achievement made by individual effort alone. Seo Yun-bok's effort was supported by Coach Sohn Kee-chung and the sacrifice of Nam Seung-ryong (1912?2001), resulting in a valuable outcome. We need to reflect on what they ran for."

'1947 Boston' puts patriotism front and center. When the Boston Marathon organizing committee forbids Seo Yun-bok (played by Im Si-wan) from wearing the Taegeukgi on his uniform, Sohn Kee-chung (played by Ha Jung-woo) declares he will not participate, saying it goes against the spirit of the competition. The Boston Marathon was established to commemorate April 19, 1775, when the American independence army fought against British forces. Massachusetts and Maine declared it 'Patriots' Day' and held various commemorative events. Wilson, president of the Boston Athletic Association, was inspired to add the marathon after witnessing the passionate race at the 1896 Athens Summer Olympics.

Director Kang said, "I hope this film provides a moment to think about why marathon runners at that time ran with their homeland in their hearts." He added, "Now, borders between countries have largely disappeared, and concepts like borders or nations are fading. Even my children hardly show such concepts. But back then, people were the opposite. Thoughts about the country were especially strong." This essence is connected to another reason Kang took the helm: the dual nature of sports. It is constantly polluted and exploited by politics but sometimes opens a stage for political harmony.

On the surface, the honor Seo Yun-bok achieved belongs to the latter. It deeply impressed American civil society with a small, previously unknown Eastern country. The impact was so significant that it was said to surpass that of hundreds of diplomats. Avery Brundage (1887?1975), who became the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1952, congratulated Seo Yun-bok and promised to help Korea participate in the 1948 London Summer Olympics.

Director Kang said, "At a time when politicians raising their voices for independence barely got a single line in foreign news, running for two hours to make Korea known was so remarkable that Kim Gu might have given the calligraphy 'Jogpa Cheonha (足覇天下, meaning 'Conquering the world on foot')."

However, it was not unrelated to politics. Even after the marathon team reached the top of the Boston Marathon, they ran out of travel funds and had difficulty returning home. Im Young-shin (1899?1977), who was visiting the U.S. as a diplomatic envoy for Dr. Syngman Rhee, understood the situation and began collecting money from Korean expatriates. They traveled with the marathon team to New York, Washington, and even Los Angeles (LA) to raise funds. At that time, the Korean community in LA was in turmoil due to factionalism and party strife. The community was divided into the Korean National Association, the Dongjihoe, and the Heungsadan, and they could not agree, inviting the athletes separately. Sohn Kee-chung recalled the time as follows:

"I was invited separately to three different gatherings and it was convenient to get three meals a day, but it was sad and heartbreaking in my heart. Now that we have regained our country, what does it matter if it is the Korean National Association, the Dongjihoe, or the Heungsadan? They all support the leaders of our nation, so if they respected and understood each other, that would be enough. If they cannot understand that, it means they are trying to claim credit and enjoy power, not for independence or the country."

The situation at home was no different. Shortly after the marathon team returned, Yeo Un-hyung (1886?1947), chairman of the Joseon Sports Association, was shot dead by assailants on the spot. Along with him, Jang Deok-su (1894?1947), who had argued the legitimacy of Korean independence to the Japanese government, was also killed by police officers Park Gwang-ok and Bae Hee-beom at Jongno Police Station that year. In 1949, Kim Gu was also shot by Ahn Doo-hee, ending his sorrowful life. Politicians claimed to have the country's best interests at heart but resorted to guns before persuading opposing factions. They stained the fledgling political atmosphere of the country with blood.

Regrettably, '1947 Boston' does not depict any of these conflicts. Therefore, there is no room to reflect on today's ideological clashes where even the Taegeukgi is used as a political tool. The film focuses solely on the mindset of the team, who wore the Taegeukgi and competed in their first international competition. Sohn Kee-chung, Seo Yun-bok, and Nam Seung-ryong were undoubtedly heroes who looked beyond and worried about more than that. A speech at the welcome ceremony held by the provisional government and the Joseon Sports Association to celebrate Seo Yun-bok's victory proves this. It was a reprimand toward officials who only sought credit.

"I believe that Seo Yun-bok's victory today is not only due to his own efforts but also thanks to the great support of the entire nation. Thank you very much for holding such a grand welcome. However, where was everyone when we left for the U.S.? I think Seo Yun-bok has done a greater deed than many patriots among the elders. Please create a stable society so that we can train with peace of mind (Sohn Kee-chung)."

"When we left, it was a lonely departure, but after winning and returning, we received such a grand welcome. It was the same when I went to Berlin with Sohn Kee-chung 11 years ago. Rather than superficial welcomes, I hope for spiritual and material support for the young athletes in our sports community (Nam Seung-ryong)."

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