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"As a second-generation Korean-American, there are so many historical facts, national heroes, and inspiring stories of my mother and father’s country that are still unknown to me. One particular story was revealed to me 2 months ago in Barcelona out of all places.
As my friend SK and I headed towards the 1992 Olympic stadium in the Monjuic area of Barcelona, I did a double take when I saw a monument dedicated to a Korean marathon runner just outside of the entrance to the stadium.
We were confused on why there was a monument dedicated to the relations between Korea and Spain. It seemed kind of random and such a coincidence that it would be one of the first monuments we came across as we began exploring Barcelona for the first time. It also seemed odd to me because Spain is an extremely nationalistic country, and seeing a monument dedicated to an athlete of another country stuck out to me like a sore thumb.
I had to figure it out! I immediately did some research on my Blackberry and found that it was dedicated to the runner Hwang Young-Cho, the winner of the marathon at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. This was a symbolic and tremendous moment for Hwang Young-Cho and the people of South Korea.
The last time a South Korean athlete had won a gold medal for the marathon was back in 1936 in Berlin. This was during a time when Korea was colonized by Japan, and Korea’s culture, language, and customs were severely oppressed. Students were required to learn, speak, and write in Japanese. Korean singers, actors, and journalists were highly monitored or even wiped out completely. Anyone who showed signs of revolt were taken away and killed or tortured. Therefore, it is no surprise that during the 1936 Olympics, Korean runner Sohn Kee-Chung was forced to change his name to a Japanese name and wear a Japanese jersey. When he won the grueling race, the Japanese flag was raised and Japan’s anthem was played. Rather than standing at the podium with his shoulders back and a smile on his face like most proud gold medalists, he stood in shame, unable to shake off the horror of adding to the glory of a country that was in the process of overtaking his very own. No matter how many times he autographed his name in Korean characters and tried to explain to the media, he was never heard, and the medal was awarded to Japan’s history, and it stayed there for many years even after its rule in South Korea ended.
Sohn Kee-Chung and fellow Korean bronze-winning teammate Nam Sung-Yong, solemn at the podium. (Photo cred: Undefeated Running)
Finally, years after Japanese rule in Korea ended and 56 years to the day that Sohn Kee-Chung won his medal, he was still coaching the new generation of marathon runners for the 1992 Olympics. That day, Sohn Kee-Chung proudly watched from the audience as his protege, Hwang Young-Cho, won the gold for South Korea. What made the gold even sweeter was a symbolic and key moment in the race when Hwang Young-Cho finally surpassed a Japanese runner within the final 3 miles to secure his spot in first place. Finally, the medal was awarded to South Korea, gaining media attention that revealed to the rest of the world the unveiled the story behind these two national heroes."