The influence of a beautiful ‘queen’. Actress Song Hye-kyo’s steady progress is inspiring
Together with Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University, Song Hye-kyo has made significant steps this year. In honor of the 78th Liberation Day on 15th, Song Hye Kyo and Professor Seo joined forces once again. They donated a guidebook to Korean independence movement sites in Hawaii, USA.
The guide is available in both Korean and English, and 10,000 copies have been donated to the Center for Korean Studies at Hawai’i State University for free use by visitors. The guide provides an overview of the Korean independence movement in Hawaii, and details the site of the Korean National Congress of Honolulu’s General Assembly Hall, the site of the Korean Synthesis Association Hall, and the Oahu Cemetery.
For 12 years now, Song Hye Kyo has been organizing the “Patriotic Walk” with Professor Seo Kyung Duk. There are already 34 Korean language guidebooks, Korean language signs, and reliefs that Professor Seo organized and Song Hye Kyo sponsored. In 2012, Song Hye Kyo provided a Korean language guide to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, where she was connected to Professor Seo, and sponsored Korean language guides for the Shanghai Provisional Government Building, the Yun Bong Gil Memorial Hall, and the Chongqing Provisional Government Building.
Song Hye Kyo has also organized activities on significant days in the history of the Korean independence movement, such as March 1 and Liberation Day. In 2017, she produced and distributed 10,000 copies of “Stories of Our History Met Abroad – Tokyo Edition” and 10,000 copies of “Stories of Our History Met Abroad – Kyoto Edition”.
In February 2018, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the February 8th Declaration of Independence, she produced a guidebook in Korean and Japanese and donated 10,000 copies to 10 guesthouses in Tokyo. For the 100th anniversary of the March 1 Movement, she donated a relief work and a large Korean sign and information board to the Lee Jun-yeol Memorial Hall in The Hague, Netherlands. On Liberation Day, Song Hye Kyo donated 10,000 copies of Hangeul guides to the Chongqing Provisional Government Office and 10,000 copies of Hangeul guides to Utoro Village in Japan on Hangeul Day.
Song Hye Kyo’s historic actions continued afterward. In 2020, 2021, and 2022, she continued to make donations to help spread the word about history. In March, she released a multilingual video titled “Hostesses of the Provisional Government, Correcting Allowances” in honor of March 1. The video focused on the lives of women independence activists, who were not well known to the public. She also narrated the MBC special documentary “Grandma Is Back,” which highlighted the stories of comfort women victims in the Japanese military.
As such, Song Hye Kyo’s efforts have been greatly supported by the public. This is not an easy choice for a popular star and actress in the Hallyu scene. It is especially difficult because there have been precedents of stars who have spoken out about independence movements and patriotism in Asia, such as Japan, being ostracized and restricted in their activities. She even turned down an advertisement from war crimes company Mitsubishi, which offered her a huge amount of money. At the time, Song humbly said, “Anyone would have thought the same thing in that situation.” In addition to her boldness in speaking out, Song Hye Kyo continues to be an inspiration for her good deeds and patriotism.
