E2024-G095

Recording the Events of the May 18 Democratic Uprising: Gwangju Diary by Lee Jae-ui

Narrative

Published in 1985, Jugeum eul neomeo sidae ui eodum eul neomeo (Gwangju Diary: Beyond Death, Beyond the Darkness of the Age) was the earliest published record to meticulously document the key events of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, which took place in Gwangju in 1980. The book organizes the detailed accounts some 200 citizens involved in the protests where demonstrators faced intense challenges against military forces. It was originally attributed to the renowned novelist and Gwangju native Hwang Sok-yong (1943-) in order to avoid the arrests of the key figures involved in its secret compilation, which was led by Lee Jae-ui, who was studying at Chonnam National University at the time of the uprising. As a direct record of these events, the Gwangju Diary stands as an essential source for understanding the determination and sacrifices made in pursuit of democracy, preserving their history for future generations.

Story Map

• Literary Witnesses: Writing Democracy and Resistance
  • Deulbul Night School and Nokdu Bookstore
  • Fictional Portrayals of the May 18 Democratic Uprising: Literature
  • Hwang Sok-yong: Remembering the May 18 Democratic Uprising through Words
  • From Gwangju to the World: Nobel Prize Laureate Han Kang
  • Recording the Events of the May 18 Democratic Uprising: Gwangju Diary by Lee Jae-ui
  • Poet Kim Jun-tae: Remembering Gwangju and the May 18 Democratic Uprising