E2024-G095

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

Narrative

In the heart of Gwangju, a city simmering with the fervor for democracy, a monumental event unfolded in May 1980—the May 18 Democratic Uprising. As the oppressive regime of Chun Doo-hwan sought to tighten its grip on South Korea, the people of Gwangju, led by courageous students, rose in defiance. This critical moment in history is forever etched into the annals of time, not just through the memories of those who lived it, but through the powerful records like Jukeum eul neomeo sidae ui eodum eul neomeo (1985), translated into English as "Gwangju Diary: Beyond Death, Beyond the Darkness of the Age." Initially attributed to the novelist Hwang Sok-yong, it was written by Lee Jae-eui, who attended Chonnam National University—a site of initial resistance where students were met with brutal military force during the uprising.