One of the most fondly remembered historical figures in South Korea was not a ruler or military commander but a diminutive high school girl who took on an empire. In 1919, at the age of 18, Yu Gwan-sun organized a peaceful demonstration against Japanese colonial rule. Thousands gathered to publicly display Korean flags and call for independence from Japan, which had formally annexed Korea in 1910. During Japan’s 35-year occupation, such public displays of nationalism were illegal. Yu was arrested and died the following year in a prison cell, apparently of torture. Now Yu’s life and legacy are at the forefront again, part of a broad debate about how South Korea’s history...
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