Gapsin Coup 130th Anniversary at the Suwon Museum
Words by Zoey Ryu
Through February 22nd
2015 is the 130th anniversary of the Gapsin Coup of 1885. Joseon Dynasty in the late 19th century was a time of turbulence as foreign forces became more dominant. The Gaehwapa (Enlightenment party) led by Kim Ok-gun and Pak Young-hyo attempted to transform Korea and open its borders. Though their coup ended in three days as a failure when Queen Min intercepted, their dreams are still latent in the globally-connected nation that Korea has now become. In memory of this significant event in Korean history, Suwon Museum is holding an exhibition entitled “Gapsin Coup 130th anniversary: The young men who dreamed of a new world.” The coup leaders including Kim Ok-gun, Seo Gwang-bum, Seo Jae-pil and Pak Young-hyo are all natives of Suwon. This special exhibition will display 238 relics that show the reality of the coup d’état. Art works from prominent painters from the dynasty will also be featured.
For more information, visit swmuseum.suwon.go.kr