Museum shows what Korea was like 60 years ago

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of Republic of Korea, the National Folk Museum brings you "Moments of Hardship and Glory" a special exhibition that showcases Korea's past through various artifacts from the everyday life of the country.

As the museum promotional literature says, it will be a "journey into the past 60 years" with over 500 or more displays of black and white photos, old-fashioned dress, shoes and toys as well as “firsts" of everything modern.

The display begins with the jubilant moment of 1948 when Korea officially declared itself to be a free democratic country, moves through the rapid industrialization of the 60s and 70s and up to 1988 Seoul Olympic Games and 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.

The exhibition covers five themes "Our Nation,” "Our Sweat", "Our Lives,” "Our Time" and "Our Reminiscences."

"Our Nation" seeks the meaning of the nation through the old “taegeukgi,” a Korean national flag which had to be hidden throughout the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945), 1948 photographs of government officials right after setting up Korea's first national constitution, the commemoration ceremony that followed and other significant relics of the past.

"Our Sweat" refers to the era of rapid industrialization during the 60s and 70s where people put were striving to rise from the poverty. People back then were hungry but hopeful. This section will feature references to various campaigns at the time that encouraged rural development and thrift.

"Our Lives" provides a glimpse into the everyday lives of the past. Old televisions and radios, small refrigerators that were the biggest luxury at the time might bring a knowing smile to the faces of visitors old enough to remember the “good old days.”

"Our Time" focuses on changes through time; what is gone and what still remains. The big highways that Koreans once saw only in Hollywood movies are now an everyday sight in 21st century Korea.

An old bicycle that played a big role when cars were so rare, the first camera one's father bought home, Korea's early television made by "Lucky Gold Star," the old name of LG Group, a cell phone the size of a brick have all transformed together with the times.

For pop culture through the ages, there is the section titled "Our Reminiscences.” There is a room for people to relieve 70s and 80s through music, drama, movies, animation and comic books. Visitors are free to listen to music there. Another corner brings to live the great moments of sports in past decades through a touch screen.

Finally, this special exhibition displays five historic cars made in Korea, including the Pony the first car produced by Hyundai Motors, followed by Daewoo's Royal Salon and more, showing that Korean automobile manufacturing has indeed come a long way.

The exhibition, which began on Wednesday (July 30), will continue until Sept. 15. After that it will move to Chungnam National University Museum from Oct. 21- Nov. 30.

This article appeared on www.korea.net

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