Students bring Liberation Day to life through orchestra, musical and dance

"I felt more deeply that the freedom and ordinary daily life we enjoy are by no means something to take for granted," said student Hwang Ji-hu.

The passionate cries of patriots who gave their lives for Korea's independence 81 years ago were brought back to life Saturday through an orchestra, choir, musical and dance performances by young students. What had been a single page in a history textbook became living history for the next generation, and the students' sweat and voices left a deep impression on an audience of more than 1,000.

The "81st Anniversary of Liberation Day — Singing the Day of Korean Independence! HSS Nara-sarang Concert," sponsored by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans and co-hosted by the Holy Seeds Church HSS Sunday School and the World Youth Culture Development Association, was held Saturday at the main auditorium of Sungshin Women's University's Unjeong Green Campus in Seoul.

The undisputed stars of the event were the HSS students themselves. More than 120 of them took charge of every aspect of the program — from planning to performance — presenting orchestral pieces, choral numbers, a musical and dance routines as they reflected on the noble spirit of Korea's independence fighters.

The program opened with the HSS orchestra performing Verdi's "Triumphal March," Shostakovich's "Waltz No. 2," the soundtrack from the film Taegukgi and "Arirang Fantasy." Yi Ye-rang, a master artist recognized as a holder of a national intangible heritage, performed "Song of Sending," and singer Seo Jay and tenor Lee El added to the energy with special performances.

Particularly well received were the HSS dance crew's performance "In the Name of Korea" and "Remembering That Day," a reimagining of scenes from the musical "Hero," which depicts the life of independence activist Ahn Jung-geun — both drawing sustained applause from the audience.

For the students who prepared the show, the experience was a chance to discover firsthand the value of history and peace.

Bang Ju-an, who took part in the musical, said he "sweated through rehearsals trying to express the desperate hearts of our forebears, and came to realize that the peace we have today was won through their great sacrifice." Fellow student Lee Min-woo pledged to "remember the nation and the spirit our patriots defended, and live my life loving Korea."

Congratulatory messages from public figures rounded out the event. Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lee Jae-gwan, who represents Cheonan-eul in South Chungcheong Province, said in a video address that "remembering the history of liberation means thinking about what kind of Korea we will pass on to our children," adding that he hoped "the students' clear voices will become a beautiful resonance that carries history forward."

People Power Party lawmaker Ko Dong-jin, who represents Gangnam-byeong in Seoul, said "the freedom and peace we enjoy were built on the noble sacrifice of patriots," and that "future leaders must possess not only outstanding ability but also a love of country and a sense of responsibility."

Yu Si-u, vice chairman of the Yu Gwan-sun Memorial Project Association, urged the audience to carry on the spirit of independence, saying that "it was through the sacrifice and resistance of countless patriots that liberation became possible."

Seo Dae-cheon, the senior pastor of Holy Seeds Church who led the event, said in his opening remarks that education must go beyond skills and character to instill "gratitude toward parents and a love of neighbors and country," adding that he believed the students had "taken to heart the meaning of love and prayer for their homeland through preparing this performance."

The organizers said they designed the entire process — in which students researched the lives and history of independence fighters and expressed them through performance — as an immersive form of history and character education.

Holy Seeds Church has held patriotic concerts on national commemorations including March 1 Independence Movement Day, Liberation Day and the anniversary of the Korean War as part of its mission to nurture what it calls "five-star leaders" — young people grounded in reason, intellect, emotion, physicality and spirituality.