Love Conquers All
Daisy Yang’s Inheritance of Strength
”You must have a dream and the perseverance to see it through. If you set your mind to something and work hard, there is nothing you cannot achieve. Dream big and go for it!”
Lesson Objective
Through the story of author Daisy Yang, understand how the enduring power of love and resilience within a family spreads across generations. Explore how love in a family is passed down through generations and consider ways to expand its meaning into a broader social context.
Summary
The season finale of 'Words of Wisdom from the Rainbow State" begins quite far away from Hawaii. Director Jinyoung goes to Incheon to retrace the footsteps of our ancestors from 120 years ago. At the Museum of Korea Emigration History in Incheon, she meets Daisy Yang, a former professor at Korea University and author, who shares words of wisdom passed down from her grandparents and parents.
About Daisy Yang
Daisy Yang is a former visiting associate professor of English literature at Korea University. She also wrote a historical fiction set in the times of Joseon Dynasty. With her husband, Sung Chul Yang, who was a former ambassador of the U.S., Daisy Yang made a significant donation commitment to the University of Hawaii’s Korean Studies Institute in 2018. Her grandparents were first-generation immigrants who left Hamhung in 1904 to settle in Hawaii. Daisy Yang was born in Hamgyong Province and grew up in Hawaii.
Historical Information
1. How is Incheon significant in the history of Korean immigrants?
Incheon, specifically Jemulpo Port, was the first place in Korea to receive Western civilization's influence. It was the starting point of Korean immigration history to Hawaii and even broader migration to the Americas. A total of 121 people embarked on their journey to the distant land of Hawaii, with 86 of them coming from Incheon, including the areas of Jemulpo, Bupyeong, and Ganghwa.
Incheon, once a small port city, has risen to become a global international city in just a century. Notable landmarks include Incheon International Airport, a hub for Northeast Asia, Songdo Central Park, a park with Grade A seawater flowing through the city center, and Korea's first Chinatown, all of which are points of pride for Incheon.
With this special relationship, Incheon and Honolulu entered into a sister-city relationship at the 100th anniversary of Korean immigration to the U.S.
In 2008, the Museum of Korea Emigration History was opened in Incheon. This museum offers a look at Korea's immigration history across different periods, showcasing the footprints of the Korean diaspora that spread to Hawaii, the U.S. mainland, China, Russia, and beyond.
2. How was Inha University established?
Inha University is a prestigious private institution representing Incheon. The name "Inha" was created by combining the "In" from Incheon and the "Ha" from Hawaii. The funds from the land sold by Dr. Syngman Rhee, who established and operated the The Korean Christian School in Hawaii in the early 1900s, along with contributions from the Hawaiian community, Incheon city, and private donations, led to the establishment of Inha University’s College of Engineering in 1954.
3. How did religion play a role in the start of Korean emigration?
Many of the first Korean immigrants were Christians because missionaries such as Horace Allen and George Herbert Jones played a crucial role in recruiting them. More than half of the first 102 immigrants who boarded the ship were from Naeri Methodist Church, the oldest Methodist church in Korean history. Reverend Jones of this church encouraged many of the parishioners to emigrate to Hawaii, and the Hawaii Methodist Mission helped the Korean immigrants who arrived there.
The first-generation immigrants established the first Korean Methodist Church in Honolulu. This church provided cultural and religious comfort to the Korean immigrants, who were isolated due to language and cultural barriers in Hawaii.
Discussions Points
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Discuss the extent to which religion can serve as a significant motivating factor in shaping one’s future decisions. Consider how religious beliefs and values might influence individual choices.
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Daisy Yang says that first-generation Korean immigrants were pioneers in the spread of K-culture. What do you think about this? Discuss how Korean immigration has influenced the global spread of Korean culture.
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What factors might have motivated some of the early Korean immigrants to return to their homeland after their labor contracts with the farms ended?
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What factors might have contributed to the decision of immigrants to have many children despite the challenging conditions of harsh plantation labor and economic hardships?
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A prominent Korean independence leader and politician, Kim Gu, stated, “The only thing I want is the power of sophisticated culture. Culture has the power to make us happy and give joy to others.” How would you evaluate Kim Gu's assertion that sophisticated culture is essential for happiness and spreading joy?
Film · book recommendation
Lady Bora from Diamond Mountain (2014)
by Daisy Lee Yang
A book written by Lee Jeong-jin (Daisy Lee Yang), tells the story of a woman who used supernatural powers and magic to save her country during the Qing Invasion of Joseon.