[If You Know] Seoyunbok Ran Over 4km with Untied Shoelaces (Part 2)

Boston Marathon Participation Expenses Resolved with US Military Government Assistance
Team's Pockets Emptied Upon Arrival in Boston
A Boston Terrier That Hindered Seo Yunbok's Sprint
Son Gijeong and Seo Yunbok Bought Laundry Soap and Dishes with Donations

'If you look closely,' it delivers useful information in a somewhat disorganized manner. This is a tip for enjoying movies more interestingly.

*Following Nam Seung-ryong slapping the face of a Japanese player who used trickery (middle)

*Son Ki-jung often met with Yeo Un-hyeong. Yeo was the father of Yeo Hong-gu, a classmate from Yangjeong High School, and the chairman of the Gyeongseong Athletics Federation. He had long advocated for youth movements, emphasizing the spirit of national independence. He hoped Son Ki-jung would take the lead. Son Ki-jung volunteered to run errands for Yeo Un-hyeong and ran around various places. Yeo Un-hyeong was elected chairman of the revived Joseon Sports Association. This was when he founded the Labor People's Party.

*The year after liberation, Son Ki-jung visited Pyongyang, where his in-laws lived, to see his children. On the way to his hometown, Sinuiju, he heard shocking news over the train broadcast: "This train is the last one heading north. From now on, the 38th parallel will be established, cutting off travel." Son Ki-jung could not stay long in Sinuiju. A young man barely twenty years old followed him around, saying, "Someone is calling for you," which made him fearful. He refused requests from hometown friends to engage in sports activities there and hurriedly boarded a truck back to Gyeongseong.

*The Joseon Sports Association held a national comprehensive sports competition at Gyeongseong Stadium (later Dongdaemun Stadium) to commemorate the liberation of the homeland. Son Ki-jung was deeply moved simply by the fact that athletes had gathered again on liberated Korean soil. Lee Seung-man, who gave an encouraging speech, shouted, "Isn't that person standing over there Son Ki-jung? Let's give another round of applause for Son, a world-class athlete." Son Ki-jung bowed his head and shed tears endlessly.

*The Dong-A Ilbo hosted a banquet called 'Evening of Reminiscence' to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Berlin Olympics victory. At this event, Son Ki-jung, along with Kwon Tae-ha, Kim Eun-bae, Nam Seung-ryong, and reporter Lee Gil-yong, agreed to establish a Marathon Promotion Association. They raised the Taegeukgi flag at Son's house in Anguk-dong and hung a signboard that read 'Marathon Training Center.'

*Another celebratory event for the 10th anniversary of Berlin was held on August 20 at Deoksugung Palace. A large Taegeukgi flag hung on the wall behind the venue. On the stage sat Kim Gu, Lee Seung-man, U.S. Army General Headquarters Commander General Hodge, Major General Arnold, and Military Government Director Lutch. Son Ki-jung and Nam Seung-ryong entered through Daehanmun Gate and stood before the stage. Lee Seung-man said, "Our nation lived, ate, dressed, and breathed under Japanese oppression, but we were like the dead. Amid such circumstances, Son and Nam risked the honor of Joseon and fought to victory. Our 30 million people must unite with the strong will of these two athletes." The following encouragement speech by Kim Gu made the hall solemn. "Until today, I have cried three times because of Son and Nam. Ten years ago in Nanjing, China, I cried painfully seeing a young Joseon man without a country not recognized as a Korean and the Japanese flag pinned on his chest in newspapers. When the Pacific War broke out, I heard the false news that Son had died fighting in the Japanese army in the Philippines, and I cried in frustration. Today, I am moved to tears to meet Son, who was said to be dead, again on liberated Korean soil."

*Before the 10th anniversary ceremony of Berlin, a marathon race hosted by Dong-A Ilbo was held at 3 p.m. The race, which went back and forth from Gwanghwamun to Noryangjin, was won by Seo Yun-bok. Among the young athletes who raised the Marathon Promotion Association flag and participated in training camp, he showed the best skills.

*Seo Yun-bok grew up under a single mother and attended the night school of Gyeongseong Commercial Practical School (Sungmoon High School) through self-study. Due to difficult family circumstances, he worked at a Japanese company but was scouted by Korea University after liberation, gaining an opportunity as a marathon runner. He was not an overnight star. After running middle and long distances and gaining experience in a few full marathons, he started as a marathoner.

*Seo Yun-bok's chance to participate in the Boston Marathon came purely by chance. John Kelly from the U.S., who had competed in the Berlin Olympics, suddenly sent a postcard to Son Ki-jung one day. Kelly had noticed the lightweight shoes Son wore in Berlin, which had a split between the big toe and the other four toes, resembling a hand glove. He took a pair and won the Boston Marathon wearing them. After receiving the postcard, Son Ki-jung figured out how to go to Boston. He first visited the U.S. Military Government Office and was introduced to Mrs. Smadley, an advisor there. The official invitation letter was handled by Frank Briston, a Mexican-American public relations officer and former short-distance track athlete.

*The participation expenses for the Boston Marathon were covered with help from many people. Mrs. Smadley, moved by their difficult situation, readily gave $300 first. She also issued a $5,000 check to the Underwood account so it could be borrowed within the U.S. Hearing the news, officers of the U.S. Military Government emptied their pockets to contribute $1,500, and Military Government Director Lutch also generously donated $1,500.

*Coach Son Ki-jung, Nam Seung-ryong, and Seo Yun-bok went to the market late at night and bought three cheap ready-made suits. They prepared a clothes bag on credit. They boarded a transport plane arranged by the U.S. Military Government in Gimpo and crossed the Pacific. None of them spoke English, but upon arriving in Boston, they attracted much media attention. Reporters, surprised by their shabby appearance, asked, "Why do your suits look like that?" Korean-American Baek Nam-yong, responsible for their living expenses, replied, "They got wrinkled from the long flight." However, Son Ki-jung explained, "The fabric itself is very poor." Flustered, Baek took the team to get new suits first. Son Ki-jung thought since Baek was their financial guarantor, it was a kind gesture. But Baek asked them to pay for the suits. Son Ki-jung later recalled, "I was stunned. I had barely $200 left after paying for the plane ticket and two nights' accommodation in America, and now I had to pay for ill-fitting American suits. I was stuck with nowhere to go."

*The team stayed two days in Honolulu during a stopover and experienced an amusing incident. After going out to practice, they couldn't find their lodging and wandered the streets for six hours before being helped by the traffic patrol.

*On April 18, the day of the Boston Marathon, the sky over Boston was clear. Lexington, a suburb far from downtown, was dyed in spring colors with the shimmering green fields. A total of 153 runners from eight countries, including Korea, lined up at the starting point. Although Korea was independent, it was technically before the establishment of a government, so the athletes' uniforms bore both the Taegeukgi and the U.S. Stars and Stripes. Seo Yun-bok could not even guarantee a third-place finish. The defending champion, Finland's Hietanen, held the world best record of 2 hours 26 minutes. Greece's Gaizordo was also considered a formidable competitor.

*Seo Yun-bok, who ran in the middle ranks early on, moved to the leading group from the 10 km mark. At 28 km, he overtook Hietanen and took the lead. Coach Son Ki-jung shouted to Seo at the midpoint, "Run not just for the country, but fight."

*Along the Boston Marathon course was Wesleyan College, a women's college. Every year during the marathon, female students would stop classes and come out along the course in front of the school to cheer enthusiastically for the runners. The cheers and applause encouraged the exhausted runners but sometimes caused side effects. Many runners tried to show off their strength in front of the female students, speeding up excessively and losing their pace. This day was no exception. Hearing the students' cheers, American runners suddenly increased their pace and rushed toward the lead. Having heard related stories from Boston Korean-Americans before the race, Seo Yun-bok thought, "This shouldn't happen," and controlled his pace.

*Shortly after Seo Yun-bok took the lead, a fluffy Boston Terrier dog ran onto the course and disrupted the race. Seo tried to kick it away but ended up tumbling. His rhythm was broken, and Hietanen took the lead again, putting Seo in a chasing position. About 10 km remained. Seo considered the infamous 'Heartbreak Hill' the decisive point. Thinking of running up the slopes of Jeongneung and Samcheong-dong in Bukhansan, he endured the heart-wrenching pain. Midway up the hill, he overtook Hietanen again and sprinted ahead.

*At the 38 km mark, Seo faced a new obstacle. His shoelace began to come undone. Stopping to tie it again risked being overtaken. Seo came up with a trick. He grabbed a water bowl from a roadside water station and poured water on his foot. The lace no longer loosened. He ran to the finish line, where celebratory fireworks exploded. His time was 2 hours 25 minutes 39 seconds, a new world record narrowly breaking the previous best. The second-place Hietanen finished in 2 hours 29 minutes 39 seconds, four minutes behind. Third place went to American Ted Vogel (2 hours 35 minutes). Nam Seung-ryong faithfully served as a pacemaker and finished 12th.

*Seo Yun-bok's victory at the Boston Marathon was the first win on the world stage under the Taegeukgi flag. Watching this, Son Ki-jung shed tears.

*After winning, Seo Yun-bok answered reporters' question, "How did you build such strength?" by saying, "You ride cars when busy, but we run on our two legs."

*Around the time of the Boston Marathon, Lim Young-shin, president of Chung-Ang University and a diplomatic envoy of Lee Seung-man visiting the U.S., came to Boston. Hearing about their lack of travel funds, he led a fundraising campaign, collecting a large sum of about $1,000.

*Avery Brundage, later elected chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and holding the position for 20 years, upon hearing of Seo Yun-bok's victory, promised through Helis, an official of the International Association of Athletics Federations, to make every effort to have Korea participate in the next year's London Olympics.

*Coach Son Ki-jung, Seo Yun-bok, and the team were moved when elderly Korean immigrants, who had worked as rural laborers and day laborers in the early days of immigration, shook their rough hands and shed tears. The elders said, "We helped this doctor by collecting 50 cents or one dollar from day labor earnings to pray for the country's independence. But the true independence movement is being carried out by you who bring good news from the Olympics." The team felt sorry when they realized that second-generation Korean-Americans at the welcome party could not understand Korean. Their speech was interpreted by Philip Ahn, son of Dosan Ahn Chang-ho.

*With donations received in Washington, Los Angeles, and other places, the team bought many daily necessities such as laundry soap and dishes, which were hard to find in Korea, and returned home. On the way back by ship, they stopped in Japan and visited Yi Eun, the last crown prince of the unfortunate Korean Empire, who was staying in Tokyo. He was appointed Yeongchinwang in 1900 but was taken hostage at age eleven and detained in Japan. Although liberation had come, he worried about the unstable political strife in the homeland. At 51, Yi Eun was still vigorous, spoke clear Korean, and worried about the country's future with patriotic devotion.

*The team arrived at Incheon Port and returned triumphantly. Seo Yun-bok still wore the laurel wreath he received in Boston, and Son Ki-jung proudly waved a large Taegeukgi flag. Tens of thousands seemed to have gathered at the Incheon First Pier to welcome them. The next day, the team held a car parade to Seoul and attended a welcoming ceremony organized by the provisional government and the Joseon Sports Association. Son Ki-jung, who served as team leader and coach rather than an athlete, expressed gratitude for the national welcome but also made a pointed remark: "Where was everyone when we left for the U.S. expedition? I think Seo Yun-bok did a greater deed than any patriot. Please create a stable society so we can train with peace of mind." Nam Seung-ryong added, "We left quietly, but after winning and returning, we received such a grand welcome. It was the same 11 years ago when I went to Berlin with Son Ki-jung. Rather than superficial welcomes, I hope you provide mental and material support for the young people in our sports world."

*A few days later, the team visited Gyeonggyojang to meet Baekbeom Kim Gu. Kim Gu recalled and compared the glories of Berlin and Boston, especially praising Seo Yun-bok. He went into his study and created a splendid calligraphy piece. The phrase 'Jokpa Cheonha (足覇天下)' was not only appropriate in expression but also symbolized the national spirit with liberation, becoming a treasured possession Seo Yun-bok cherished dearly.

*In the spring of 1948, the sports world prepared in various ways for participation in the London Summer Olympics. The task force committee prioritized organizing a sponsorship association to secure funds over diplomatic and policy issues. It was a difficult situation to solve this without a government. International opinion was also leaning toward denying participation rights to Korea, which was not yet fully independent.

*Jeon Gyeong-mu, vice chairman of the task force, died in a plane accident while en route to the Stockholm Congress to obtain IOC approval. Lee Won-soon, who was in the U.S., attended the congress and secured approval with difficulty. After many twists and turns, Korea obtained participation rights and had to send its best team. Naturally, the marathon took the lead. However, Seo Yun-bok was not in good condition, possibly due to psychological pressure, and the 'rising star' Choi Yoon-chil was too tired from the long journey to participate in official practice. Choi ran past the 20 km mark in third place but grimaced at 32 km and suddenly stopped. When Coach Son Ki-jung shouted something, Choi pretended his muscles cramped and sat down. Seo also ran and walked painfully after passing the 27 km mark. He was so unsteady that he almost collided with spectators along the road, finishing with a time of 2 hours 59 minutes 36 seconds (27th place). Hong Jong-o finished about three minutes earlier in 25th place. The race was a tough course, with 30 out of 41 runners finishing with times in the three-hour range.

Reference materials: Son Ki-jung, published by Humanist, 'My Country My Marathon (2022)'; Kim Ji-hwan, published by Chaekgwa Hamkke, 'Modern Railroad (2022)'; Jo Dong-pyo, published by Life and Dream, 'Marathon is Alive (1995)'; Choi In-jin, published by Shingu Munhwasa, 'Son Ki-jung Nam Seung-ryong Erasing the Japanese Flag from the Heart (2006)'; MEDIA2.0 Editorial Department, published by MEDIA2.0, 'Sports 2.0 (2007~2008)', etc.