"Heo Wi Wangsan, Revived Through the Brush"

Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of Liberation
Gumi Calligraphy Exhibition Features Over 40 Works
Including Prison Poems and Final Words

At the end of the Korean Empire, a calligraphy exhibition commemorating the spirit and resolve of Heo Wi Wangsan (1855-1908), who dedicated his life to Korea's independence and was martyred at Seodaemun Prison after resisting Japanese colonial rule, will be held in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province.

Jongsub Jeong, Director of the National Institute of Korean Studies (right), and Jangho Kim, Mayor of Gumi City, are having a conversation while looking at the epitaph of Teacher Heowi Wangsan last month.

The city announced on the 23rd that it will host the exhibition "Wangsan, Serving with the Brush" at the Gumi Art Gallery from August 26 to September 1.

This exhibition has been organized to mark the 80th anniversary of Liberation, and will feature around 40 calligraphy works, including the teacher’s final words, poems written in prison, and memorial poems dedicated by later generations.

This exhibition is significant not only as a display of calligraphy, but also as an opportunity to revive the national spirit and the ideals of independence in contemporary language. By blending the dignity of traditional calligraphy styles with a modern sensibility, the exhibition offers a new interpretation of the messages of resistance and determination left by the teacher.

After the exhibition, the works will be donated to the Wangsan Memorial Hall and the descendants of his family, remaining as valuable records to remember and carry on Wangsan’s legacy.

Heo Wi Wangsan was born in Imeun-dong, Gumi, and organized the United Righteous Army of the Thirteen Provinces, rising to the position of military commander and leading the "Seoul Advance Operation." His decisive action, which directly targeted the heart of Japanese rule, is regarded as the pinnacle of the Righteous Army movement at the time.

However, in 1908, he was arrested in Yeongpyeong and, on October 21 of the same year, was martyred as the first death row inmate at Seodaemun Prison. In recognition of his achievements, the government posthumously awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Republic of Korea Medal.

The city of Gumi has designated October 18 to 21 as "Wangsan Cultural Festival Week" and plans to host a creative folk music play, traveling concerts, a musical performance, and a memorial ceremony, providing a venue for citizens to remember and honor him together as part of a culture of remembrance and patriotism.

A Gumi city official stated, "This exhibition is not just a cultural event, but a question of how the region and future generations will inherit the noble spirit of Teacher Wangsan," adding, "It will serve as an opportunity to expand a culture of remembrance and patriotism together with citizens."

In 1908, he was arrested in Yeongpyeong and on October 21 of the same year, before his martyrdom as the first death row inmate at Seodaemun Prison, these were the words of Teacher Heowoo while in prison.