Korean (Korean) Son Gi-jeong.
Athlete Son Ki-jeong (1912~2002) signed his name and nationality in Hangul like this. The postcard personally signed by Son Ki-jeong immediately after winning the gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics will be revealed for the first time on August 15.
The National Museum of Korea announced on the 24th that, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of liberation, it will hold a special exhibition titled 'Conquering the World with Two Feet' in the Donated Exhibition Hall No. 1 starting from the 25th of this month. The exhibition will showcase 18 items donated by Son Ki-jeong, including the gold medal from the Berlin Olympics, a laurel wreath, and a special prize, the 'Ancient Greek Helmet'. The National Museum of Korea planned this special exhibition to illuminate the footprints left by Son Ki-jeong alongside our nation's history.
On August 9, 1936, athlete Son Ki-jeong won the marathon gold medal at the Olympic main stadium in Berlin, Germany. His final record for the 42.195 km run was 2 hours 29 minutes 19 seconds. He set a new record by breaking the barrier known as 'the mythical 30 minutes' which had existed in both the Olympics and international competitions at that time.
However, there was a Japanese flag on Son Ki-jeong's chest, and the national anthem of Japan, 'Kimigayo,' resounded during the awards ceremony. Domestic media reported the news with photos erasing or blurring the Japanese flag. This is known as the 'Japanese Flag Erasure Incident.'
Nonetheless, immediately after winning the Olympics on August 15, 1936, Son Ki-jeong personally signed a postcard saying 'Korean Son Gi-jeong.' According to the museum, Son Ki-jeong wanted to inform others that he was Korean, not Japanese, and would sign 'Son Gi-jeong' in Hangul whenever he had the opportunity.
The Donated Exhibition Hall No. 1 has been showcasing the 'Bronze Helmet' donated by Son Ki-jeong. The teacher, who received the helmet, a special prize for the 1936 Berlin Olympic marathon winner, back after 50 years, donated it to the National Museum of Korea in 1994, stating that this helmet "is not just mine but belongs to our nation."
In this exhibition, various items collected by the Son Ki-jeong Memorial Hall have been gathered in one place. This is the first time they will be exhibited together at the National Museum of Korea since the commemorative special exhibition after the 2011 Daegu World Championships, 14 years ago.
A video that recreates Son Ki-jeong's journey using artificial intelligence (AI) technology will also be available. This video includes scenes of the young Son Ki-jeong running under the Japanese flag in 1936, his students who conquered the world under the name 'KOREA' in 1947 and 1950, and an elderly Son Ki-jeong participating as a torchbearer in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
The special exhibition to commemorate the 80th anniversary of liberation, 'Conquering the World with Two Feet,' will run until December 28.