Ryu Gwan-sun
Ryu Gwan-sun or Yu Gwan-sun (Hangul: 유관순, Hanja: 柳寬順) (November 17, 1902 – September 28, 1920) was a Christian Korean freedom fighter who protested against the Japanese occupation of Korea.[1][2]
| Ryu Gwan-sun | |
 Ryu Gwansun in the Japanese prison. | |
| Korean name | |
|---|---|
| Hangul | 유관순 |
| Hanja | 柳寬順 |
| Revised Romanization | Ryu Gwansun |
| McCune–Reischauer | Ryu Kwansun |
Childhood
Ryu Gwansun was born on November 17, 1902, in a small farming village. Her brother said that she taught herself how to read Hangul.[3] She was a playful, lively child who enjoyed running "like a boy" and was able to memorize Bible verses quickly.[3] Her nephew, who grew up in the same village as her, said that she had very large, bright black eyes.[3] Her brother described her as tall, with a plump, fair face.[3]
When she was 12, she entered the Ewha Girls' School in Seoul, where she learned more about Christianity.[4]
Demonstrations
Ryu Gwansun joined in the March 1st Movement with some friends from her school, though her teacher strongly told them not to.[5] She was taken to prison for a short time, and her school was closed.[4] With the help of her family and friends, Ryu planned a peaceful demonstration in her province for 1 March. The day before the demonstration, Ryu lit a bonfire on a mountain as a signal to begin the demonstration.[4] The next day, over 2000 people came together in a marketplace for the demonstration.[6] The Japanese police shot at the people, and about 19 people died, including Ryu's parents.[6] Ryu Gwansun was taken to prison. She died on September 28, 1920 from injuries sustained from torture and beatings in prison.