Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery

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Here, the tombs of those who devoted themselves to our country, which were close to remote areas with only faith and belief from the West at the end of the Joseon Dynasty, are enshrined here. Their lives are briefly described next to the tombstones. In summary, they gave up their safe and guaranteed home life and devoted themselves to the end of their lives as medical or educational services for our people.

Today, when I am particularly irritated and dissatisfied with the noble lives of these people who went beyond gratitude and shame, I looked back on my attitude towards life. It is a place I want to look into and visit again and again whenever I feel a doubt in my life.

What impressed me with the Western cemetery culture was that people treated cemeteries or memorial spaces like parks. It is decorated like a park in the middle of the city, so people take the cemetery as a natural promenade or resting place, or even turn it into a tourist attraction in order not to forget them. At first I thought it was strange, but considering that my family or close acquaintances are enshrined around where I live, it is a gloomy place. You will probably feel like meeting them every time you pass by.

Here you can feel that element to some extent. Although it is a cemetery, it seems to be a space with aesthetic elements and functions considered as a walking path. Now that many people's lives are getting harder, I think it's time to look back on the perception of life, the perception of death, and the perception of the neighbors.

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