Page 1 of 5 'Black Flower' by Kim Young-ha 검은 꽃
My Notes and review: January 19, 2014 Ronald J Chapman Warning: Spoilers included. Have you ever heard the story about how Koreans became part of the Mexican culture? It seems this story has almost been forgotten. Kim dedicated his writing of 'Black Flower' to these Korean emigrants who thought they would find utopia but found Hell and slavery instead. “So it is only fitting that I dedicate Black Flower to the 1,033 people who left Jemulpo Harbor in 1905.” – Kim Young-ha Young-Ha Kim's 'Black Flower' was published in South Korea in 2003 and won the country's Dong-in literary award in 2004. Kim Young-ha, heard the story of Koreans going to Mexico from a filmmaker friend. Why did Kim call the the novel Black Flower? Hint! “Black is a color created by combining all the other colors.” 'Black Flower' is the rarest of the rare. It's a historical fiction that begins in the first decade of the 20th century in Korea and ends in the jungles of Mexico. As far as I know. This is the only historical novel written about the Korean journey to Mexico. I never thought I would read a novel that mentions Korea and the Mayan temples in the same story. 'Black Flower' is a historical novel about the journey and the hardships of 1,033 Korean men, women and children who left Korea before the Japanese annexation of the Korean Empire by Japan in the first decade of the 20th century. The story is also about the love affair between an orphan boy Ijeong and Yeonsu, a young Korean noblewoman star crossed lovers. The story covers an interesting period in Korean history, when Korean emigrants sailed on the British steamer Ilford bound for Mexico
Page 2 of 5 The British merchant ship of Ilford on 04 April 1905 Photo http://www.diaspora2011.com/home/img/s2_2_1_c_img10.gif Home >The immigration history > Mexico http://www.diaspora2011.com/home/esub02.php?mid=98 Youtube Video 'Koreans in Mexico' http://youtu.be/SQoJX5ugJ9k Quotations / Excerpts I found interesting. Retrieved from Black Flower' by Kim Young-ha 01-19-14 ”Jo Jangyun stretched himself. “What I wouldn’t give to take just a few steps on solid ground, even if it were in hell!” “Yeonsu, wrapped in her cloak, envied them. She did not know the land called Mexico, but she was familiar with America. If Mexico was a neighbor to America, then it must be fairly civilized, a place where women could learn and work and speak their minds, just like men” “Yi Jinu wanted to be like Gwon Yongjun. At any rate, each hacienda would need an interpreter. Gwon Yongjun could not go around to all twenty-two haciendas, so if Yi Jinu learned even a little Spanish, he would be able to serve as an interpreter at another hacienda , where he would swagger like Gwon Yongjun and receive much higher pay.” “There are many cases where a nation’s beginnings are shrouded in mist compared to its decline. The following is the leading version of what occurred during those few years in Tikal.”
Page 3 of 5 Poems in the story: “Autumn Song” Poem (Epigraph) Or can it never be for us? And what if love’s a trick? Who’ll salvage our lives if gathering gloom buries us in the certainty of Good, unreal perhaps, and of Evil throbbing very close? What if hope dies and Babel* rises? What torch will light earth’s pathways? If blue is dream what then innocence? What awaits the heart if Love bears no arrows? ----------------------------"If death is death, what then of poets and the hibernating things no one remembers?” -----------------------------Sun of our hopes! Clear water! New moon! Hearts of children! Rough souls of the stones! Today in my heart a vague trembling of stars and all roses are as white as my pain. —FEDERICO GARCÍA LORCA
Page 4 of 5 Poem by Du Fu, “He took a deep breath. Korean air filled his longs. In the midst of this turmoil, Yi Jongdo recalled a poem by Du Fu, a Chinese poet, that sang of sadness of leaving one's home. “The color of spring in the heavens hurries to fade, and my tears of parting are added to the distant silken waves.” Review: 'Black Flower' is the rarest of the rare. It's a historical fiction that begins during the first decade of the 20th century in Korea and ends in the jungles of Mexico. As far as I know. This is the only historical fictional written about how Koreans became part of the Mexican culture. After reading the story. I came away thinking of more than 1,000 Koreans leaving one Hell, traveling through Hell to end up as slaves in another Hell. However, Koreans were people highly valued for labor, but still treated like animals. 'Black Flower' is a historical novel. I put the emphasis on the word historical. Kim inserts many Korean and Mexican historical facts about this period and Mexican Civil war. This may be a little boring to some. However, I was aware of this before I began reading the book and is one of the reasons I chose to read the story. I've realized after reading 'Black flower' and Kim's 'I Have the Right to Destroy Myself'. Kim writes in an amazing vivid and dark style. He uses lots of adjectives in his stories. I understand I am going against most reviews by giving 'Black Flower' a positive review of 4 out of 5 stars instead of 3 stars or less. I feel that the novel is not for the casual reader. This is why I did not give the story 5 stars. I think the book would be best utilized by teachers and students studying Korean and Mexican history at the beginning of the 20th century. As far as I understand. This is the first english translation of a historical novel to cover this time period and the Korean people's journey to Mexico. 'Black Flower' taught me something new about Korean history. The story was worth the money and time I spent on the book. I am hoping a film adaptation of this story will be made someday.
Page 5 of 5 Availability: Available at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Black-Flower-Young-ha-Kim/dp/0544106393 Additional Reviews: Review: Kim Young-ha's "Black Flower" - KTLIT http://www.ktlit.com/korean-literature/review-kim-young-has-black-flower London Korean Links Covering Things Korean in London, from London, since 2006 Kim Young-ha: Black Flower – an imaginative re-telling of a fascinating byway of Korean history http://londonkoreanlinks.net/2013/03/13/kim-young-ha-black-flower-review/
Š 2014 Ronald J Chapman