Jeju Island, located in the province of Jeju-do, South Korea is hot tourist spot. Not only for KDrama fans but also for regular tourists. The island is famous for its beaches, mountains, volcanic landscapes and craters. One popular spot is the Hallasan Mountain, the highest in Jeju, it features a hiking trail and crater lake where you can overlook through the beautiful Jeju.

Jeju Island Hallasan Mountain

However, contrary to the beauty of calmness Jeju Island gives, it has a dark past a lot of us didn't know.

Back in April 03, 1948, an uprising against the South Korean Government started. Citizens of Jeju Island opposed to the division of the Korean Peninsula, as their protest, they started attacking the police. To suppress the said protest, the South Korean government decides to station a paramilitary group in Jeju.

The violence, crimes and killings were made by both parties however, historians discovered that the ways of the South Korean government were too brutal that it killed over 30,000 citizens which is 10% of the total population of Jeju-do during the 4-year war. A survivor even stated, "When my infant brother cried on the back of my mother, the soldier slammed him in the head twice with a thick club."

Cave massacre in Jeju recreation; where insurgents hid from armed forces

After the said happening, South Korean government suppressed any information about it. Writers who wrote were killed. As this is also an unrested news, children and grandchildren of those involved in the uprising had a difficulty of finding jobs.

In 2003, the South Korean government apologized for the killings and gave what the families demanded for the damages.

This article was made because of the episode I watched in a variety show, Hyori's Breakfast and Bed Season 1. I was also shocked hearing about it and so I decided to write about it to inform more people of the dark past the beautiful Jeju have.

I hope you learned and would share this information to others. Please like, comment your thoughts and subscribe if you haven't yet.

Thank you!