🎂 February 6, The Stranger Who Loved Joseon (Korea) Was Born

    "May He who broke the bars of death on this Easter morning break the bonds that bind this people and grant them light and liberty."

    On April 5, 1885, a newlywed missionary couple took their first steps onto Jemulpo Port in Incheon. Arriving in Joseon—a land of seclusion, flickering like a candle in the deep darkness—they offered this prayer.

He was Henry G. Appenzeller. True to his prayer, he established a small school in Jeong-dong, Seoul. Emperor Gojong of Joseon bestowed upon it the name Pai Chai Hakdang, meaning "A House for Rearing Useful Talents."

The couple planted the dangerous yet magnificent seeds of 'Freedom' and 'Democracy' in the soil of Joseon.

At the first graduation ceremony, a young man representing the students delivered a speech in English. The topic was "The Independence of Korea." The student's name was Syngman Rhee. With this single English speech, Rhee gained fame throughout the capital.

The founder and principal, Appenzeller, praised Rhee's speech:

"It was the most ambitious part of the entire graduation program, and truly appropriate as a subject for the first commencement. His diction was good, his emotions uninhibited, and his pronunciation was clear."

However, the destinies of the two—the teacher and the pupil—diverged starkly.

• The Teacher: Amidst a sinking ship, he had a chance to escape but vanished into the waters while trying to save a Korean female student who had been left behind.

• The Pupil: Syngman Rhee rose to become the President but was driven out of his homeland by a revolution after dreaming of permanent rule.

    On this day, February 6, 1858, Henry G. Appenzeller, the founder of Pai Chai Hakdang, was born in Pennsylvania, USA.

He perished in the waters of Korea. He was 44 years old. His body was never recovered. Only his cenotaph remains at the Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery.

Years later, his widow, who passed away in the United States, was buried beside his empty grave. It was her last wish:

"Bury me in the land of Joseon."

Source: The Missionary Report of Henry G. Appenzeller e