Exhibition Overview
National Folk Museum of Korea and Incheon Metropolitan City present a special exhibition ‘The History of Incheon and the Builders of Incheon’ to celebrate ‘2019, Year of Incheon Folk Culture’. This special exhibition introduces the folk culture of Incheon based on the research of ‘IncheonIndustrial Complex and the cultural aspect of the laborers’ life’ with a goal of discovering and preserving the folk culture of Incheon.

Always described as ‘The First’, Incheon have treasured treasureslong-standing historical traditions since prehistory. After opening of the ports, Incheon was the symbol of modernization as the entry of inflows of new products and foreigners, and it was the land of opportunities for young generation during industrialization. Meanwhile, as the gateway to the capital city, Incheon was the first to experience historical upheavals and the experiences influenced other regions, acting as the priming water of the growth of Korean society.

This exhibition presents how Incheon has changed over time through the period of industrialization after the opening of a port. It has two parts; ‘Part 1. Opening of the Port and industrialization’, ‘Part 2. Industrial Complex and Laborers’.

We hope to provide an opportunity to identify the laborer's life traces and dignity through looking deep into their daily life in the history of Incheon where novelty and diversity coexist through the exhibition.

Michuholl to Incheon
The coastal water of Incheon is where West Sea (Yellow Sea) meets Hangang River, which creates extreme oceanic tides. Since ancient times, it has served as a strategic hub and a gateway of trade being ‘the throat of the capital’.Incheon was called Michuhol or Maesohol during the Three Kingdoms period, Seosung in Unified Silla, Gyeongwon or Inju during Goryeo period, and finally named Incheon in the 13th year of King Taejong’s of the Joseon Dynasty in 1413.
During the Joseon Dynasty, Incheon’s current area was divided into 4 parts; Incheon Prefecture, Bupyeong Prefecture, Ganghwa Ministry and Gyodongbu, which became present administrative districts. In 1914, the Japanese colonial government reorganized administrative districts, which was followed by the establishment of Incheon Metropolitan City or current administrative division in 1995.
In 1883, concession was installed after the opening of the port of Jemulpo, which increased number of foreigners settling down in Incheon and modern metropolis was beginning to form around the open port. During the period of Japanese colonial rule, the area went through an urban development as a logistic base for the Japanese to exploit the economy of the Korean peninsula and also to advance to the continent.
Today, the population of Incheon experienced exponential growth during modernization period after the liberation and reached 3,025,720 in March, 2019.

Part 1. Opening of the Port and Industrialization
As Incheon’s port opened, concession was installed due to the power of imperialism and a treaty port formed at Jemulpo, which introduced inflows of Western imported goods. Incheon used its geographical advantage as the gate way to the capital city and port to progress into an industrial city. Furthermore, Incheon built factories on reclaimed lands from the sea and developed into the manufacturer of industrial products from the influx of current goods. Full-fledged labor movement blossomed in Incheon along with industrialization. After gaining the independence, Incheon became a ruin due to Korean War and grew into a major industrial complex to play a leading role in industrialization and a window of exportation in Korea.

1-1: Sea Gate Opens
Incheon suffered from the constant demand to open its port in the continuing historical storm of Byeoninyangyo (French campaign against Korea) in 1866, Shinmiyangyo (United States expedition to Korea) in 1871, and Unyoho Incident in 1875. In1876, Kanghwado Treaty with Japan was signed, and a Trade Treaty with U.S. in 1882, and Incheon finally opened its port. Incheon has emerged as a modern international city as a supervisory office was installed to carry out clerical work of the opening of port and as consulates of newly arriving countries became established. Although opening of port became a starting point of the invasion of imperialist powers, but it also served as a turning point for Incheon to turn into a modern international city.

1-2 Realizing Industrialization
Incheon port had progressed into a large scaled trade port since a sluice gate which allowed entrance of large vessels had installed in 1918. City and factories were constructed on reclaimed land and Incheon transformed into a place of manufacture from a place of admittance. Exploitation started since the opening of the port worsened as Japan utilized Korea as the strategic military hub to advance to the continent in 1930s. Therefore, people of Incheon perceived the miserable state as a colony and they proceeded with labor movement of their own country within variety of occupations. After the liberation, Incheon was collapsed by the Korean War. To restore the war-torn city, people established industrial structure around industrial complex as the focal point and overcame hardships in 1960s.

Part 2: Industrial Complex and Laborers
Incheon has grown into a major industrial city in the face of Korea’s modernization and industrialization process. The power that made the industrial city of Incheon started with the people, and at the center was, the laborers, the protagonists of production. However, their lives, which can be considered the protagonists of today’s industrial society, have not been properly evaluated. In part 2, we hope to illuminate the living culture of the industrial laborers through their individual stories of the turbulent times. For this purpose, National Folk Museum of Korea presents life stories of 22 Incheon industrial laborers of 1960s to present time based on an academic study conducted in 2017 on ‘The Incheon Industrial Complex and the living culture of the laborers’.

2-1: We manufacture it.
There are numerous manufacturing factories within the Incheon Industrial Complex that produces ‘Korea’s first’ goods. Here, we present stories of 18 laborers from 16 factories that lead Incheon’s industry from 1960s to 1980s. The Korea’s industrial progress is organized by presenting in the following order; living goods, infrastructure facilities, export goods and tales of laborers in each area of industry. You may discover the laborers’ own unique individual manufacturing scenes and Incheon’s city culture experienced by the individuals through this process. Furthermore, overalls, equipment, name tags reveal each character and the value of labor and laborers of today.

Incheon, a Land of Opportunity
Incheon was a land of opportunity. It was a place to find jobs and take care of the basic necessities of life during era of poverty and survival after the war. Refugees built unlicensed shacks around Manseok-dong, Songnim-dong and Sonhyeon-dong with abandoned wood pieces and utilized aid goods such as clothing, mill and baby formulas from nearby U.S. Army bases. Moreover, Incheon was close to the open sea, which allowed sales of fish at low cost and provided work around factories and harbor, so people were able to easily obtain firewood from lumber companies like Daesung Lumber Co. Exporting industrial complex was built since the 1960s, which attracted young people from all over Korea. They worked strenuously to support their family back in their hometowns. Young laborers got married and started their own family to achieve their dreams in Incheon. They began with little to nothing, yet they exerted determination for success and thus progressed along. The laborers overcame loneliness in their new community by gathering and forming bonds with new people as they settled in Incheon. Work places, various clubs, social gatherings, labor unions, and get-together cultural practice vividly illustrates their ‘Life of Sharin’.

2-2: People are Hope
Industrial laborers of 1960s and 1970s worked with aspiration for success and never lost hope in their brutal reality. Although the pressure to be responsible for family and poor working environment fettered them, they were able to overcome it by believing in themselves and the society for growth. However, their livelihood did not improve in an infinitely competitive society with a rapidly changing industrial structure. Here, we portray the past and present of the Incheon Industrial Complex through the life of male and female laborers, hoping to sharethe hopeful messages from the veteran laborers even in difficult circumstances.

Epilogue
I remember researching around Incheon Industrial Complex for the exhibition in 2017. The lives of Incheon Industrial Complex laborers who played a key role in industrialization, was not much different from lives of ours and our neighbors. Their ordinary lives were labors; to avoid poverty; to support their family; and to follow their dreams. We hope to present accurate understanding of Incheon and Incheon Industrial Complex, and therefore able to empathize with the laborers for the values of ‘Incheon Laborers’ through this ‘Made In人 Incheon Exhibition’.
An Jeongyun

The National Folk Museum of Korea entitled the first exhibition, a portrayal of the everyday life of Incheon Industrial Complex laborers, as [Made 人 Incheon].
The English word ‘Made’ symbolizes the internationalism of Jemulpo, the first open port of the country in contact with World Powers, the Chinese character 人(In) represents the Incheon Industrial Complex laborers who continue to live fiercely to this day, and Incheon symbolizes being the center of ‘Made in Korea’.
The world has prospered and advanced, yet the scene of labor hasn’t changed much. I sincerely wish the day to come, where ‘every single day is a happy day in this country’.
Ha Dogyeom