Glorious Coal Era: The Harsh Lives of Taebaek Miners
Creatrip Team
a month ago
The National Museum of Korean Contemporary History opens a traveling exhibition, “Taebaek: The Glorious Coal Era,” at the Taebaek Coal Museum from June 19 to August 30. The show traces 90 years of coal mining in Taebaek, Gangwon — a key part of Korea’s industrialization — and highlights miners’ daily lives. For the first time, a 6-meter-long underground map of the Hambaek (Hamtae) coal mine (갱내도) is displayed alongside about 80 items including electric safety lamp charging stations, lockers, tools, and photographs by Ryu Je-won. The exhibition is arranged in three sections: 1) efforts to increase coal output that fueled economic revival, 2) a recreated mine space with miners’ tools illustrating the coal production process, and 3) the dangers miners faced and the impact of industrial accidents on families. A video installation, “A Day in a Mining Village, Light in the Darkness,” underscores how Taebaek’s coal industry was not only employment but a source of national pride. The exhibit is part of the museum’s regional outreach touring program.
