Kim Gu

Kim Gu was born in Haeju in 1876. He was active in the Korean independence movement and the Korean Provisional Government, and wrote the memoir Baekbeom Ilji. He died in 1949.

A place in Korean culture

Kim Gu is remembered in connection with Korea’s independence movement, the history of the Korean Provisional Government and Baekbeom Ilji. “My Wish” sets out his views on the kind of independent country and culture he hoped to see.

What else to know

Baekbeom Ilji and “My Wish” continue to be read through museum exhibitions, educational programs and publications. The passage on the power of culture remains one of the text’s most frequently revisited themes.

The story behind it

His emphasis on cultural strength in “My Wish,” included in Baekbeom Ilji, offers historical context for thinking about a city where art moves outside formal venues and into everyday public space.

Sources & context

2026-09-30

kimkoomuseum.org ↗kimkoomuseum.org ↗