Chang-Won Cho

Korea, Painting

“As you know, I am not a professional artist. If you ask why I paint, it is to pass on the tragic history of Hansen’s disease in Korea, and the especially sad history of Sorokdo to future generations, with the wish that this tragic history will never be repeated. Please forgive me if my artistic technique and depth are not su...

Chang-Won Cho

Korea, Painting

Bitori Incident In August 1957, patients and former patients living at 永福園 wanted to move to the island of Bitori, but the residents opposed this and many people were killed or injured. 永福園 is a village of persons affected by Hansen’s disease formed in South Korea’s Gyeongsangnam-do in 1949. After seven or eight year...

Chang-Won Cho

Korea, Painting

Sorokdo National Hospital Located in Jeollanam-do, this was Korea’s only national Hansen’s disease sanatorium. It opened as the Shoroku-tou Jikei Clinic in 1916, when Korea was a Japanese colony. The facility was expanded in 1934, and the name changed to Shoroku-tou Kousei-en. After gaining independence from Japan, South Ko...

Chang-Won Cho

Korea, Painting

Sorokdo National Hospital Located in Jeollanam-do, this was Korea’s only national Hansen’s disease sanatorium. It opened as the Shoroku-tou Jikei Clinic in 1916, when Korea was a Japanese colony. The facility was expanded in 1934, and the name changed to Shoroku-tou Kousei-en. After gaining independence from Japan, South Ko...

Chang-Won Cho

Korea, Painting

Sorokdo National Hospital Located in Jeollanam-do, this was Korea’s only national Hansen’s disease sanatorium. It opened as the Shoroku-tou Jikei Clinic in 1916, when Korea was a Japanese colony. The facility was expanded in 1934, and the name changed to Shoroku-tou Kousei-en. After gaining independence from Japan, South Ko...

Chang-Won Cho

Korea, Painting

Lee Jongki was President of patient committee. Sorokdo National Hospital Located in Jeollanam-do, this was Korea’s only national Hansen’s disease sanatorium. It opened as the Shoroku-tou Jikei Clinic in 1916, when Korea was a Japanese colony. The facility was expanded in 1934, and the name changed to Shoroku-tou Kousei-en....

Chang-Won Cho

Korea, Painting

Sorokdo National Hospital Located in Jeollanam-do, this was Korea’s only national Hansen’s disease sanatorium. It opened as the Shoroku-tou Jikei Clinic in 1916, when Korea was a Japanese colony. The facility was expanded in 1934, and the name changed to Shoroku-tou Kousei-en. After gaining independence from Japan, South Ko...

Chang-Won Cho

Korea, Painting

“As you know, I am not a professional artist. If you ask why I paint, it is to pass on the tragic history of Hansen’s disease in Korea, and the especially sad history of Sorokdo to future generations, with the wish that this tragic history will never be repeated. Please forgive me if my artistic technique and depth are not su...

Chang-Won Cho

Korea, Painting

Sorokdo Massacre In 1945, when South Korea ceased to be a Japanese colony, there was a conflict for control of the hospital on Sorokdo, with doctors and patients on one side and hospital staff on the other side. This led to the killing of a large number of patients. On August 15, 1945, when the Korean Peninsula was liberat...