Light After Shadows: My Tribute to Gwangbokjeol
Hi! I’m Mara Loyola from the Philippines. I’ve always felt a deep connection to Korea not just because I admire Korean culture, but because our countries share something in common: a long, painful fight for freedom.
Gwangbokjeol, which means “restoration of light,” is the day Korea gained its independence from the Japanese colonization. The name really stuck with me because it just felt so powerful. As the famous quote by Albert Einstein goes “There is no darkness, only the absence of light. “ That freedom is not given, it’s won.
I made this photobook with a little poetry entitled “Light After Shadows: My Tribute to Gwangbokjeol” to honor what that day signifies. This is my small tribute to remember the courage, the struggles, and the stories from that period.
#talktalkkorea2025 #ttk2025 #80thliberationday #gwangbokjeol