A great record of a nation that dreamed of independence in a dark era!
In the author's note, Mr. Kim Gu said that he started writing this book to tell his two young sons about his life.
The “Baekbeom Ilji” that began in this way contains the turbulent life of Baekbeom Kim Gu from his childhood to his youth, the Japanese colonial period and the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea period, and until his return to his homeland after liberation.
The teacher's life reflects the state of our country during the Japanese colonial period, and we also see the heroes of our people who dedicated their lives to their country and people, but are unfortunately being forgotten.
Ultimately, “Baekbeom Ilji” is not only Kim Gu’s autobiography, but also a record of an era that was dark but never gave up hope.
Because of its historical value, Baekbeom Ilji was designated as Treasure No. 1245, and is still a must-read beloved by Koreans.

The emotion of Baekbeom Ilji
Baekbeom is the teacher's pen name, which is a combination of the character 'baek' from 'baekjeong', which symbolizes the lowly common people, and the character 'beom' from 'ordinary person', which symbolizes the common people.
It contains the hope that any ordinary person would feel as patriotic as he did.
Not only does the Baekbeom Ilji clearly reveal the teacher's beliefs, but it is also filled with stories of his life devoted to the nation and putting his beliefs into practice.
That is why anyone who reads this book cannot help but feel deeply moved by the life of Mr. Kim Gu.
The reason why Mr. Kim Gu is considered the most respected teacher among Koreans and why “Baekbeom Ilji” is consistently loved is probably because of the teacher’s passionate love for his people and country.


Baekbeom Ilji, made easier by meeting poet Shin Kyeong-rim
Poet Shin Kyeong-rim wanted to convey to young people the love of Kim Gu for his country and people through “Baekbeom Ilji.”
Although Baekbeom Ilji was originally written by Kim Gu for his two young sons, it is a bit difficult for teenagers to read.
So, poet Shin Kyeong-rim, based on his experience writing a biography of Kim Gu for children, rewrote “Baekbeom Ilji” in an easy-to-understand way and renamed it “Baekbeom Ilji for Youth.”

Poet Shin Kyeong-rim insisted that we must first learn our own culture properly rather than imitating other countries' cultures, and he made efforts to promote our culture.
We have inherited the will of Kim Gu, who wanted our country to be a model of a new and high culture, rather than a country that imitates others.
If young people learn about the dedicated life and profound meaning of Kim Gu, who loved his country and people, through “Baekbeom Ilji for Youth,” the teachings he sought to awaken will take deep root in their hearts.