Myungdongchon: A people movement among diaspora Koreans in the early 20th century

Abstract

This study looks at a people movement among diaspora Koreans in Manchuria in 1909. More specifically, the conversion of the Myungdongchon village (MDC village) is the focal point of this study. Some people from this village have played a significant role in various areas of public life, ranging from Christian ministry, literature, to film and art, and to the civil rights movement. Numerous studies have looked at the Myungdongchon village, utilizing biographical or historical approaches. Some studies have focused specifically on Korea’s modern history while others have studied MDC village in light of church history at large. But no study has undertaken to look at the phenomenon of the people movement in MDC village. This article unveils a small-scale people movement among diaspora Koreans in the early 20th century and discusses its missiological implications for today. A missiological understanding of the MDC people movement is important because it brings a new light to the study of people movements in Christianity and offers insights for diaspora ministry and a new missionary role in the 21st century.