A Boy With a Bronze Helmet 

Written and Illustrated by So Yunkyoung

Synopsis

This book is composed of three stories. The first story is about the bronze helmet, which originated in ancient Greece. The bronze helmet, forged in a hot fire, is a symbol of victory for the gods, but it is also a witness to many years of devastating war. Next, a soldier runs through a hot Marathon field. The soldier runs 40 kilometers to Athens, where he dies with the news of victory over the Persians. This story is said to be the origin of the marathon as a sport. Finally, as the story moves from ancient to modern times, another man is running under the scorching sun. His name is Sohn Keechung, a boy running along the Amnok River. After a series of twists and turns, he would go on to win the gold medal in the marathon at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

The birth of the bronze helmet in ancient Greece led to the birth of the marathon, and a soldier running on a marathon field led to young Sohn running along the Amnok River. The bronze helmet was supposed to be awarded as a prize to the winner of the marathon at the Berlin Olympics, but Sohn didn’t find out until many years later. It wasn’t until 1986, 50 years after the Berlin Games, that the bronze helmet found its owner. “This helmet doesn’t belong to me, it belongs to the people of my country”, he says, and donates it to the National Museum of Korea. The bronze helmet is designated as Treasure No. 904 in 1987.

After winning the gold medal and Olympic record, but unable to open his chest at the awards ceremony because of the Japanese flag on his uniform, Sohn Keechung carries the torch with his arms wide open at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, more than 50 years later, wearing a uniform with the Taegeuk mark. The author expands the story of Sohn Keechung beyond the individual or national wounding and recovery to a universal message of peace.

Author & Illustrator: So Yunkyoung

So studied painting at Hongik University and plastic arts at the Paris 8 University. She created the picture books 《Cosmic Hell》, 《Hotel Paradise》, 《Restaurant Sal》, and so on. She has illustrated several children’s books, including 《Stairway to Space》 and 《The School of Lies》. She hopes to create a culture that all generations can enjoy by incorporating art into picture books.