In Jeju dialect, (삼춘) Samchun is a title of respect to refer to elderly regardless of gender.
In Seogwipo City, writings and drawings done by elders in the village are being displayed in an exhibition. And an independent small bookstore publishes a picture book of their drawings. Mike Laidman has more.

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I rolled over rocks with a rake to catch centipedes. On a lucky day, I caught more than 100. One day my fingers became swollen from getting bitten by them.
<송창석 / 기억이 주렁주렁 中>
"골갱이로 돌을 굴려 밑에 숨어있는 주넹이를 잡는다. 재수가 좋은 날에는 100마리 이상 잡은 날도 있다. 주넹이를 잡다가 물려서 손이 퉁퉁 부어 올랐다."

This is a part of the book written and drawn by Mr. (송창석) Song Chang-seok, who lives in (서광서리) Seogwangseo-ri, Seogwipo.


Words and drawings done by elders in the village are displayed on piles of yellow mandarin boxes in the community center.


Eleven books have been published under the “Our Samchun’s Picture Book” program, one of Seogwipo City’s cultural projects.
In order to publish them, village elders attended classes and worked at home over the course of 10 months last year.
Once unfamiliar with writing and drawing, they have now become published authors.


At this independent bookstore in Seogwipo, splendid drawings done are beautifully framed.


Elders in Seogwipo gather here to draw together as the pandemic limits many of their usual outdoor activities.
Their drawings, along with their stories, are compiled in an illustrated book.


The words and drawings of Seogwipo’s samchun are precious records of a past that now seems so distant on Jeju, but such a project is worthy of being undertaken all over the island.

Mike Laidman, KCTV