Siwol-Je, once regarded as a symbol of Pusan National University (PNU)’s democratization identity, is fading away. For the past three years, no festival has been held under the name Siwol-Je, and even its original purpose—the commemoration of the BUMA (Busan-Masan) Democratic Uprising—has not been observed for the past two years.

In 2025, PNU’s 57th GSA “Around Us” likewise did not organize Siwol-Je or any separate commemoration of the BUMA Democratic Uprising. Instead, on September 17th–18th, it managed an invited singer concert as part of the “Undergraduate and Graduate Career Fair” hosted by the Division of Graduate School Innovation (reported by “Channel PNU” on September 1st, 2025). However, this event did not include any program commemorating the BUMA Democratic Uprising.

Siwol-Je is an autumn festival that began in 1985 to honor the spirit of the BUMA  Democratic Uprising, which started at PNU on October 16th, 1979. As the birthplace of the uprising that contributed to toppling the Yushin regime and a historic site of the democratization movement, PNU hosted the festival every October under the leadership of the General Students’ Association (GSA). For nearly 40 years, Siwol-Je adapted its form to the times but preserved its essence as a commemoration of the BUMA Democratic Uprising. However, after continuing in modified formats during the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival disappeared entirely following its last run in 2022.

■ Siwol-Je, Born to Commemorate the BUMA Democratic Uprising, Becomes a Symbol of Autonomy and Community

Siwol-Je started in 1985, a year that marked the true revival of student self-governance. Until then, under the control of the new military regime, the GSA had been elected indirectly and remained largely dormant. With the dissolution of the Korean National Defense Student Corps in 1984 and the growing demand for direct elections, the first directly elected GSA was launched in 1985, which inaugurated Siwol-Je. Before this change, each fall featured a “Fall Academic Festival,” where departments and clubs showcased their annual achievements. The newly elected GSA added the commemoration of the BUMA Democratic Uprising to this tradition and organized the “Siwol Academic Festival,” the predecessor of Siwol-Je. From that point forward, the GSA hosted Siwol-Je every year, reaffirming the meaning of the BUMA Democratic Uprising.

In its early years, Siwol-Je lived up to its original name, the “Siwol Academic Festival,” with a strong focus on social criticism and academic themes. While the program included activities such as comic exhibitions, club performances, campus marches, and campfires, the centerpiece consisted of lectures by professors and local journalists, as well as academic debates. Students also staged self-produced musicals criticizing the military regime and even organized mock presidential elections, actively engaging with political and social issues as documented by “PNU Newspaper” on December 4th, 1986, and November 9th, 1987. Kim Jong-Gi (Dept. of Philosophy, 81), Executive Director of the BUMA Democratic Uprising Memorial Foundation and former Vice President of the GSA in 1987, recalled, “At the time, police officers were stationed on campus, and if they judged a performance subversive, they would immediately intervene. As a result, Siwol-Je was always held under tension. Even so, it took place every year and became a moment to reaffirm students’ concern for democracy and social issues.”

As the 2000s approached, Siwol-Je began to adopt more of a festive atmosphere. To encourage greater student participation, the GSA during the period increased the number of athletic events and club performances, while also allocating funds to invited singers. However, student turnout remained relatively low, drawing criticism at the time. Some argued, “Siwol-Je can truly shine in carrying forward the spirit of the BUMA Democratic Uprising and highlighting social issues only when students recognize it as a gathering for all.” as reported by “PNU Newspaper” on October 26th, 1999.

Even amid declining participation, the GSA consistently included programs commemorating the BUMA Democratic Uprising within Siwol-Je, thereby sustaining its legacy. At the Siwol-Je held on October 10th, 2000, the schedule featured a lecture on the Maehyang-ri bombing incident by Jeon Man-Gyu, Chair of the Maehyang-ri Countermeasures Committee; performances by student clubs such as “Sseolmul”, “Soritor”, and “UCDC”; a Unification Song Festival; and a concert by the folk music group “Woorinara”. These programs reflected how the spirit of Siwol-Je naturally blended with festive elements according to a report by “PNU Newspaper” on October 17th, 2000.

■ Siwol-Je Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person activities were severely limited, Siwol-Je and the commemoration of the BUMA Democratic Uprising continued. In 2020, at the height of the pandemic, PNU’s 52nd GSA, named “To Gather Us” actively utilized online platforms. Under the theme “PNU 41 Years After the BUMA Democratic Uprising,” it organized an essay contest and a photo exhibition, along with a quiz competition titled “Siwol Gosa”, reaffirming the meaning of the uprising according to a report by “PNU Newspaper” on November 2nd, 2020.

In 2022, Siwol-Je was held on a smaller scale due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and the national mourning period for the Itaewon crowd crush, but its significance remained intact. During that time, the GSA collaborated with the BUMA Democratic Uprising Memorial Foundation to host a quiz program titled “Catch the History”, a walking tour of the BUMA Trail, and a film screening,as reported by “Channel PNU” on October 27th, 2022. Although invited singer concerts were not held due to the overlapping circumstances, the festival preserved its spirit through student booths and programs related to the BUMA Uprising, which drew positive feedback from students.

■ Siwol-Je, Disappearing with the End of COVID-19

Since Covid-19 entered the endemic stage in 2023, the traditional form of Siwol-Je led by the GSA has gradually disappeared. That year, commemorative efforts were largely led by the university’s Head Office. PNU designated a “BUMA Democratic Uprising Memorial Week,” hosted various memorial events, designated October 16th as an official PNU anniversary, and named the area around Nuknukhan-Teo (Nuk-Teo)—including the basketball court and surrounding plaza—the “Siwol Square” (reported by “Channel PNU” on October 6th, 2023). However, no separate memorial event was organized by the GSA. Instead, PNU’s 55th GSA “Shall:We” held the autumn festival “Comma” in the newly named Siwol Square, featuring invited singer performances, club performances, and food trucks.

In 2024, PNU’s 56th GSA “P:New” did not host Siwol-Je due to budget constraints, “Channel PNU” reported on October 4th, 2024. At the time, Lee Chang-Jun (Dept. of Geological Sciences, 22), the GSA president, told “Channel PNU” in an interview that the GSA is coordinating alternative events to commemorate the BUMA Democratic Uprising apart from Siwol-Je.” However, these plans were not realized before his term ended.

In 2025, PNU’s 57th GSA “Around Us” likewise did not organize Siwol-Je or any separate commemoration of the BUMA Democratic Uprising. Instead, on September 17th–18th, it managed an invited singer concert as part of the “Undergraduate and Graduate Career Fair” hosted by the Division of Graduate School Innovation (reported by “Channel PNU” on September 1st, 2025). However, this event did not include any program commemorating the BUMA Democratic Uprising.

Notably, the 2025 GSA had pledged to hold a “Siwol-Je Memorial Ceremony” as part of its campaign promises. However, the plan was scrapped after the allocated budget was redirected to the invited singer's concert during the Career Fair as reported by “Channel PNU” on September 1st, 2025. Kang Jun-Seo (Dept. of Biological Sciences, 22), the vice president explained, “October 2025 coincides with both the Chuseok holidays and exam period, leaving us with little time. We therefore focused on planning the Career Fair and the invited concert, which we believed would attract greater student interest.”

■ The Responsibility for the Halt of Siwol-Je

The fading of Siwol-Je has sparked not only regret but also calls for self-reflection. More than just an autumn festival, Siwol-Je symbolized PNU’s democratization identity and community spirit. Yet the recent absence of GSA leadership in hosting it has drawn criticism as a sign of the decline of student self-governance. Executive Director Kim warned, “If the original purpose of Siwol-Je is lost, PNU’s symbolic role as the starting point of the BUMA Democratic Uprising will also fade.” Jeong Dae-Sung (Prof. of History Education, PNU) emphasized, “Siwol-Je is more than an event that happens to take place in October. It commemorates the BUMA Democratic Uprising, a landmark in Korea’s democratization movement, and the fact that it began at PNU is a source of deep pride and significance for all members of the PNU community.”

The absence of Siwol-Je raises concerns that student awareness of the BUMA Democratic Uprising may further diminish. With the GSA stepping away, the continuity of Siwol-Je has been severed, sparking fears that it could ultimately lead to widespread indifference across the entire PNU community. In fact, a 2023 survey conducted by the Division of Academic Affairs targeting PNU faculty and students found that 47.54 percent of respondents (2,080 individuals) did not know the meaning of Siwol-Je, according to a report by “Channel PNU” on September 7th, 2023. Executive Director Kim commented, “Cultural events such as invited singer concerts are valuable, but Siwol-Je should also serve to reflect on history and the identity of university students. I hope the GSA will take the lead in fulfilling this role.”

There are opinions that the current festival-oriented format of Siwol-Je needs improvement. Compared to the past, the festival has grown in scale with the expansion of booths and invited singer performances, making it increasingly difficult for the GSA to secure sufficient budget and preparation time. Prof. Jeong noted, “The suspension of Siwol-Je seems to be directly tied to the excessive budget allocated to the Daedong-Je Festival. With stronger institutional support from PNU, the meaning of Siwol-Je could be more fully realized.”  

Meanwhile, the Head Office maintains that Siwol-Je falls within the domain of student autonomy. In their view, the festival can be held at any time as long as the GSA is willing to organize it. Park Sang-Jun  (Team Manager, Division of Student Affairs) stated, “The decision to hold Siwol-Je rests with the GSA of that year. The role of the Division of Student Affairs Office is only to provide support.”

Reporter Kim Ju-Hong

Translated by Seo Young-Chae