In 1910, Japan formally annexed Korea, beginning a thirty-five-year period of harsh imperial rule backed by military force. The colonial government exerted total control, stripping Koreans of their rights and exploiting the land’s resources for Japanese industrial growth. Everyday life was marked by the suppression of Korean identity, as schools were forced to teach in Japanese and students were often forbidden from using their native language. Recognizing this systematic attempt to erase their heritage is essential for understanding the courage and intensity of the Korean independence movements that followed.