By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
This Friday marks the 63rd Liberation Day and celebrities are expressing their patriotism in various ways.
Among other national issues, Dokdo has troubled the South Korean government and its people with Japan still claiming territorial rights to the islets. Ccelebrities are using their status and resources to show the world Korea's sovereignty and share their patriotism with fans.
Singer Kim Jang-hoon has already done this in a number of different ways: concerts, an album, an advertisement in the New York Times, narrating a movie based on Dokdo and an essay contest.
When Kim was approached by the makers of the movie ``Sorry, Dokdo,'' he readily agreed to participate.
Kim also made headlines with his plans to hold a Dokdo Essay contest last week. He will donate $1 million as the sponsor, and the best essays will be translated into other languages and distributed to academic institutions and Web sites worldwide.
``To change the world's perspective on this issue, we must offer scientific and academic material,'' Kim was quoted as saying by his agency.
Now the singer is offering an ancient version of Korea's national anthem, or ``Aegukga,'' through the Internet. National independent fighters sang this version of the anthem until 1948. Kim re-sang the song in 2005 as part of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs' project to commemorate past songs, and he agreed with the organization to offer it to Internet users.
The movie ``Sorry, Dokdo,'' a documentary that depicts the life of an elderly couple living on Dokdo, will be in theaters this September.
In addition, former news anchor Sohn Suk-hee is broadcasting his radio program ``Sohn Suk-hee's Focus In'' from the Dokdo islets, the first radio broadcast to do so.
``To celebrate Liberation Day, we will be airing the radio program at Dokdo. We came up with this idea when the Japanese government claimed territorial rights in textbooks,'' Han Jae-hee, producer of the program, said.
Han added that the program would not carry hard and serious issues, but rather introduce the lifestyle and environment of Dokdo through interviews with the people living there.
Sohn's program gained great popularity not only because he is one of the most reliable people in the broadcasting business with his keen and objective eye on subjects, but also because of the conversation he had with Yoshiro Jodai, a prefectural assembly member in 2005 on his show. In the discussion Sohn showed his vast knowledge and research into the islets' history, surprising not only his guest, but also many fans.
Major broadcasters KBS and SBS are holding special concerts to celebrate the national holiday.
KBS will broadcast a special concert Friday at 7:20 p.m. held at two venues: KBS Hall located in Yeouido and on the deck of Sambong-ho, a 5,000 ton South Korean coast guard cutter.
``We have been working on a special concert that will help Koreans reconsider the meaning of liberation and the founding of our government,'' a producer of the program said.
SBS will hold their special concert at Bukpyeong port, Gangwon Province, Thursday at 11 p.m. This concert will be held on the deck of Dokdo, the navy's largest landing ship. Top singers, such as Insooni, Wonder Girls and SG Wannabe will perform and give patriotic messages from the ship. Comedian Lee Hwi-jae and former announcer Jung Ji-young will host the concert.