Hello, students. Do you know what one of the oldest and best-known marathons in the world is? Yes, it is the Boston Marathon. As you may know, it originally started in 1897 as a local running event in Boston. In the middle of the twentieth century, Korean marathoners started to participate in the Boston Marathon. Seo Yunbok won the 1947 Boston Marathon with a world record time of 2:25:39. His win was doubly meaningful since he was the first Korean to win an international sporting event following Korea’s independence from Japanese colonialism. In addition, the coach of the Korean marathon team was Son Gijeong. You must be familiar with the story of how he refused to smile and looked downward when the national flag of Japan was raised at an Olympic medal ceremony. Because of this, Seo’s win and Son’s coaching were a source of tremendous pride and joy to the Korean people. Marathons also offered the Korean diaspora community in Boston opportunities to host visiting athletes and to demonstrate Korean national pride. In the 1950s, Koreans in the area prepared traditional food for Korean runners and cheered them on whenever the Boston Marathon was held. The marathon provided opportunities for the Korean diaspora community to celebrate its culture and heritage.