Progress Report Table (week 4)

Week
Wk 4, 11 April.

What we aim to complete?
1. Finalise storyline
· Rhyming text
· Grammar errors

2.  Finalise sketches
·  Characters
·  Settings

3. Research to be posted
· Sources given
· Brief description/ caption given

What we have completed?
1. Finalise storyline

·         Text to be posted

2. Finalise sketches

·         Sketches to be posted

3. Research

What have we NOT completed?
NIL

Areas we want to improve on or change?
Ask for the teacher’s opinion

< FINALISED > Sketch of character (Tae-yul/kamikaze)



Kamikazes
This picture is the finalized sketch of Tae-yul. I am using this sketch as the official drawing of Tae-yul. I have decided to use this as kamikazes look like that and also it fits the sketch of Tae-yul not being a kamikaze.





< FINALISED > Sketch of setting (Classroom)

 

Old classroom in Korea
This picture is one of the settings for my story, the classroom. I am using this picture to be the official drawing for our classroom.

Draft 2, Rhyming text

Sun - hee was caned,

but she feels though she was framed.

Tae – yul joined the army,

in a moment of folly.

To prove the Japanese wrong,

Tae – yul had to be strong.

He became a kamikaze pilot,

but his family worried a lot.

As he faked his death,

he had to hold in his last breath.

He was all geared up for this last chance,

to prove that he was worth a glance.

It should work, it ought,

but in the end it was all for nought.

Korea was finally free from Japan,

the torture they had spent with them.

Research - character (Tae-yul/kamikaze)

This is a research done in reference for the illustrator’s drawing of the character’s attire/costume. There would be a brief description at the bottom of this research that would be highlighted.

General:

A general in the Imperial Japanese Army.

Source: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=155117&start=15

Kamikaze(s):

Japanese soldiers are said to be “heroes”. The essence of a kamikaze is found in the anonymity of its heroes and their embodiment of Japanese aesthetics of honourable death.

Source: http://old.japanfocus.org/products/topdf/2632

This is a photograph of a Korean who fought and died as a Japanese special attack pilot in the Pacific War.

Source: http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/05/09/memorial-for-a-korean-kamikaze-pilot/

 Photograph of a group of Kamikaze pilots.

Source: http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=116542

Soldier(s):

The photo depicts what appears to be a group of Japanese soldier posing with a Chinese man.

Source: http://oldjapanphoto.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/ntique-japanese-photo-japan-soldiers-chinese-portrait/

{FOR VIEWING OF THIS IMAGE, DO CHECK OUT THE URL.
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 An interpreter for Japan's military police in full military uniform.

Source: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20051009x1.html

 

The above research is done to find out how the attires of kamikaze and Japanese soldiers looked like in the past. The illustrator can use these pictures to be more precise when drawing the attires of soldiers and kamikazes. I have decided to use these as they are clear and detailed. It is relevant as the illustrator needs to draw soldiers, so we definitely need to draw their attire to differentiate their rank.

Research - settings (classroom)

This is a research done in reference for the illustrator’s drawing of the settings. There will be a brief description at the bottom of this research that would be highlighted.

Classroom(s):

This Korean class was photographed in 1922. Note that the children are being taught Japanese. There are Japanese characters on black board. The language of instruction during the Japanese occupation was Japanese. (go to the site for full photo)

Source: http://histclo.com/schun/country/other/kor/suk-chron.html

Students are in a classroom listening to the teacher.

Source: http://www.lifeinkorea.com/information/education.cfm

The above research is done to find out how old classrooms in Korea looked like. The illustrator can use this picture in aid to draw out to be the classroom setting. I decided to use this because this shows exactly how classrooms in Korea looked like when they were still under Japan’s rule. It is relevant as I have a classroom as one of my setting in the picture book.

Research - countries involved

These are flags of the countries involved in the literature novel, When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park. There will be a brief description at the bottom of this research that would be highlighted.

Korea

Japan

America

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea_under_Japanese_rule  

The above research is done to find out which countries are involved in the book, When My Name Was Keoko. This is a research done in reference for the illustrator’s drawing (if needed) or a source of knowledge for me.

How to make a storybook

This video is a research done to find out how to hand-make a book. I can use this research to help in the process of making the book as it teaches me how to thread books. It is relevant as the book have a few pages so I'll need to thread it. 

Reason for Template

The design of the blog's template is a wooden pathway. When My Name Was Keoko is about the walk of life in a Korean's shoes during the Japanese occupation.
How does it translate into the design of the template? While I progress in my book, the footsteps of the Koreans' history leaves imprint (on the wooden pathway which also means the blog). It that will last for others to see, that is why I am writing this book and this blog.

Progress Report Table (week 3)

Week

Wk 3, 4 April.

What we aim to complete?
1. Decide on the storybook outline

·         Choose either one or combine them.

2. Make a draft of the story

·         State which events would be used

3. Setting

·         How many settings there will be

·         Sketches to be done

4. Characters

·         Which characters there will be

·         Physical traits of the characters

·         Have options or decide which to do on

·         Sketches

What we have completed?
1. Decide on the storybook outline

2. Make a draft of the story

3. Setting

·         classroom

·          army camp

·         home

4. Characters

·         sun-hee

·          tae-yul

What have we NOT completed?
NIL

Draft 1, Sketch of setting (Classroom)

classroom

Draft 1, Sketches of characters (Tae-yul & Sun-hee)

Sketch of tae-yul

Sketche of sun-hee



< FINALISED > Outline & Draft 1, Rhyming text

This shall be the finalised outline of the picture book. It shall also be the base of the text which means it is the unrhymed draft of the text.
Option 3:


It shall comprise with patriotism and identity. The siblings, Sun-hee and Tae- yul would be mistaken for being chin-il-pas. Sun-hee is a good student who does well academically,  evidently she topped her kanji test. Korea and Japan borrowed the system of character writing from China, that's why excelling in kanji did not mean she betrayed her country. However, others think Sun- hee did otherwise.

On the other hand, Tae-yul was resented the Japanese. He joined the Japanese army with a secret mission of going against the Japanese in the middle of of the war. However, others also thought he was a chin-il-pa for helping the Japanese in the war.In both cases, they were mistaken for but did not bother for their love for Korea never faded. The siblings remembered their identities.

Events:

·        Sun-hee called A CHIN-IL-PA·        A false suicide while tae-yul was a kamikaze.

·        Korea was free from the rule of the Japanese.

           Characters:

·         Sun-hee

Physical trait – bangs; short hair; small eyes; thin lips

·         Tae-yul

Physical trait – long nose; short hair; small eyes; fit build

Setting:

·         Classroom

·         Army camp

·         Home

Progress Report Table (week 1)

Week
Wk 1, 28 March.

What we aim to complete?
1. Finalise the 10 events

• Have a brief summary of each event
• Each team member would have to do 2 summaries each.

2. Decide on the storybook outline

• Based on any few of the 10 events.
• Each team member would have to suggest one each.
• Choose either one or combine them.

3. Characters and settings of storybook

• State which events would be used
• State which characters there will be
• State the setting
• Sketches for the storybook

4. A snapshot of each member

• Caption would be their names, roles and index.

What we have completed?
1. Finalise the 10 events
2. Have a brief summary of each event
3. Have a story outline for the book.


What have we NOT completed?
1. Decide on the storybook outline

•  Choose either one or combine them.

2. Characters and settings of storybook

•  State which events would be used
•  State which characters there will be
•  State the setting
•  Sketches for the storybook

Areas we want to improve on or change?
1. Choose either one or combine story outlines.

Outline of the storybook

The following are 3 options of the outline of the storybook that I plan to do on.

1) It shall comprise of bravery, pride and identity. You have to protect and stand up for what you believe in or where you are from. Hence my suggestion is to have a story about siblings who resented the Japanese. Though they were angry, they did not behave aggressively or in any harsh manner.
Sun-hee got beaten by her teacher for calling her friend's Korean name by accident. She was angry and wanted to stay angry so that she could remember what she tolerated. When Tae-yul was older, he wanted “revenge”, a false suicide while he was a kamikaze. In the end, Korea was free from the rule of the Japanese.

2) Tae-yul joining the army and Koreans finally free from the Japanese shows bravery and freedom. There will be a nice ending as it will appeal to younger minds. These two events will also be able to teach them moral values which they can apply in their real life.

3) It shall comprise with patriotism and identity. The siblings, Sun-hee and Tae- yul would be mistaken for being chin-il-pas. Sun-hee is a good student who does well academically,  evidently she topped her kanji test. Korea and Japan borrowed the system of character writing from China, that's why excelling in kanji did not mean she betrayed her country. However, others think Sun- hee did otherwise.

On the other hand, Tae-yul was resented the Japanese. He joined the Japanese army with a secret mission of going against the Japanese in the middle of of the war. However, others also thought he was a chin-il-pa for helping the Japanese in the war.In both cases, they were mistaken for but did not bother for their love for Korea never faded. The siblings remembered their identities.

Summary of each of the 10 events

When Koreans had to have Japanese names

As the Japanese emperor wanted to promote Japanese culture and at the same time to stop Koreans from rebelling against him, he forced all Koreans to take on Japanese names. When Uncle heard about this, he flew into a rage and refused to take his Japanese name. Abuji managed to calm him down and Uncle relented.

Sun-hee’s punishment

For the next few days after the Imperial edict, there was a terrible confusion in school. Students had to learn their classmates’ new names and call them by those names. Sun-hee was careful to use everyone’s Japanese name and respond to hers. Nonetheless, she grew tired of being cautious and chose the most unfortunate moment to call a classmate by her Korean name. Somehow Sun-hee did the very thing she tried so hard not to do - she said “Myung-gin” instead of “Megumi” in the presence of Onishi-san. Sun-hee was caned.

Keoko called chin-il-pa

Keoko was called a chin-il-pa because she did well in her Kanji studies. She was sad that everyone is despising her because of this. She was disappointed in all this hatred. They were Koreans and yet they had to learn Japanese and it was not her fault she had to do well because she was a hardworking girl.

Kitei Son ; the Olympian
Kitei Son is a Korean but has a Japanese name as the Emperor wanted all Koreans to take Japanese names. So when Kitei Son participates in the Olympics, everyone will know him by his Japanese name. He would be wearing the Japanese flag on his uniform; his Japanese name would be in the newspapers. This way nobody would know that he is Korean - everyone will think that he's Japanese. When Uncle heard about this on the radio, he got so angry that he slammed his hand over the radio so hard that he knocked it over.

Omoni kept sharon tree

The government ordered that all Sharon Trees must be dug up and burned. Omoni decided to keep the last Sharon Tree. She gave Tae-yul instructions to dig up the Sharon Tree. They put the tree into a pot and covered it with soil. Then they hid it near the tool shelf and used a few old sacks to drape it over the tree. They also used a rotten straw basket and pieces of wood to lean against the pot and it was a good disguise.

This is a photograph of a sharon tree.

http://www.meridian.k12.il.us/Middle%20School/student_work/jones_native_%20trees/rose%20of%20sharon.html

Bicycle incident
Tae-yul was riding his bicycle down a street when he was spotted by 2 soldiers. He was ordered to stop and was mocked by the soldiers. When Abuji came along, the soldiers said they were commandeering the bike, but Tae-yul refused to let go of it. Abuji then prised Tae-yul’s hands from the bike and apologised to the soldiers about the incident. Tae-yul is angry at his father for not doing anything to intervene. 

This is a photograph of an old bicycle.

http://www.faqs.org/photo-dict/phrase/7239/old-bicycle.html

The 6th number
A neighbourhood accounting happened, and old Mrs Ahn did not know what to do. As she was the only member of her household, she was required to shout her number position in the line. However, did not know how to speak Japanese, and instinctively shouted out the number 6 -in Korean. A Japanese soldier heard her speak in Korean and beat her on the head with his stick.

 

Scripts of the number 6 in kanji.

 http://japanese.about.com/library/blkod80.htm 

Omoni saves her dragon pin
By order of the emperor; the army commandeers all household objects made of metal. Omoni has only some jewellery, made up of silver bracelets, rings, gold hair ornament, a necklace and brooch. She drops the jewels in the bag with a bunch of other metal stuff other than her brooch which she saved under the hems of her skirt.

Kamikaze pilot
The story takes place in Korea in the 1940s period. Korea has been conquered by Japan and everyone is to learn the Japanese culture, including changing their Korean names to Japanese ones. World War II broke out and everyone has to help out with war preparations. However, many are unwilling to do so. Tae-yul has to become a kamikaze pilot and his uncle is wanted by the Japanese for he works for the resistance.

A photograph of a Kamikaze.

http://www.japanprobe.com/2008/05/09/memorial-for-a-korean-kamikaze-pilot/

Kore was free from the Japanese rule
Sun - hee came out to line up when she heard the line up call. However, the soldiers spoke in Korean, saying they were freed from the Japanese. Everyone cheered and was delighted over the wonderful news, happy that there will be no more cruelty to Koreans. Sun - hee cheered along with the neighbours, glad to be in the warmth of a true home.

An image of the Korean flag.

http://iphonasia.com/ 

< FINALISED >10 Events in the book that we will be working on

1. Sunhee and Taeyul had to change their name to a Japanese one.
2. Sunhee got beaten by the teacher for calling her friend's Korean name by accident.
3. Sunhee was called a chin-il-pa.
4. Uncle was upset over the announcement of  the Korean runner's Japanese name over the radio.
5. Mother secretly keeping the Sharon Tree. 
6. Japanese soldiers snatched away Taeyul's bike.
7. Mrs Ahn lining up and had to count in Japanese.
8. Mother kept the dragon pin.
9. When Taeyul was finally a part of the kamikaze
10. Korea was free from the Japanese rule.

Reason for blog

This blog is meant for a literature school project.

Task:
You are a children’s author. You have met Linda Sue Park at a writer’s convention and discussed her book, When My Name Was Keoko. She’s impressed with your books and has asked you to turn part of her young adult novel into a children’s picture book. You love her book and are delighted to be asked, so you accept.

--------------------------------------------------------

Hi,  I am *Rhee Jae Sun, a children's author. I would be making a picture book, which will be a simplified version of the original literature text / novel, When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park whom I've had the honour of meeting. I have named this blog after myself, http://rheejaesun.blogspot.com/. 
In the process of writing this book, I shall note down on what I have done and post the process and stages in the blog. Last but not least, welcome to my blog!

*Rhee Jae Sun is a group of students:
Clara, Jasmin, Gerald, Sherman, Shannon.