Plotting Independence: Koreans in Exile

The year is 1943 and nothing is certain. World War II rages on, and while the Allied powers seem to be gaining ground, Japanese colonial control over Korea feels more resolute than ever. A generation of Koreans have grown up under Japanese rule, now stripped of their names alongside their autonomy as many are shipped off to feed the war effort. Cries of “Manse!” have been brutally suppressed in the peninsula, but outside it, exiled Koreans still remember. The provisional government in Shanghai continues to work towards independence while Korean guerrilla groups in Jiandao are become more and more troublesome for the colonial governor. These exiles have been slowly drawing international attention for their tenacity, creating hope that the sparks of 1919 will be rekindled into a blaze that could contend with the rising sun. Determined to change the fate of their homeland, a group of exiled Korean nationalists and allies from all different backgrounds have gathered in Shanghai for a new convention for Korean independence. This fractious group will have to overcome political differences and navigate geopolitical realities in order to undermine Japanese colonialism, gain international support, and answer an all-consuming question: If they could succeed, what would an independent Korea even look like?