Ryan Weiss's wife, Hailey Brook Weiss, visits the Independence Hall and shares thoughts on SNS…"I will never forget those who fought for freedom"
Hailey Brook Weiss, the wife of Hanwha Eagles' foreign pitcher Ryan Weiss, visited the Independence Hall in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, to learn about Korea's painful history and its deep spirit. Her heartfelt record of this experience, shared in her own words, has become a topic of interest among baseball fans.
On the 20th, Hailey expressed her reflections from the visit to the Independence Hall on Instagram, sharing a photo in front of the "Tower of the Nation." She conveyed her feelings, stating it is a place that symbolizes the unyielding spirit of the Korean people throughout history and their strong will towards independence, freedom, unification, and prosperity.
"I did not know how brutal that time was"
Hailey revealed, “I knew that Korea was occupied by Japan, but I had no idea how horrific that period was until I visited the Independence Hall.” She expressed deep shock from what she learned.
She highlighted three particularly striking points: 'cultural annihilation,' 'forced labor and war crimes,' and 'the brave resistance of Koreans.' Hailey explained, “The Japanese government banned the use of Korean language in schools and imposed Japanese names. They tried to erase our identity.” She also learned about people executed for using their native language and the secret educational institutions created to teach Korean.
She continued, “Thousands of Koreans were mobilized for forced labor, and many of those who were taken as ‘comfort women’ never returned home.” In front of the exhibit dealing with the comfort women issue, she noted, “The most shocking fact was that even the Nazis were appalled by Japan's actions,” and added that there were records stating that German diplomats in Asia described Japan's atrocities as “inhumane and horrific.”
"This is not just a story from the past; it is a story of today that must not be forgotten"
Hailey summarized, “In short, Japan systematically dominated Korea across military, legal, educational, and cultural areas, and the trauma from that still deeply persists today.” She expressed regret that “I didn’t learn any of these stories in the schools I attended.”
She emphasized, “This is not simply about learning the past. It is about honoring those who fought for freedom and ensuring their stories are never forgotten,” thoughtfully summarizing the impact of her visit to the Independence Hall.
Hailey first set foot in Korea last year with her husband Weiss and has been consistently sharing her observations on “Korea through the eyes of an American” on social media since arriving. She noted, “The cities are clean and modern,” “The food is excellent,” “People are really kind and amazing,” and “Wi-Fi is fast and accessible everywhere,” providing a nuanced view of daily life in Korea that garnered positive responses from baseball fans.
From a "temporary rental" to a key player in the second year… A foreign couple playing together with fans
Ryan Weiss joined Hanwha last June, signing a six-week contract to replace Ricardo Sanchez, who was injured elbow. However, his diligent attitude and stable pitching quickly earned him the trust of fans, and the team made the decision to officially re-sign him in November of that year, utilizing him as a starting pitcher for the 2024 season.
Hanwha, with a strong starting lineup including Weiss, Moon Dong-joo, Ponce, Ryu Hyun-jin, and Um Sang-baek, has recently recorded seven consecutive wins. Notably, the streak of seven consecutive starting wins beginning with Moon Dong-joo on the 13th has been a driving force for their rise to second place.
The foreign couple showcases their partnership both on and off the field. Hailey Weiss’s genuine understanding of Korean history goes beyond simple cultural exchange, further warming the connections between Korean baseball and its passionate fans.
Image source: News1, Hailey Brook Weiss Instagram, Hailey Brook Weiss Instagram, News1
