Imagine a massive bronze bell. It stands proudly in a stone pavilion. This is the Korean Friendship Bell.
The Korean Friendship Bell sits in Angel’s Gate Park in San Pedro. It is at the intersection of Gaffey and 37th Streets. This area is also known as the Korean American Peace Park. It occupies part of the former Upper Reservation of Fort MacArthur.
The Korean Friendship Bell is a symbol of friendship. It represents the bond between South Korea and the United States. The South Korean government presented it in 1976. It celebrated the bicentennial of the U.S.
Philip Ahn, a Korean American actor, coordinated the effort. The bell became Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 187 on May 3, 1978.
The Korean Friendship Bell mirrors the Divine Bell of King Seongdeok the Great of Silla. It is also known as the Emille Bell. The Emille Bell was cast in 771. It is now at the National Museum of Gyeongju. It is Korea’s National Treasure number 29 since 1962. The Emille Bell is the largest bell ever cast in Korean history. Both bells are among the largest worldwide.
The Korean Friendship Bell weighs over seventeen tons. It is made of copper and tin. Gold, nickel, lead, and phosphorus were added for tone. It has a circumference of 23.8 feet. Its diameter is 7.5 feet. The average thickness is 8 inches. It stands 12 feet tall.
The bell’s surface features four pairs of figures. Each pair includes a Goddess of Liberty. She resembles the Statue of Liberty. A Seonnyeo or Korean spirit figure is also present. She holds a Taegeuk symbol. This is the South Korean national symbol. She also holds a branch of rose of Sharon. Additionally, she holds a branch of laurel and a dove.
The pavilion is called the Belfry of Friendship. South Korean craftsmen built it in ten months. Its design is traditional and axially symmetric. It has a hipped roof. Twelve columns support it. They represent the Korean zodiac. Each column has a carved animal guarding it. The color patterning is known as dancheong in Korean.
The bell is struck 13 times. This happens on the first Saturday of each month at 11:30 AM. Since 2010, it has been struck five times a year. It is rung on New Year’s Eve, December 31. Also, it is rung on Korean American Day, January 13. The bell rings on the Fourth of July. It sounds on Korean Liberation Day, August 15. Finally, it rings on Constitution Day, September 17.
The Korean Friendship Bell rang on September 11, 2002. It commemorated the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The bell does not have a clapper. Instead, a large wooden log strikes it.
In 2013, the bell underwent restoration. Workers removed rust and graffiti. The City of Los Angeles rededicated the Bell on January 10, 2014. The Korean Ministry of Culture contributed over US$300,000 for the restoration.
Access to the Bell closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened in May 2021.
The Korean Friendship Bell has appeared in films. These include The Usual Suspects and the Disney Channel movie Brink. It also features in the TV series Profiler. The bell also appeared in Grand Theft Auto V and Lana Del Rey’s music video for “Music to Watch Boys To.”
So, remember the Korean Friendship Bell. It stands as a symbol of enduring friendship. It connects two nations across the Pacific. It is a testament to peace and shared history.