By Kang Gahui and Sohn JiAe
Photos = NEW

“It’s shameful that I eat and live well, when other victims are left behind.”

Director Min Kyu-dong quoted a line from his latest movie “Herstory,” the true story of people who survived sexual slavery during colonial times and World War II, known as the “comfort women,” when he was explaining why he made the film.

“It has long been a huge burden deep in my mind ever since I heard the story of the late Kim Hak-sun, the first woman to come forward in 1991 and testify in front of both Korean and Japanese juries about the plight that the so-called ‘comfort women’ had to go through,” said Min in a preview event on June 7.

The film “Herstory” follows three survivors of sexual slavery and seven forced laborers who had to work for the Japanese troops and travel back and forth between Shimonoseki and Busan. They filed lawsuits against the Japanese government and testified in a total of 23 cases.

They partially won a case in the court of first instance, but the Tokyo government immediately appealed and overruled the court’s decision. As a result, the survivors ended up without any apology or compensation. However, what they did leave was a historic mark, as they won the trial, if only partially, for the first time in history. All lawsuits filed by survivors were dismissed before them. They also won legal recognition for the first time that they must be compensated by the current Tokyo government for their enslavement and suffering.

“Many people question whether this kind of movie aimed to reveal the truth about the ‘comfort women’ issues or if it would ever change the world. However, when the world won’t budge, we directors are nevertheless making this movie and we audiences who watch this movie are changing, slowly, but surely. That’s a big sign that the world is changing,” said the director.

As of today, the number of survivors has dwindled to only 28. That’s the reason why more movies must be made to tell their untold stories to the world. Actresses Kim Hee-ae and Kim Hae-sook play the brave survivors in “Herstory.” It’s scheduled to premiere on June 27.



kgh89@korea.kr