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In some cases, public opinion swayed on divisive issues
South Korean commercial films have begun to stir up public debate by dealing with controversial social problems. In fact, film production companies have played a role approaching that of civic organizations by holding signature-collecting campaigns on issues that divide public opinion. The production company of "His Voice," a new movie by director Park Jin-pyo to be released on February 1, is waging a signature-collecting movement jointly with a civic organization whose goal is to locate missing children and reunite them with their families. The movie tells the true story of Lee Hyeong-ho, a nine-year-old elementary student who was kidnapped in 1991. Lee was found dead a month-and-a-half later in a Seoul sewer. The 15-year statute of limitations for the boy’s abduction and murder case expired in January last year. The production company, in collaboration with the civic group, created an Internet site carrying the real kidnapper’s writings - which he sent to the parents to demand ransom - as well as recordings of his voice captured when he made threatening phone calls to the family. More than 26,000 persons have participated in the online signature-collecting campaign which began last month. Heo Ji-hi, a marketing official of the film production company, said, "We promised Hyeong-ho’s father that we would do everything we could to abolish the statute of limitations for the kidnapping and murder case and to catch the criminal. This is the first time that have done something good for others while working in the film industry," he added.Na Ju-bong, a leader of the civic group which has waged movements for abolishment of the statute of limitation for 15 years, said, "I hope that the movie attracts many viewers so that the movement for the law amendment will bear fruit." "Our Happy Time" (2006), a movie based on Gong Ji-young’s novel, traces the life of a man on death row. The movie is evaluated as having stirred public debate regarding the death penalty. Over 20,000 persons have joined the online signature-collecting campaign to abolish the death penalty waged by the Korean branch of Amnesty International, a human rights organization, from October 10, 2006, a month after the movie’s release. Kim Hi-jin, a secretary general of Amnesty International’s Korean branch said, "Before the movie was released, many opinions were posted at the Web site that opposed the abolishment of the death penalty, but now the winds have changed. There are many supporters of its abolishment. Whenever a brutal criminal is caught, people lean towards maintaining the death penalty, so we have practically abandoned activities targeting the public. The novel and movie succeeded in one try in what we have failed to do." Director Park Jin-pyo’s 2005 movie "You’re My Sunshine" attracted high attention after sweeping many awards. It is based on a true story of a woman who was arrested for prostitution in a rural city in 2002 and was found to be HIV positive. There were mixed opinions about the movie, but it is clear that the film spurred social interest in South Korea about the issue of HIV and AIDS. "In a nation where people tend to easily forget, it is desirable that movies remind them of past problems by expressing them in the story. Themes of domestic movies have become more diverse, by dealing with realties such as the death penalty, AIDS, or persons living with disabilities," said Kim Bong-seok, a film critic. Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
