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In 1991, when I was making a video documentary
about gisaeng (Korean geisha) tours, I met a woman
at a gisaeng house
for Japanese tourists.
One day, she told me that her dead mother was
a "comfort woman" during World War II.
After the war, she became a ***
to pay for her mother's operation.
In 1993,
I began making a film about Korean Comfort Women, drafted by
the Japanese Army in World War II.
Only 163 women reported that they were in the unit
after Kim Hak Soon's first testimony on August 1991.
Since January, 1992, the victims of the unit have demonstrated for reparation
and apology in front of Japanese embassy with the
'Korea *** Violent Center and Women Drafted for Military *** Slavery',
consisting of organization for women's rights.
DECEMBER 23, 1993 "The 100th Wednesday Demonstration"
How are you?
It is cold.
It's too cold without a mask.
It's too cold without a mask.
Well... it's okay now.
Are you O.K?
It's not cold. It's very hot.
Move away. Move away.
Move over.
We can't see the Embassy gate.
Thank you for gathering on such a cold day.
We have been meeting every Wednesday.
Today is our 100th meeting.
To continue our demonstration
In rain, snow or cold has not been easy.
We appreciate your concern.
Now that we have achieved gathering
for 100 times,
we will start anew, from zero
and count from the beginning.
1st... 2nd... 3rd... and fight to the end.
It's too cold to speak. Thank you.
Though I may soon disappear
I count on our descendants --
our sons and daughters -- to take lead in
denouncing... the person responsible.
Punish him! Punish him!
Sorry, my lips are frozen.
You shouted 'punish him' twice.
Shout again loudly.
Punish him! Punish him!
Do you feel better?
Yes.
THE MURMURING A WOMAN BEING IN ASIA: THE SECOND REPORT
AUGUST, 1994
Unable to depend on anyone
6 Comfort Women
supported by Buddhist groups
live together in a house
in Hae Wha-*** in Seoul.
It is called Nanum (House of Sharing).
KIM SOONDUK (75)
You're sick. What're you doing?
I'm cooking.
Washed rice last night...
I'm starving.
I've decided to cook my own meal.
PARK OKNYUN (76)
He asserted that the company of the opera illegally ended
LEE YOUNG SOOK (73) the contract which is valid until August, 2000.
Those were the headline of the morning news.
We'll demonstrate in front of
the Japanese Embassy.
Demonstrate? What for?
We want immediate compensation.
We want the Japanese to listen to our demands.
If we die, the generation after us will continue.
But we want the problem resolved
while we are alive.
PARK DOOREE (73)
PARK DOOREE (73) It must be resolved soon.
If I were ill, I didn't go.
But I'm okay now, it's good exercise.
Exercise? Ridiculous. What an inane world.
It's so humiliating.
Why is it humiliating?
What?
What are you ashamed of?
If these old woman feel the same way
how can they tell their tale?
My God!
I couldn't even tell my mother.
Are you humiliated when you demonstrate?
I am at times.
Son. When you grow up
Make our homeland powerful
So no one may starve
And shiver in the cold
We have decided to hold an urgent hearing
to inform people that
this is not a solution at all.
We'll make clear
it's not the solution we want. Make the problem known
to our people
Japan and the whole world.
This is where we stand:
We don't need any consolation money!
We want apology!
We want real compensation!
Retract the consolation money offer!
KANG DUCKKYEONG (67)
I think it was inter in 1991 .
From some reason,
I kept working in the greenhouse
and became sick
I stayed idle, but
I saw Kim Haksoon on TV one day.
I was so surprised at first, but...
I had the same experience
but I couldn't speak up. I kept working
The news told about her many times.
Did you hear her testimony?
No. The problem was about Comfort Women.
I had the same experience.
I felt ashamed. It's strange.
So I decide to keep my silence.
But when Japan denied historical facts
I couldn't remain silent any longer.
I'm a live witness.
finally talked to MBC, The Broadcasting company.
AUGUST, 1994. CHRISTIAN BUILDING
How are you?
How are you?
Did you have lunch?
Yes, how about you?
I ate.
Come inside.
Mrs. Lee Young Sook. Park Ok Ryun.
PUBLIC HEARING Is consolation money the true solution?
Are you the first one to testify in Korea?
Did you think so many women would follow
your example, when you first testified?
KIM HAKSOON (72)
KIM HAKSOON (72) I was finally able to escape after 4 months.
I thought I was the only one to survive.
I never again saw any of the women
who were with me at the time.
Some of you Koreans say we testify for money.
What a cruel thought! How can they say that?
Have they thought about the past.
The Japanese did not treat us as humans.
They treated us as objects.
After they used us
They dumped us like trash.
When we got sick, they didn't treat us.
They just killed us off.
I also witnessed them killing many Chinese.
They even cut off their heads.
After that came the Independence (1945).
And couldn't speak up until now.
What happened 41 years ago
still pains me body and soul.
I was only 14 years old. They took me by force
And put me in the Comfort House.
So inhuman. No humans can do such a thing!
Japanese war-mongers! They're not humans.
It's because the Japanese like war.
Such tragedies occurred.
How the Koreans were treated.
It's absolutely mortifying.
I'm not testifying
because I want money from you
but in the name of the country
and the people you treated like trash.
I was able to return from Japan in 1941 .
prof. Yun is here today. I appealed to her.
She listened to my sad story.
I'm sure she was shocked.
The story I told her was incredibly cruel.
And hearing my story I'm sure everyone
would become afraid of the Japanese.
I don't blame them for their fear.
Even now I'm still afraid of them.
After the Independence our men:
"Korean Council of Comfort Women Representative"
"Korean Council of Comfort Women Representative" drafted workers
"Korean Council of Comfort Women Representative" and students returned to Korea.
and students returned to Korea.
But I heard no news about women returning.
I remember the Japanese had
all the women finger-printed.
But strangely
there was no news of women returning.
I returned to Ewha Univ. to resume my studies
Soon Korea was divided into 2.
The people were divided
concerning the trusteeship.
Since then my memory faded little by little
the nightmare never left me.
When I was studying abroad
I thought I forgot, but I didn't.
Worst of all, the historians
ignored the problem.
Their interests lay only in students soldiers
And forced draftees, and not in women
I thought this was wrong.
They didn't take any effort
in shedding light on Comfort Women.
I couldn't imagine how Koreans can forget
such a serious problem.
I'm doing fine by myself.
Everyday I play cards.
That's what I do to pass the time.
How do you play alone?
I just play.
What game do you play?
Five-cards... just for luck.
How about fortune telling?
Yes, to find out if someone'll give me money.
When you are alone, do you play a lot?
The cards are shiny. You must use them a lot.
Two years ago, someone gave me these cards.
Day in day out, I play all alone.
The cards are wore smooth.
If you were not taken by the Japanese
SONG PANIM (68) and remained in school
how would your life have been?
My only wish was to continue my schooling.
If my mother only had protected me...
I loved to sing. I really did.
I wanted to be singer.
If I were different, I may've been a singer.
The song books were my treasures.
I went to bed only after
I memorized both the words and notes.
When I was married
a theater in Samchonpo
always played old songs at 1 :00.
My Married life was miserable.
My husband always played around
with other women.
I didn't know what to do with myself.
I was depressed.
I just lived on like that.
The years passed without any meaning.
My husband's family owned many boats.
They went to Japan and other countries.
Everyday I watched the boats
their engines buzzing.
The engineers used to come
with pots filled with rice wine
I drank heavily to forget all.
But my heart bled.
I didn't wear make-up
And my hair was bond in the back.
Look at my hands.
They are so worn, like rubber gloves.
But I had no choice but to keep on living.
I worked hard in the day time,
Drank heavily and came home.
Shared a room with my mother-in-law
I was so worn out.
When I got into bed
I pulled the quilt over my head.
My husband was living with another woman
so his mother took pity on me.
She pulled the quilt over me, to hide
The smell of alcohol
I went to sleep listening to old songs at 1 :00.
I often sang them in bed and wrote down
the lyrics... I loved to sing.
What kind?
Everything.
your favorite?
My favorite...
I like the songs sung by Nam Insoo.
I really like them.
When he sings on TV
I know them all by heart.
I love to sing.
I love to have fun.
But I'm not healthy, I don't enjoy living.
I want to kill myself.
I want to end my live.
I don't want money, clothes... anything.
There's nothing I want, except death.
At the moment, I'm a useless invalid.
The only thing I think about everyday
is how I may be able to die.
This is indeed a terrible world.
I have siblings and a daughter
but I have nowhere to go.
I only want to kill myself.
Can't think of anything else.
That's all.
Dying is the only purpose
in my life now.
My life has not been easy.
I've gone through so much.
Buying clothes with the compensation money
before I die may be good.
I've hated my life for so long.
On the way back from shopping
My leg hurt and I was breathless.
I couldn't carry the things I bought.
My siblings and kid are no use to me.
Grandma. Grandma.
How is it? Does it feel good?
I'll step on it.
Oh, no.
Squashy...
No legs... no hips...
Oh, you're too heavy. Stop it.
Get off me. I'll slap you.
You're too squashy to step on.
Do you want some noodles?
No, I want rice.
Okay.
I'll have some rice.
I often feed the pigeons
I tell them to have their fill
The birds come when we're here
They won't come if no one is here
That's why I must feed them
I should do such good deeds
to animals or people from now on.
That's a good idea.
I've done bad things without knowing.
Everybody's the same. Nobody is innocent.
Everybody commits sins.
I've never committed a sin.
You've never...
Not even once
Then why did you do such a thing before?
Nonsense. I live by my own rules.
You should've done good when you were young.
"Art Lesson"
You've been taking this course
for 1 1/2 years.
Can you evaluate your paintings?
Evaluate? How?
Kang was lazy and didn't work *** them.
LEE JYUNG SING (Painting Teacher) Their attitude toward painting
sometimes surprised me.
I'm impressed by their choice of colors.
Or the themes in their paintings.
They have such impact.
I wanted to paint from long ago.
I was willing, but my health was bad.
I did want to paint.
Has your painting improved
in the past year and a half?
I think it did.
And I want to continue, but...
What's your favorite subject?
Nothing in particular.
What do you usually paint?
What about nature, like flowers...
I guess you're right.
I'm not a good painter.
You're being very modest.
I paint for fun. Just like the kids.
I can forget everything when I'm painting.
What about you, grandma?
I painted this when I had mixed feelings about my life.
I didn't want to keep on living.
Because you are distressed?
Yes, I was very much distressed.
The title is Distressed
Blood?
When blood is... blood is.
Burnt up? What does this mean?
It shows the things I regret in my life
or my condition when I'm distressed.
This title's Single-Hearted Devotion
This pictures shows...
...that...
I have lived single-mindedly until now.
The next one?
This is...
It reflects your wish to fly like a seagull?
Isn't this it?
So depressed. She wants to fly freely.
Where would you fly to?
I'm depressed, I'll fly all over the world.
DECEMBER, 1994 Although it's a big house
DECEMBER, 1994 only two rooms have heating.
There's a no heating
in the floored rooms and the dining room.
It's so cold.
but we have no money.
We don't know how to manage our life.
The sick have no means
to receive treatment or buy medicine.
Nobody helps us. It's driving us mad.
Are we going to the assembly on the 9th?
Then we should take pictures of ourseIves...
Are the other women going, too?
Of course they are.
They must go, too.
I don't want to go.
Why not?
I don't want to.
You should go and speak.
About what?
Should I go?
Yes, you should.
I'm a poor speaker. I don't want to go.
You should go, even if I don't.
You, double-crosser.
I want you to go. Get the compensation money.
You take the money back to your room...
or share it with the needy.
What for?
What for?
Load the money in a car and take it back.
Stop the nonsense. This is filmed
I don't care.
Let me live
my remaining years in peace.
All right, all right.
I feel it's time to pass away.
What we hope in the Korean Government
is to speak openly to Japan
about the compensation.
It would be more effective
than our little voices.
We regret our govt. has kept it's silent.
Our problem should be quickly solved
between the two governments.
Our government is restricted
by the Korean-Japan Pact
which was signed in 1965.
We know that.
But futile it may be, we demonstrate
in front of the Japan Embassy.
I'm sure Japan wants us to die out.
Even so, we must rely on our government to
deal with our problem and
come up with results as promptly as it can.
Don't you miss your husband?
I don't even want to remember him.
He was a heavy drinker.
I suffered so much because of him
When he died, I didn't cry.
Did you have a hard time?
Life with him was a series of trouble.
I lived with a married daughter
and a little son.
He didn't cry when his father died.
He suffered, too.
He didn't shed even a tear for him.
Was there ever a good time in your life?
No, not even once.
When I was young, my family was so poor
I sometimes begged.
Then in Japan, I had to earn my living
as a fruit vendor.
The money all want to rent and utilities.
I have never lived in comfort...
in a warm room.
This is not my idea of life.
Die young with...
...comfortable life
and live long in misery.
For me, life is nothing but trouble.
I think I'm better off dead.
They say I shouldn't think that way.
But I'm desperate.
I'd rather die than to live longer in misery.
They say, I would live longer, if I said that.
I'd be in shame if my words are recorded.
It'll be such a shame.
Your hair was long last summer, wasn't it?
You had it cut. You look good.
I have a headache.
If only the room was warm.
That's all I ask for now.
I don't know... I'm going.
My poor legs. I don't feel well.
You quit smoking?
I haven't smoked for 2 days.
If I were ill, I might as well die
That why. I can't help smoking.
Life is so boring. Everything is boring.
I'm bored to death.
All I do is play cards and smoke.
I go nuts. If I don't smoke
so I smoke again.
I don't care if I die.
We wish Japan would take efforts
to solve the problem immediately.
Then we won't have to live together like this
but in our own houses.
Each in a separate house.
We'd be able to afford that luxury
Even for one night.
I've lived too long. Am I 72... or 73?
I should have died at 60 or 65 at most.
Didn't want to live their this long.
Go ahead and lie down on the floor.
Even if I wanted to, is not proper to do so.
I can rest there when I'm dead.
When I fell last time. She doesn't remember.
She said I was crazy.
I don't remember at all.
that I fell.
So she said it was crazy.
I don't know. It was crazy. That is right.
If you die, I'll arrange a funeral.
Could die sleeping.
If I don't see you in the morning
I'll check on you in your room.
After four days, then I will check.
I check on you every morning.
My leg is killing me.
If you die, what do I do?
Bury you in the ground.
The body must rest in the ground.
If Park Dooree dies, will she be buried?
Of course, what do you think?
Don't worry about me. I'll keep on living.
That's wishful thinking.
I think people with no children.
Should be cremated, not buried.
When we die no one will care.
On TV, ashes were sprinkled on the sea.
Grave lots are scare now
due to rapid population increase.
No place to be buried.
No place to be buried.
People now look for lots in the country.
Buy land to be used as graveyards?
How frightening!
This is the so-called Comfort House.
This is a soldier, a Japanese Army officer.
Japanese soldier?
I paint these men from my memory.
There were three pine trees
50 meters away from the House.
There were big trees. Yes, three of them.
The three pine trees stood over there.
Asian people...
These are the Asians the Japanese ruled over.
This is one of the poor Asians
I painted from memory, too.
This is a dead girl.
Dead girl?
Yes, I painted young girl who died.
Reborn as a bird and flies away alone.
That's what I meant when I painted this.
In November, 1994 I went to Hubei to film with the Hubei Div. Govt.
Mrs. Yun Jung Ok from Korean council
for the Woman drafted to *** Slavery Unit and two of its members.
During the World War II, there was a big slavery unit in Japanese army base.
After the war, eighteen of Korean victims
Who stayed there still live there.
After a long persuasions, Chinese government permitted to film
But only to film three of them.
After the war, the Japanese Army
returned to Japan but abandoned the women.
Such is a crime against humanity.
Those women are live witness to the crimes.
When Japan finally lost the war
they immediately fled to their country
Right after the war, 32 women were seen
in one Comfort House alone
Abandoned so, some died of a disease.
Some by drugs.
Some took poison.
Some jumped into running trains.
10 of these women have survived.
They were glad to see us visit them.
They told us they were sick.
They also told us they were destitute.
We asked them what their urgent need was.
Some of the woman's legs were decaying.
They all wanted to return home
before they died.
We were naturally greatly distressed by their story.
We already had some knowledge
of their situation.
To be honest, we could do nothing to help them.
Not only that
we forgot about those distressed women.
"Wuhan during the Sino-Japanese War"
NOVEMBER 25, 1994 "Jukkyungree in Wuhan. Hubei Division, China"
Comfort House during the Sino-Japanese War
Comfort House during the Sino-Japanese War So this was the place of the unit?
Right, it was.
And you were there?
Right.
This building and that building.
HA KOONJA (63) Behind a Comfort House was a bath and a clinic.
Behind a Comfort House was a bath and a clinic.
When were you here?
I mean, how old were you?
I was 1 7.
You were in 1 7? You first came to Wuhan
Right, I was 1 7.
And lived in that place?
Yes, that's right.
You lived in this house?
Here? How many girls?
I think there were about 20 girIs...
Did you have a room of your own?
Yes, a room of my own. We all had a room each.
The rooms were from there to here?
How many were housed here?
All that time... how many house there?
Let me see... 1 ...2...3...
In one house... there were...
Many? Over a hundred?
About 50 in a house.
40 or 50, I think.
You mean this is one house?
About 50 in a house. So, what about now?
40 or 50..
Is this all?
Yes, all of them were soldiers.
They were all soldiers.
We couldn't serve other people.
What soldiers did you mainly serve? Army?
Yes, yes...
When you were 1 7?
Yes.
Can you remember how old you were when the Japanese army went back to Japan?
Japanese army?
How old were you?
I was 16... no, I was 18.
You were here for one year?
Was it from shamed?
But if you had come home to Korea...
Even ashamed. I wish you had returned.
I wanted to, but I was so ashamed
that I was in such a terrible place.
Why?
It was a place of shame.
You were there against your will.
I was taken, not knowing.
Didn't know until arriving in Wuhan?
I didn't know.
There's a port, isn't there?
Yes.
The port. You know Jang Han Roo?
After a nice welcome
I was taken to the place.
Women there began to cry and said
They said we were way young.
They said 'you are just a kid. Why did you come here?'
This is the village of evil. Blood-sucking village
I didn't know what they meant.
Blood-sucking village?
Only when they gave me a permit
I understood I was to sell my body. I was a ***.
Did the doctor know you were a ***?
The doctor demanded to sleep with me.
He was older than my father.
What could I do?
After he finished, he left the room.
I was so sick, I couldn't even pee.
That day, only the doctor
slept with me.
However, I had to serve many, many more.
One after another...
On holidays, we served 10, 15, 20...
Serving 20 a day on holidays
it was so painful.
Not Chinese but Korean rice.
I bought this in ***-bae.
We pronounce it Man-joo.
Same as Chinese rice?
No. Koreans should eat Korean rice.
Chinese rice is not sticky like ours.
It's flaky.
How did you meet your Chinese husband?
How did you meet him?
When Japan was defeated and war ended
I did the laundry for others.
Also did other house work
and babysitting.
People said I should get a husband.
They said it wasn't good
to live alone in a foreign land.
Since you're young and healthy,
you can get a husband now.
I was still young.
I couldn't imagine myself
marrying an old man.
You're healthy and a hard worker. Men'll like you
Nobody likes sick women.
So I said, I have a disease.
What disease?
I had my belly cut.
An operation?
Yes. As I told you before
All women at the Comfort House
are like me.
Venereal disease?
Yes, and I couldn't have children.
I became barren. I was just like a man.
My husband said that was good.
After he died, I raised his little children.
So, at first, you didn't want to get married.
But, in the meantime, you met your husband?
He knew I was sterile
and he had 3 daughters of his own.
His former wife had died not so long ago.
His youngest girl was only 7 months old.
Only 7 months?
His oldest daughter was 4 years old.
The second was 2.
He was a widower and married you?
He didn't want his girls to have
more siblings.
To avoid being ignored or despised.
Ms. Ha Koonja
keeps close ties with former Comfort Women.
She made her daughter marry Ms. Hong's son.
She was also a Comfort Woman.
HONG GANG LIM 75
A man cries cause He Misses his hometown
Ah-ah... The pure heart of reed...
He cries over love
He doesn't weep
Ah-ah... The pure heart of reed...
I was taken away.
I prostituted for the first time there.
Sold my body, split blood.
With scissors...
You mean knife.
By knife in the hospital...
In the hospital?
My lower part was so small
they operated me And they cut.
Which part did they operate on?
My lower part. The shameful part.
You mean your ***? Why did they do that?
Because my lower part was too small for sex.
You were too young to serve Japanese men.
And they cut your...
Yes, they cut... my lower part.
It's hard to talk about it.
It's pitiful.
They did it because it was too small.
What? Too small?
Yes, my lower part. Finally, they cut it.
They said my inside was too small.
Sleeping with many men.
My tummy was so painful
Those perverts, the men, complained
it was too small, so they operated on me.
So you can serve
as many men as possible?
That's right.
At the Army hospital?
They took me there.
At the hospital
the Japanese, those perverts...
I cried and begged, but it was not use.
Many soldiers there?
Yes, lots of them. The troops...
How many soldiers came to you in a day?
They said I have to sleep with them.
Can you understand? I cried and cried.
But they came to me one after another.
Did you stay in a room with five other women?
I stayed alone in a small room of my own.
Soldiers came to
your room one after another.
Can you remember how many a day?
Did you have to serve many of them?
You know how it is with the military.
I was helpless. Didn't earn any money: didn't eat well.
Our supervisor was a Japanese woman.
She must have stolen our money.
At the time, we didn't know that.
She made us sleep with Japanese men.
The ferry boat is departing
Goodbye, goodbye My handkerchief is wet
Because I love you
I love only you
That is why I am crying
When did you learn this song?
Please don't cry
This is the room where...
When did you learn it?
This song? When I was young,
In your hometown?
I sang this song
in my hometown.
After the Liberation
when the damned Japanese lost the war
we Korean became free.
There were some South Koreans with us.
We were not allowed to sing this at the time.
It's a famous song.
Long live our country
Till Mt. Paektu is leveled
I wonder if they still sing this song.
Yes. The words are different.
Till it is leveled Long live Korea
We used to sing this song.
When can we return
To our hometown? When on earth?
How many years Have passed in vain
Since we left home?
I count the year I spent away from home
My youth is gone And now I am too old
Though she can't understand neither Chinese nor Korean
She can sing those songs very well.
I've never forgotten those songs.
What song would you like me to sing?
Anything?
Take me, please
Take me, dear sister.
When can I meet my sister once again?
Can't sing anymore.
"Japanese Naval Base Sites in World War II"
Where is your hometown?
Where is your hometown?
Kyongsong (old name for Seoul)
Kyung Sung?
Nam Dae Moon.
My home was on some street in Seoul. It was near a temple.
A Buddhist temple?
Yes, it was a very large house
near a big temple...
The South Gate...
... near a big temple.
I remember my mother used to tell me
the Japanese soldiers' behavior was very bad.
It was atrocious.
"Japanese Naval Base Sites in World War II"
Where is your hometown?
Where is your hometown?
Kyongsong (old name for Seoul)
Kyung Sung?
Nam Dae Moon.
My home was on some street in Seoul. It was near a temple.
A Buddhist temple?
Yes, it was a very large house
near a big temple...
The South Gate...
... near a big temple.
I remember my mother used to tell me
the Japanese soldiers' behavior was very bad.
It was atrocious.
She couldn't speak a word of Chinese at the time
So she couldn't even find a toilet
She cried telling me about her experience.
The Japanese soldiers threatened me with guns.
I was 20 years old and a ***.
They treated me like a play thing.
I couldn't tell anyone about it.
I was ashamed of what happened.
You have truly suffered
during your stay in Wuhan, China.
Thank you for everything.
Please help us so we can visit Korea.
Please help us. Please.
We need your help.
Is it really possible to visit Korea?
When are you coming?
Don't interrupt me. I'm talking now.
We want to visit Korea.
Will our wish be granted?
Will it be possible?
Well, when I return, I'll talk about
your visit with the people concerned
I'll talk to those people.
The truth is, I can't take you to Korea now.
There are people who working hard for your visit.
Play. Play. Let's have fun.
We can't have fun we get too old.
When will we go? When will we go?
In each branch of spring willows by the river.
The school. Graduation after 3 years. That is..
Arirang. Arirang. Take me over to Arirang hill.
Granny said
Go to Japan and tell them.
Give us money!
The Japanese made us lead a bitter life. Give us the compensation money.
That's what granny said.
We can speak neither Japanese nor Chinese.
The Japanese must pay for their wrong doings.
Everything is too pitiful...
Make sure you tell them!
Hong has a disease. She cannot live long.
We do not have much time left.
In my case, I have no disease.
And I'm a little younger than Hong.
I'm now 68 years old,
but I'll soon be 70.
Right?
In 2 more years I'll be 70 years old.
I may be able to live longer, but not that long.
If we can't go to Korea
In 2 or 3 years time, we may die in China.
I want to visit Korea to meet my sister.
I know where the house is
I cry all the time, thinking about my sister.
I really I miss her.
I couldn't go. Nor can she come.
Thank you so much.
You haven't had supper yet.
Please go ahead.
"December 7, 1994 Myongdong, Seoul"
Tried to kill yourself on the ship
bond for Korea after the Independence?
Yes, many times.
Even after I came back to Korea.
With my body so unclean how can I get married?
I was better off dead. I saw a fish bigger than me.
If I jumped from the ship and fell into the sea, a fish could eat me.
I would stay up all night.
Leaning on the rail, I could only see
the sea on all sides
No mountains in sight. Only water around me.
And only the ship. Nothing else.
I could have died, if I jumped overboard.
I regret I didn't.
If I had died then, I wouldn't have had to lead such a hard life.
But I survived... and came back to Korea.
My parents believed
I was sent to a nice place.
But they received no letters from me.
So they thought I was dead. I was only 1 7: slender and slim.
The girl who brought tea.
She's well built. I was small and fragile
When I returned
I had put in weight and was bigger.
When I came back to Korea, I was 20.
I was an adult.
I arrived around 9 p.m.
They didn't recognize me at first.
I said to myseIf...
I'll be on my own, if they don't want me.
I didn't even cry.
Don't you recognize this mole on my face?
My mother shouted: This is my daughter.
Look at that mole!
True, there were talks of getting
me married to someone.
I was afraid I was barren
And I didn't want to deceive anyone
about my past, so I remained unmarried
for quite a while.
And in the meantime
years passed...
When I was 27 or so I met a man
and married him.
Our married life was sound
and I was happy for some years
I realized I was barren
but he didn't want a divorce.
I knew he needed a child to succeed
his family line wanted another woman to bear him a son.
There was no guarantee.
How can I expect him keep on loving me
and not the woman and the child?
I asked him to divorce me.
Thus we were divorced.
I left him for his sake.
He cried and cried.
I drank and smoked heavily.
He didn't know what to do, either
But he smoked after all because of me.
When he cried, I said: What's the use of crying.
If you don't stop crying
I'll put urine in your eyes.
People were shocked,
since we were happily married for 20 years.
I retorted: This is nothing. I even survived
from under a pile of corpses.
Last time, you were so nice.
Who will be the winner after such a strife!
We were excited about the outcome.
Who would win? Who would lose?
It was like scene on television.
Like the song:
I encourage the weak And defy the strong
Come on. Be fair.
What're they taking pictures for?
Drink this.
Take half, and give the rest to sister.
Soonduk, you take half, the rest to sister.
I have a headache. I had it at home.
Drink the rest.
I had it. I have a headache
After I drank it.
Why is it itchy? There must be lice.
Next stop Ankukdong, Chongno Police Station
Today's the last day of the year
but we're still doing this.
The manager is here.
You've come a long way?
How are you?
Not many turned up today.
In the past year, we have been active.
So Yun Jung Ok and Lee Hyo Jae and I
went to Independence Hall in Chonan.
As planned, we met the director of the Hall
and handed him our proposals.
KIM KYUNGHEE (Korean Council, Manager) The photos here show that the fight for
Independence was fought only by men.
There were women, too. That's why we protest.
When the war broke out, are you aware that
women also had their share? Mothers who sent their sons out to war
lived in fear they may be killed.
While their husbands were away, it was
the woman who took care of house and children.
The exhibition ignores such efforts by women. We can't help being indignant.
I really don't know how much we can expect
from the U.S. Government.
We dealt with them if the U.S. will help us.
We're trying to persuade the U.S. Government
to advise the Japanese Government
to perform legal justice and responsibility
For the Comfort Women problem
For this, we need to contract
Christian groups
and ask Cardinal Kim Su Hwan
to take some measures.
We should also the First Lady
of the U.S... Her name is...
It's Hilary Clinton.
Yes, we'd like her to join our movement.
The U.S. have advised us that the allied nations
of World War II such as
Great Britain and France are
Also responsible for The Comfort Women problem.
They were only interested in. Their own compensation.
And staged the war tribunals.
They did nothing about the Asian countries.
We denounce consolation money!
We denounce war crimes!
Pay for our damages!
Japan is not qualified to become
a permanent member of
the Security Council
of the United Nations!
Japan is not! Japan is not!
Next year is 1995.
We welcome the 50th anniversary
of the Independence and the National Div.
The problem is not ours alone.
It affects all Asia and north-south problem.
Former Comfort Women are in the north, too.
The north and south must be united
to solve the problem.
Let's solve it.
It must be solved.
Must be! Must be!
Let's be strong.
Fell better. Feel better.
Let us live to be 100.
Live to 100. Live to 100.
If I were only learned like you
I could have done something.
After we were liberated we had no place to study.
That's why we have lived the way we do
If we had a chance to study
We wouldn't be living like this.
Would the president be interested in us? No.
We may die and be gone
with our bitter grudge still unsolved.
We are ignorant, so we can't do anything.
If we weren't, we wouldn't be like this.
We're even illiterate. What could we have done?
Women learning to read and write
were considered cheeky.
I persistently asked my father
for a chance to study.
He finally said if I really hoped to
I could study at night
if I worked hard during the daytime.
But my mother opposed. She said daughters were useless even if
They were learned.
It was a custom not to educate daughters
however rich they were.
If you were young, even if you were rich
women did not study. I never had any schooling.
If we had studied
we wouldn't be where we are now.
So uneducated and poor women like us
may died full of spite.
Everyday, I think about ignorant women like us.
Has any learned men come to help us? No.
That's why our situation remains the same.
"New Year Eve Party, December 31, 1994"
It is hopeless then.
Where are you going?
Don't mention it here
You just said that.
Say whatever you please
I don't mean that.
You're free to say anything you want.
Then Ms. Kim Soon Duk,
This is the last day.
Go ahead. Say anything you like
We see the old year out, and the new year in
Let's all share what's on our mind...
Speak up.
Go ahead. Don't feel reserved.
Since we have all worked very hard
we expect to see some good results this year end.
Right. We don't want another year just passed by.
I have new wishes for the coming year.
We certainly deserve something.
What kind of wish?
I have many wishes.
How that we have made the whole world aware
of us, the Comfort Women
we truly expect to achieve our goal.
The Japanese Govt. must respond to
demands of us, the Comfort Women
Ms.Park Ok Ryun, it's you turn to speak now.
I ask for nothing more.
We only have one thing to say, don't we?
You have your own thing to say.
Though it's different for each...
If I wish hard enough and stay together
we will eventually win with the help of
the Korean Council for Drafted Women.
Only after that, can we do our own work
What do you expect in the year 1995?
To see our compensation problem resolved.
Yes, it should be resolved.
I only wish to see the problem resolved
While we are still alive.
We do not want to die
That's right.
Until we see the problem resolved.
We can't back off now.
No, we can't
- We can't let this go by in vain. - We can't die.
- Until we see the result. - We can't die.
I remember the time when you first came
to our office.
brought nuts to share with us.
She was so shy
She didn't know how to begin her story.
And when we paid a visit to vinyl green house
Grandma Kang was on her way to draw water.
Why did you say that?
I just saw her closely. Park Ok Ryun on May 2nd.
On may 2, 1992
when we had our first meeting
Ms. Park talked to us like her granddaughter.
I forget too easily so you should try
to remind me repeatedly
to make sure I can remember you.
I remember so many things.
I remember grandmas from 1992. We met often in 1992.
when we began making reports for the first time
Today is the last day of the year 1994.
All of you have become determined, fearless
and bold.
I truly think so.
We are sorry in many ways.
Should drink so much.
I guess it's my turn to speak.
I spent much time in the hospital in 1994.
The story is really long.
Sister Park, you must not be hospitalized at all next year.
Of course not.
Why me?
Please stand up and sing.
- You already had a round of applause. - Sing? What song...
That song, you know.
What song?
The song. The song.
I had a headache. Can't remember any songs.
Please sing us a song.
Enjoy while you're alive You can't if you're sick
Life is ephemeral Like a dream in spring
Ones unable to Keep the time and eunuchs
And the second verse?
Isn't there the second verse?
Time you go away alone Youth is so sweet
We enjoy it
Madame, you can't go without singing.
Please don't go.
We've never heard Prof. Lee sing before.
The wind blows
For a fruitful harvest
What a blessing!
Let's have a good time!
Let's have a good time!
Why you exist? Why you exist.
Are you so handsome to break someone's heart?
Prof. Yun! Sisters! Secretary Yun!
Grandma Park, go ahead.
Please sing for us.
Ms. Park please continue.
Some ask me to sing others don't.
I'm puzzled, what am I to do?
Just remember I am the last singer.
Is that good? Is that all right?
Speak well in Korean and Japanese.
I'm still young.
Live together for good
Live together forever...
Take a picture. Take a picture.
You and I
Made a vow When we first met
But my love left me
Leaving me all alone
Sing twice, and you'd knock Prof. Yun down.
I am crying over The good times passed
Which I will never forget
Which I will never forget
Just keep on singing.
Leave Prof. Yun alone.
I'm awfully sorry...
Live together for good
Live together for good
Live together forever
When she drinks, she acts like a girl.
You and I
Made a vow When we first met
Was there ever such a person?
But my love left me,
Leaving me all alone
Oh, how I miss Those wonderful days
I am crying over The good times passed
Which I will never forget
I am so sorry, madame.
Why are you sorry?
I am sorry.
I am crying over The good times passed...
Let's fight again in the new year
Until we win in the end.
Next year, I hope I'd be able to
go somewhere.
Somewhere? Where?
That would really be nice.
This is our last meeting.
Now we must part for now.
Where are you going?
I'm not going anywhere. You know I'm all alone.
No use going anywhere.
At best, I'm going to the mountain district.
Even if you want to, we can't part now.
To some secluded place, if we had not spoken up.
If we hadn't, we may not have to
go through all this suffering.
Even if I were to live in seclusion
I'd often write to you.
You're right. I'll go to the mountains, too.
What nonsense!
No matter where you go, you'll always come back.
Prof. Yun. I'm not coming.
Thank you for your efforts.
Goodbye. Say Goodbye to the ladies.
So naive and pure.
We'd better go before it's too late.
Why? This one here is really funny.
Would you turn on the light?
That's strange.
Doesn't it work?
Doesn't it switch on?
I wish you good health.
It's cold outside, but so warm here.
Yes, there's still some warmth left
because of the heater and the people
It's out of order here.
Did you find it?
When we think of it
the Japanese ignore us Koreans.
They don't even take the effort
to listen to the Comfort Women.
It was all their doings as we testified in court.
If they prove the Japanese Govt. had done wrong
We will not accept any consolation money.
We don't intend to receive such a thing.
The truth must be taught to children
through history textbooks
And as we demanded erect a monument for the teenagers who died
or killed themselves.
We are not concerned about the amount to be paid to us.
We want whole-hearted compensation
not just consolation money.
And there is no guarantee that
the Japanese will never again
try to exploit the Korean people
especially the daughters of Korea.
That's why I strongly insist that
We aging Comfort Women
Make decisive action now
Directed by Byun Young-Joo
Produced by Docu-Factory VISTA