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Documentary ㅣ JEONJU Lab: Feature Length

The Midnight Sun: Records of Sewol Ferry Survivor

KO Hyoju
Korea 90min 4K Color Documentary
Production StatusPost Production
Goal of ParticipationDistributor Meeting, World Sales, Mentoring, Feedback
Production budget130,000,000 KRW
Budget Required10,000,000 KRW
Secured budget
  • Korean Film Council[Independent & Art Film Production Support] : 30,000,000 KRW
  • Korea Communications Agency (KCA)[K-Pitch Prime] : 80,000,000 KRW
  • Self-funding : 10,000,000 KRW
LOGLINE

The story of Sewol ferry survivor KIM Dong-soo and his family's struggle to overcome trauma.

SYNOPSIS

Ten years have passed since the Sewol ferry disaster. The life of KIM Dong-soo, who came back alive from the disaster, has changed a lot from before.

KIM Dong-soo, who used to live as a truck driver, lost his truck in a disaster and now guards the Hallasan trail everyday. He is repeatedly hospitalized and discharged from the psychiatric ward and suffers from pain all over his body.

Still, he struggles to restore his daily life by participating in the marathon event. KIM Dong-soo's wife, KIM Hyung-sook, and his two daughters support him in his daily life.

The eyes looking at KIM Dong-soo with a desperate expression, asking for help, revive every moment and shake his heart, but he still lives by holding the hands of his family who stand by his side.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

Sewol ferry survivor KIM Dong-soo suffers from the guilt of surviving the Sewol ferry every day. However, because he ‘survived’, his suffering has become something that cannot be easily described anywhere. It is his wife and two daughters who are shouldering the daily life of KIM Dong-soo. The moment KIM Dong-soo returned alive, his entire family was destined to be bound inside the Sewol ferry. They have endured for a long time without having time to heal. The documentary The Midnight Sun: Records of Sewol Ferry Survivor examines the pain of KIM Dong-soo's family, which has festered as much as ten years after the disaster, and tries to hear the voices of those who have been erased.

INTERVIEW
What inspired you to start this project?
While working as a television producer in Jeju Island, I happened to get to know Kim Dong-soo, a survivor of the Sewol ferry disaster. For the first time, I learned that there was a person who saved several people from the Sewol ferry, and I felt heartbroken that Kim Dong-soo was still suffering from trauma. I was curious about Kim Dong-soo's life, so I visited him and saw him suffering from extreme guilt and pain. Additionally, his wife and two daughters were devotedly caring for Kim Dong-soo. I started this project because I wanted to capture the story of a family that had to endure the trauma left behind by the huge disaster of the Sewol ferry.
Is there any emotion you want the audience to feel after watching this film?
There were relatively few opportunities to hear the stories of the Sewol ferry survivors. It would be great if audiences could think about the lives of Sewol ferry survivors and their trauma through the work. And the pain of those who survived the disaster completely shook not only the lives of individuals but also entire families. I hope this will be an opportunity for each of us to think about what we need to do to prevent further tragedies causing such suffering from occurring in Korean society.
DIRECTOR
KO Hyoju
Working as a television producer, directed documentaries such as Walking through the memories of Jeju (2020) and Haenyeo-rok (The story of sea women) (2021).
Walking through the memories of Jeju (2020), Haenyeo-rok (The story of sea women) (2021)
CONTACT754817@hanmail.net
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