By Kwak Yeon-soo
The life of Chun Tae-il, a labor activist who immolated himself to raise awareness about the poor labor conditions of garment workers in 1970, will be retold through an animated film named after him.
Chun (1948-1970) was born in the southern city of Daegu. His father was a tailor who ran a small family business. Due to his underprivileged upbringing, he was forced to quit school and did not receive a proper education. Chun left home and started working as an assistant to a tailor at age 16.
In an attempt to improve garment workers' conditions, Chun became a master tailor and began to study the Labor Standards Law. He then visits a labor supervisor and raises the issue of the poor conditions of workers. But conditions did not improve until Chun set himself on fire during a demonstration for workers' rights.
The voice actors cast for roles in "Chun Taeil" include actors Jang Dong-yoon as Chun, Yeom Hye-ran as Chun's mother Lee So-sun, and Kwon Hye-hyo as the owner of a garment factory Chun worked in.
Filmmaker Hong Jun-pyo, who directed the film, said he wanted to give a vivid and realistic touch to Dongdaemun Market in the 1960s and 1970s so it can transport audiences, along with young protagonist Chun, to the days before that crucial moment in Korea's labor movement history.
"Of course, it's important to tell the backstories of Chun, but I wanted to focus more on portraying him as an ordinary young man who pursued a better life rather than a symbol of the labor movement," he said during a press event for the film, Monday.
Jang said it was an honor to take part in the film commemorating the 50th anniversary of the labor activist's death.
"It was an honor to voice Chun, who is a famous figure in Korea's modern history," Jang said. "I did a lot of research prior to acting in order to explore his relationship with his mother, which is not well-known to the public."
Yeom said she came to think about the struggles of people working all day for little or money just to survive.
"I can't say I understand them completely, but I've come to realize that such laborers worked hard to feed themselves and their families, not because they had other thoughts or intentions," she said.
"Chun Taeil" will hit local theaters in the first half of 2021.
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| Actor Jang Dong-yoon stars as labor activist Chun Tae-il in the animated film "Chun Taeil." / Courtesy of Myung Film |
Chun (1948-1970) was born in the southern city of Daegu. His father was a tailor who ran a small family business. Due to his underprivileged upbringing, he was forced to quit school and did not receive a proper education. Chun left home and started working as an assistant to a tailor at age 16.
In an attempt to improve garment workers' conditions, Chun became a master tailor and began to study the Labor Standards Law. He then visits a labor supervisor and raises the issue of the poor conditions of workers. But conditions did not improve until Chun set himself on fire during a demonstration for workers' rights.
The voice actors cast for roles in "Chun Taeil" include actors Jang Dong-yoon as Chun, Yeom Hye-ran as Chun's mother Lee So-sun, and Kwon Hye-hyo as the owner of a garment factory Chun worked in.
Filmmaker Hong Jun-pyo, who directed the film, said he wanted to give a vivid and realistic touch to Dongdaemun Market in the 1960s and 1970s so it can transport audiences, along with young protagonist Chun, to the days before that crucial moment in Korea's labor movement history.
"Of course, it's important to tell the backstories of Chun, but I wanted to focus more on portraying him as an ordinary young man who pursued a better life rather than a symbol of the labor movement," he said during a press event for the film, Monday.
Jang said it was an honor to take part in the film commemorating the 50th anniversary of the labor activist's death.
"It was an honor to voice Chun, who is a famous figure in Korea's modern history," Jang said. "I did a lot of research prior to acting in order to explore his relationship with his mother, which is not well-known to the public."
Yeom said she came to think about the struggles of people working all day for little or money just to survive.
"I can't say I understand them completely, but I've come to realize that such laborers worked hard to feed themselves and their families, not because they had other thoughts or intentions," she said.
"Chun Taeil" will hit local theaters in the first half of 2021.
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