Act as a Media in Samchuck
트레일러 재생
LEE Inhyun, JO Youngeun, BYUN Gyuri, PARK Soyoung, CHOI Kimyung, SONG Lee, JEONG Jongmin, KIM Heebong, OH Daeun, OK Susu, KIM Namheon
- Korea
- 2014
- 76min
- 12 +
- color
Synopsis
This documentary, comprised of four video pieces, a radio piece, and a participant's journal, presents an unfiltered exploration of the deeply personal and survival-driven reasons behind residents' support or opposition to a proposed nuclear power plant. Unlike other discussions that focus on theoretical frameworks, this film delves into the raw emotions and lived experiences of those directly affected by the project. By capturing their voices, the documentary offers a nuanced perspective on the complex and often divisive issue of nuclear power. The filmmakers also share their own reflections, providing further insight into the challenges and rewards of documenting such a sensitive topic.
Review
Act as a Media is a collaborative production and distribution project that unites media activists from across South Korea to document and support specific regions and causes. Launched in 2014 with the residents' referendum on a nuclear power plant in Samcheok, the project has expanded to address various issues in places like Miryang, Chungbuk, Gimcheon/Seongju, Pyeongchang, and Jeju Island. The topics covered are diverse, including environmental destruction, erosion of communities, labor oppression, and resistance to developmentalism and militarism. In Samcheok, the project captured the residents' voices on the nuclear plant bid through four videos and one radio segment. When the Election Commission blocked the official referendum, citizens organized their own vote, demonstrating strong civic engagement. Media activists documented these voices—often ignored by mainstream outlets—and connected this struggle to a long history of opposition to nuclear power since 1983. This project marked the beginning of the Act as a Media initiative, which continued annually until 2019.
Director
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LEE Inhyun, JO Youngeun, BYUN Gyuri
Act as a Media is a collaborative production and distribution project where media activists from across South Korea converge on specific sites to document and raise awareness through various media forms, including video, magazines, and music. Initiated in 2014 with the Samchuk nuclear power plant referendum, it has since addressed key issues in several locations: Miryang's power transmission towers and Yeongdeok nuclear plant referendum (2015), union-busting in Chungbuk (2016), anti-THAAD protests in Seongju/Gimcheon (2017), Pyeongchang Winter Olympics (2018), and Jeju naval base and overdevelopment issues (2019). This project had become a vital platform for grassroots journalism and community advocacy in South Korea.
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PARK Soyoung, CHOI Kimyung, SONG Lee
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JEONG Jongmin, KIM Heebong, OH Daeun
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OK Susu, KIM Namheon