A single spark

“A single spark concerns the life and death of labour union martyr Jeon Taeil” (Pg. 107, Kim KyungHyun)

I read the book about Jeon Taeil when I was in Jr. high School, however, I didn’t have any previous knowledge of the human rights, labour law, and labour movements so it was hard for me to understand why Jeon Taeil had to immolate himself with the age of 22. Also, it was hard for me to imagine how big the university student’s demonstration was while I was reading the book. The film single spark (1995, Park Kwangsu) reminds me of the book I had to read in Jr. high School and it portrays vividly about the society in 1970s in the film. The last part of the film, when Jeon Taeil immolated himself made me to think a lot. The society’s disregard of Jeon Taeil’s exertion led him to immolate himself.

            It was pitiful to see the scene when women workers had to stay in the dusty place and work all day without sleeping and young girl had to leave the work when she got pneumonia. Women workers had to work at the textile-related industries for their family because “women’s position in the factories are very weak, due to the inferior social standing of women in traditional Korean society, where their main function is biological, in providing a male success for their husband’s family” (pg.69, Isolde Standish). Also, I felt sorry to the women workers when film showed the part when Jeon Taeil bought some bread to the women workers instead of taking the bus.  Additionally, I felt thankful to Jeon Taeil and university students who were parts in on a demonstration. Without their sacrifice, we would have to live same life as they had in these days.

            The most interesting part of the film, Single spark was when the scenes are overlapped and moves back and forth between the life of Jeon Taeil in 1970 and the life of Kim yongsu in 1975. The scene of Jeon Taeil was shot in black and white, and shot in colour with the scenes of Kim yongsu. However, the stark visual contrast between two time periods does not signify any change in the political mood.