The movie Han Gong-Ju is back in the spotlight, coinciding with fresh developments in the Miryang gang rape case that inspired the film.
Coincidentally, lead actress Chun Woo Hee recently reflected on the movie’s lasting impact and its connection to real-life events.
On June 5, The Atypical Family actress appeared on You Quiz on the Block and talked about the movie Han Gong-ju with Yoo Jae Suk and Jo Seho.
Chun Woo Hee on ‘Han Gong-ju’
On tvN’s You Quiz on the Block (You Quiz), Yoo Jae Suk mentioned Han Gong-ju as the project that brought Chun Woo Hee considerable acclaim.
Talking about the film based on the Miryang gang rape incident, the 37-year-old actress shared, “It was a work that everyone put together and filmed without any production costs. I was concerned about ‘Will the public be able to listen to a somewhat difficult story?’, but I think I was still confident. Our story would definitely have meaning.”
Regarding her character, she shared, “It was like the friend and I spent time alone, leaning on and relying on each other,” and added, “I always wanted to be by her side.”
The film Han Gong-ju, which came out in 2014, depicts the account of a middle school girl’s sexual assault in Miryang. It narrates the journey of a regular girl who faces assault, leading to her isolation and torment by the perpetrator.
In 2004, in Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do, a tragic incident unfolded where 44 male students repeatedly gang-raped multiple middle school girls for a year. Recently, this case resurfaced as the offenders were identified online. These individuals, all high school students at the time, born between 1986 and 1988, faced public outrage as none of them faced legal consequences or obtained a criminal record.
Latest Developments in Miryang Gang Rape Case
A South Korean YouTuber has sparked widespread attention and outrage by revisiting the notorious Miryang gang rape case from 2004. The case involved the brutal assault of several school girls by at least 44 high school boys over an 11-month period.
The YouTuber’s efforts to expose the perpetrators, now adults, have led to swift consequences, including job losses. This development has revived painful memories and anger towards the lenient treatment of the offenders, who were largely shielded from severe punishment due to their age at the time.
The case’s reemergence has also highlighted the mistreatment of the victims by law enforcement and the victim-blaming that followed.
The first alleged perpetrator identified by the YouTuber is a man surnamed Shin, who is claimed to be involved in the horrific incident. He is in the business of selling and has changed names to conceal his identity.
He lost his job after being identified as a rapist, and the company he worked at announced that he has been fired.
In another YouTube video, YouTube exposed another alleged suspect, surnamed Park. Park runs a successful family restaurant, is married and has a daughter. After the allegations surfaced, he closed his restaurant temporarily.
In addition, on this channel, three to four more videos were posted introducing where the perpetrators work now and how they look currently. The exposure of the rest of the offenders was also revealed.
Lastly, netizens are furious at how the perpetrators got off so easily and are living their lives freely without any remorse.