The Gwangju Uprising - The Gwangju Massacre and The Pivotal Democratic Movement

Just a few years after the Korean War became a frozen conflict, a military coup came to power in South Korea. Nearly 20 years later, another military coup came to power. During these years, while "The Miracle of the Han River" greatly increased the industrialization and commercialization of the country- due in part as with similar "miracles" of the past- the influx of outside finance. This miracle came at a cost for many South Koreans, especially those in South Jeolla Province, where the city of Gwangju was situated at the time. Couple this with decades of alleged human rights oppression and marginalization, a seemingly routine protest and demonstration, quickly turns into something else entirely.An experience that many of the citizens found difficult to express. An experience that could not be openly expressed for years because of the continued political situation.The experience, if survived, made the nation take notice, eventually leading to the democratization of the country.A key source for this episode is the book - The Gwangju Uprising- the Pivotal Democratic Movement That Changed the History of Modern Korea, by Choi Jungwoon as translated by Yu Young-nan. The episode was also influenced by the novel- Human Acts- by Han Kang and the movie "A Taxi Driver" directed by Jang Hoon. These sources all show how ordinary people may react in the face of state v1olenceProduced, researched and created by Roberto. All music by Roberto#democracy #korea #history @hankang @jangboon @choijungwoon