Silenced

Silenced (also known as The Crucible) was released in 2011 based on a novel written by Gong Ji-young of the same name. The storyline is based off actual events that occurred at Gwangju Inhwa School for the hearing impaired. Six teachers including the principal were investigated for sexually and physically abusing students repeatedly for a course of five years in the early 2000's.

Plot

With a talent in arts and love for children, Kang In-ho is happy to hear of his transfer to an academy in the countryside. Having grown up in the bustling city of Seoul, Mujin (in this story, a fictional city to replace Gwangju) is known as the City of Fog for its dark atmosphere. Though it isn't stated in depth, In-ho suffers from the loss of his wife who had committed suicide just a year before this incident. He leaves his young daughter in the hands of his mother. While struggling to make ends meet for his pathetic paycheck, In-ho tries to keep a positive stance while making the best of his situation.

Upon starting his first few days at Jae-ha Academy, In-ho realizes the children refuse to interact with him and avoid him as much as possible. Once the children start to trust and confide in In-ho, they reveal those responsible for abusing them. In-ho teams up with Seo Yoo-jin, a human rights activist he had previous run-ins with. While they struggle to expose these vile happenings to the public, In-ho is shocked to realize that the school board, officers of the court, and even the police are trying to cover up the "mistakes" committed by the headmaster and his colleagues.

Background

Based on real life events, nine students were physically and sexually abused for a period of five years. When they went to the police, they refused an investigation until four months later, but only because the children were coaxed into speaking to a TV station and gaining attention all over South Korea. There were originally six teachers (principal included) that were investigated, but only four of them were dealt heavy penalties after an eight-month long court battle.

Due to the unfair sentencing of two teachers because their claims preceded the statute of limitations (if the child that was sexually molested or raped was younger than thirteen, then the punishment can be overlooked if a guardian agrees), there was a national blowup of fury within the court systems and all about Gwangju and neighboring cities.

The Gwangju Inhwa School Case gained a lot of attention. Novelist Gong Ji-young wrote a book based off this incident in 2009 and two years later, the book was adapted into a film, The Crucible (known as Silenced nationally) which resulted in more controversy. Two months after the film's release, the City of Gwangju officially shut down the school and pushed forth heavier punishments.

The South Korean parliament eliminated the statute of limitations on sex crimes against children under thirteen and the disabled. Passed in 2011, the "Dogani Bill" increases the maximum penalty of sex offenders to life in prison.

Many claim that this change only came to light due to how much publicity the Gwangju Inhwa School Case received and human rights activists claim that the public backlash shouldn't be the only reason why the government is taking action to revoke petty penalties.

Overall

I actually found this movie through my research on the Gwangju Inhwa School Case, but nothing could prepare me for the graphic intensity that was pushed forth on screen. This movie was probably one of the most heartbreaking things I've ever seen.

Kang In-ho is a very respectable character in my eyes. He's not looking for trouble and trying to overcome the hardships of his life. He's lost his wife, is taking care of his daughter, and is nothing but the family disappointment in his mother's eye.

Having an interest in the arts, In-ho's the most happiest to be teaching such things to children. Specialized in sign language, In-ho starts to settle into Jae-ha Academy while trying his best to get closer to students. The majority are afraid and refuse to stand out in class. As the first part of the movie passes, In-ho's calming personality brings out a more opening and trusting part of these affected children.

The depiction of abuse on screen is heinous.

You have to understand that the Korean school system regarding discipline is much more different than it would be here in America. From what I've realized, teachers are able to physically discipline their students (ruler to the hand, kneeling outside the classroom), but they were always very subtle and not as extraordinary as I've seen in this movie.

But Silenced also shows the types of sexual abuse these children have befallen in graphic circumstances.

The baffling thing about this whole movie as well as the real life event is that all of these things have occurred in front of teachers and other faculty members that haven't acted out against these children, yet they didn't step in or think about going to the higher authority. Even more baffling, the offenders of this school were all prestigious within the Gwangju community. As the movie represents the fictional city of Mujin, the headmaster and his twin were devoted church goers and adorned a "heavy faith in God" while another teacher was known to make deals with police officers who never started an investigation when the children tried confiding in them.

It's really hard for me to describe the feelings I've been overcome with after watching this movie. I originally decided to put it on my watch list after reading about how much controversy and backlash it sparked against the Gwangju District Court and the re-instating of teachers who were original offenders.

Regardless, Silenced is an amazing movie, but if it makes my skin crawl, it'll probably do the same for you. This is a very graphic movie. They really don't hold back from the physical or sexual assaults on the big screen.

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