Relatos de supervivencia: Las voces de la tragedia en Corea

It's really frustrating, I don't know whether to criticize the bad people or the corrupt Korean government at that time. Even now they are still dirty like that, when they make a mistake they will use a famous person's scandal to cover it up... over and over again like that. 98% of presidents go to jail, you can feel the corruption. I understand that every system has its bad points and good points but it will have its limits. The Korean government is rotten on the inside but always shows a glamorous appearance on the outside. I feel sorry for the victims in this incident, I feel sorry for the people in the lower class. If only they had stood up and killed the Director once, everything would have ended sooner.

I'm sorry to say it but this is a sick nation. This is not about some bad individuals, it is a systemic sickness at the society level if they tolerated such tragedies to take places.

Though is worth to appreciate the effort of the producers to show to the world what could happen when you are blind or corrupted. This movie is a good learning lesson for other societies.

From the first series on South Korea's systemic crime; essentially these were institutionally supported atrocities, to this follow-up sequel-ish second series, the approach in story-telling with this season's episodes doesn't do justice to the various crime committed, and the victims who deserve justice and protection for speaking out.

In my opinion, the producer choosing to approach his own participation in the episodes reminds me of Micheal Moore documentaries from the 90's and early 2000's, and his confrontation with the cohorts and supporters of the perpetrators similarly presents him as THE man on a mission fighting against systemic evil organizations behind these crimes.

All this is fine and effectively engages the audience to see one man trying to uncover the truths that have been ignored or hidden by these "evil organizations" having been operating for decades in broad daylight.

As well intended and deserving of support as the topics presented are, the seriousness of each and every one of these atrocious crimes are revealed and given credibility by victims who appear as interviewees in each episode - some of them speak as they are placed in shades, while others appear front and center facing the camera in studio-like settings. Each of these interviews are shot with multiple cameras so every little jesture, body movement, are edited in to increase emotional engagement. The editing of each episode is full of quick-cuts with sound effects and mood music collage to fit to further pump up the dramatic effects. In the episode on the JMS cult, it is incredible to see the "main-character" victim appear on a HK street to meet with the lead lost-cause crusader so he could break the bad news to her about the progress of the criminal investigation she is given credit as "the first victim who dared to speak out in spite of risks to her safety." This scene just completely ruined the seriousness of the crime the audience has been presented and invested in the hope of seeing due justice served. In all seriousness, would a victim and her crusader really wait for a camera crew with multiple lenses set-up on the street, and then pose perfectly at the camera as they breakdown in tears at the right moment and in the right tempo and beat? Why turn a worthy topic that deserve public attention into melodrama by staging all the interviews as if it is a staged performance?

4/10 and the 4 is for offering an opportunity for victims' voices to be heard.

Nothing could prepare me for the real-life nightmare these survivors endured. Children ripped off the streets, people beaten for sport, bodies hidden like trash. I had to pause just to breathe. It's horrifying, heartbreaking, and absolutely unforgettable. Everyone needs to see this.

The stories of what happened inside places like Brothers' Home are so disturbing that they feel almost unreal. Children pulled off the streets for looking "poor." Men and women beaten with bats if they didn't meet impossible work quotas. Survivors forced to play "games" where the prize was pain and humiliation. Thousands of lives broken, hundreds lost, bodies hidden as if they never existed. It's the kind of cruelty you'd expect in a nightmare, yet it was carried out under the cover of 'welfare' and 'social order.' And the worst part? So many of the people responsible walked away free, building new lives while survivors were left with scars-physical and emotional-that never healed.

What hit me hardest wasn't just the abuse itself, but the bravery of the survivors who returned to tell their stories. You can see the pain in their eyes, the weight of memories they can never escape, and yet they speak anyway-because the truth matters. They've been silenced for so long, and finally, they're being heard. Watching them reclaim their voices is heartbreaking and inspiring all at once.

This series isn't easy to watch, and it shouldn't be. It's supposed to make you uncomfortable. It's supposed to force you to look at what people in power tried to erase. As a viewer, I couldn't stop thinking: How many people knew? How was this allowed to go on for so long? And why is justice still so incomplete?

My deepest hope is that this series doesn't just fade away as another shocking documentary that people binge and forget. The survivors deserve more than our sympathy-they deserve action, accountability, and justice. They deserve to see the world acknowledge what was stolen from them and to know that their suffering will never be dismissed again. If this show does one thing, I pray it shines a light bright enough to finally bring them the justice they have been denied for far too long.