Shijakhaneun soongan

In 1994, the local authorities decided to close the small primary school at Doomealee. After putting up a year of hard fight, the villagers lost their case and the school was closed down. Whilst their appeal against this decision was in progress, the inhabitants tried renting a classroom and set up an alternative school. Unfortunately, the expense was too great, and they experienced another, even more traumatic defeat. As Mr Wang, one of the first to join the protests, comments ‘We may have lost, but our victory is that we have made a first step.’ Effectively, their struggle was to become an example to many, and found echoes of sympathy throughout the country, with the result that a national association for the protection of small schools was subsequently created. ‘When I return to the village, I no longer go to the school. I listen to the village’s breath, I drink up its fragrances. My efforts will help bring back the shine of honour to the villagers. Even though defeated, they are praiseworthy. This is why I took my camera and made this film.’ (Hyungsook Hong)