'I am a survivor' continues to resonate strongly in its second week of release.
The recently released Netflix documentary 'I am a survivor' is the second story of 'I am God,' recording the voices of those who survived four horrific incidents that shocked Korea, and the stories of that day that should not be repeated. Since its release on the 15th, it has provided a strong impact with the voices of the survivors of the tragedy. In its second week of release, it is receiving high attention, ranking 2nd in the 'Korea Top 10 Series.'
The reactions from domestic and international media are also intense. Foreign media remarked, "As the series unfolds, it reveals the theme of how far people will go for money, and the stark reality of a society that prioritizes the accumulation of wealth" (TIME), and "Confronting the most painful tragedies in modern Korean history, it unveils the painful truths that still weigh on the lives of survivors" (India Times).
Additionally, "A reality more cinematic than a movie. Looking into the depths of the incident, you realize that this is not a thing of the past, but still an ongoing situation" (Jung Deok-hyun, critic), "The fear that humans can treat other humans in such a way, the sense of powerlessness toward a public authority that is difficult to gauge just how corrupt it is, and the dread that this could happen to me—that feeling is overcome by the emotion that we must not turn away from the courage of the survivors who dared to stand before the camera. The moments when I wanted to stop watching brought me back to the screen because of their courage" (Jung Si-woo, film journalist) they commented.
'I am a survivor' captures four brutal tragedies that occurred in Korea, which are still ongoing, through eight episodes. The desperate voices of the survivors hoping that such tragedies do not recur closely examine the structural problems of our society, ringing a heavy alarm. In particular, it highlighted how our society and public authority have produced criminals through the struggles of Maple, who fights against JMS (Christian Gospel Mission), which is still active since 'I am God' in 2023, and the forces that support it.
It also critically examines how public authority has condoned crimes by reflecting on the Busan Brothers Home incident, where the worst human rights violations occurred under the guise of social purification. It exposes how people pushed to the brink created 'murder factories' through the courageous escapes of survivors during the Jisungpa incident, and poignantly points out the horrific events that occur when human value is deemed lower than money, as seen in the Sampoong department store collapse.
Director Cho Sung-hyun noted, "I understand how difficult and challenging it must have been for the survivors to testify about the pain they couldn't even share with their families," adding, "The survivors testified about their hellish lives to communicate the suffering of our society. I hope many people watch it and we start thinking about what we need to change structurally."
[Photo] Provided by Netflix.
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