Yogyakarta, Saturday, 2nd of November 2024. The Korean Language Student Association organised an event entitled, ‘Women’s Film Festival: The Voices from South Korea and Indonesia’ as one of the 19th Korean Day series on 2 November and 3 November. This activity aims to explore the issue of women’s careers through films directed by women from both countries. Both Indonesia and South Korea share many similarities on this issue, including women’s opportunities to access education, employment, and politics. Typical cultural challenges still pose barriers, such as the normalisation of double burden, discrimination, and the threat of violence. The event was held at Soegondo Auditorium, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, and was divided into two sessions on the first day, starting in the morning and afternoon.
In the morning, the event started with the screening of Kim Ji-Yong’s film: Born 1982, which is an adaptation of the novel by Cho Nam-joo, following the life of Kim Ji-young, an ordinary South Korean woman who faces the pressures and gender biases that permeate a patriarchal society. The story delves into the sensitive issue of Ji-young’s gradual struggle with societal expectations placed on women, especially in terms of career, family, and identity. Participants watched Cho Nam-joo’s adaptation of the novel, at the two-hour film screening. After the film screening session, participants were given the opportunity to ask questions guided by a moderator and presented by film director Kim Ji-Yong: Born 1982, Kim Do Young, via Zoom.
In the Q&A session, various participants asked director Kim Do Young a number of questions, such as the challenges and difficulties in making the film, the film’s contribution to feminism, criticism that arose, and others. The participants then ended the Q&A session with a group photo with Kim Do Young.
