K-DOCS

Synopsis

Starting in 1948, for seven years and seven months, Jeju Island was an island of death. The South Korean army and police massacred more than 30,000 islanders and burned down their homes in the name of rooting out communist partisans. Countless women suffered and endured unspeakable ordeals during the Jeju 4.3 Uprising. Following the path of a dedicated Jeju 4.3 researcher, this documentary brings the experiences of the women of Jeju out of the shadows. It is a journey back to the cruel times they faced, and a séance ritual that brings their silenced voices out into the world.

JEE Hyewon is a filmmaker who focuses on character-driven documentaries. Her feature debut, Singing with Angry Bird (2018), gained international recognition at IDFA and Sheffield DocFest. She directed Free Minu (2020), the opening film of the 2018 DMZ International Documentary Film Festival, and Home away from Home (2021), which won the Grand Prize at the 2021 Seoul Independent FF. Her recent work, Voices (2025), won the Documentary Award at the JEONJU International Film Festival for its poignant portrayal of the Jeju 4·3 Uprising and Massacre through women's perspectives. She continues to explore the intersection of personal narratives and history.