‘Silenced‘, a 2011 South Korean film, is an emotional rollercoaster that stunned the public and exposed the dark reality of systemic abuse within the education system. Directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the film is based on Gong Ji-young’s novella ‘The Crucible‘.
The film retells the heartbreaking and shocking true story of hearing-impaired students who were victims of unimaginable abuse at their school. The public’s reaction to the film was so strong that it sparked significant legal reforms in South Korea.
What Happens In The Movie ‘Silenced’?
Starring Gong Yoo and Jung Yu-mi, ‘Silenced’ follows a group of young deaf students who endure abuse and neglect from their teachers over the course of several years. It paints an all too real picture of how society fails to protect those who cannot speak for themselves.
Kang In-ho, a teacher, uncovers the sexual abuse and corruption happening at Gwangju Inhwa School on deaf and physically impaired students. His fight for justice, alongside the students’ struggle for their basic human rights, is both devastating and powerful. Knowing that this story is grounded in real-life events makes ‘Silenced‘ even more chilling and heartbreaking.
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The movie chronicles the lives of two kids and three teachers who become entangled in the actual events of abuse and corruption that took place at their school. Though it is based on true events that happened to two innocent people who have been forgotten by society, ‘Silenced‘ presents this story through the eyes of fabricated characters.
The Real Story Behind ‘Silenced’
Gwangju Inhwa School, the real school where these horrific events occurred, was founded in 1961. What started as a place to provide education for hearing-impaired children turned into a nightmare of abuse.
In 2005, a new teacher at the school, similar to the character Kang In-ho, reported sexual abuse within the school’s administration. The headmaster was accused of raping a female student in his office. While an administrative officer was accused of groping a 22-year-old student.
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In total, 6 teachers were accused of sexual misconduct, and 9 victims came forward. However, it was widely believed that the number of victims was much higher.
Despite these accusations, the corrupt system protected many of the perpetrators. Several of them escaped punishment due to the statute of limitations. The headmaster, originally sentenced to 5 years in prison, later saw his sentence reduced to probation and a small fine.
Even more infuriating, some of the accused were able to return to teaching, while the victims were forced to leave the school. The school kept receiving 1.8 billion won in state subsidies annually.
How ‘Silenced’ Brought Real Change
‘Silenced‘ didn’t just break hearts – it broke the silence. The public outrage following the release of the movie led to a seismic shift in the legal system. Just two months after the film hit cinemas, Gwangju City officially shut down the school.
In October 2011, the South Korean parliament passed the Dogani Bill, named after the film’s Korean title. This new legislation abolished the statute of limitations for sexual crimes against children under 13 and disabled women, and it increased the maximum penalty for these crimes to life imprisonment.
Gong Ji-young, the author of the novel ‘The Crucible‘, based her book on her extensive research. She visited Gwangju Inhwa School more than 10 times! And interviewed the victims and their families to bring their stories to life.
She told The Korea Times that her experience as a student activist in the 1980s deeply influenced her writing style. “If I wrote the novel at a younger age, I might have portrayed the male protagonist as a betrayer,” she said. “But in my 40s, I see him as a tortured human being.“
Allegations Of Starvation And Murder
The events that took place at Gwangju Inhwa School may have inspired ‘Silenced‘, but the horrifying truth goes even deeper. Allegations of abuse at the school stretched back to the 1960s.
In one horrifying case, a former teacher came forward and claimed that two children were starved to death by the school’s administration. The teacher alleged that in 1964, the vice principal starved a 7-year-old orphan boy to death and then secretly buried him on a nearby mountain.
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A similar tragedy occurred just six months later when a 6-year-old girl was also reportedly starved. The starved girl even resorted to eating wallpaper. She was then killed by a school caretaker who threw her off a building.
These allegations, like many others, were swept under the rug, reflecting just how corrupt the school’s leadership was. The police were notified, but because there were no bodies, no action was taken. The teacher who dared to speak out was imprisoned and beaten by the vice principal and principal (both brothers).
The Heartbreaking Legacy
Even after ‘Silenced‘ hit theaters, the depth of the school’s corruption remained shocking. Other former students came forward with stories of abuse, including an instance in 1975 when the son of the school’s board director forced two female students to pose nude so he could paint them.
Thankfully, Gwangju Inhwa School is now closed. After the film’s release, Gwangju City shut down the school in November 2011. ‘Silenced‘ really caused an uproar among the Korean public and put pressure on the politicians.
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At the time of closure, 22 students were attending the school, 57 stayed at the dorm and 55 received training. All of the students were then transferred out to other schools. But the scars of the past remain, and for many of the victims, justice was incomplete.
‘Silenced‘ is currently available on Netflix.
