Daerim Market in Seoul (Yonhap)
SEOUL, June 25 (Korea Bizwire) — A South Korean court has ordered a local movie production company to apologize for disparaging ethnic Koreans from China.
The company was embroiled in a controversy after producing a movie scene in which Daerim Market and the entire Daerim-dong area in southern Seoul, known for a high concentration of Chinese nationals, were depicted as a den of violent crimes.
Merchants at Daerim Market welcomed the decision.
“It simply doesn’t make sense to depict each and every person from China as a potential criminal,” said Jang Jong-sook, a local food store owner. “People are the same, wherever you go.”
“Please don’t discriminate against people by their way of living or how they talk. The same applies for creative productions,” Jang added.
“In Daerim-dong, ethnic Koreans from China, naturalized Chinese Koreans, and Chinese nationals all live together,” said Seo Jeong-sun, who works at a local Chinese restaurant.
“We understand the perception that Chinese people don’t want to assimilate into Korean society, but we also pay taxes and carry out diligent lives.”
A ruling by Seoul Central District Court on June 17 ordered Movie Rock, a production company, to reconcile with 60 Korean compatriots from China who filed a lawsuit against the company for including a controversial scene in the 2017 box-office hit “Midnight Runners.”
The ruling reflects the court’s view that the scene was fabricated to include negative depictions of the area.
Some local residents are stepping out to use the ruling as an opportunity to promote the market.
“The ruling generated a consensus among merchants at Daerim Market to deliver satisfactory, responsible service to customers to further prove that we have nothing to be ashamed of,” said Kim Sook-ja, head of the Korean Compatriot Association.
“I realized a strong need for change after a movie like the Midnight Runners became some sort of a cultural trend among other films that ensued,” said Cho Yeong-kwan, the attorney in charge of the case.
“I hope that the National Assembly will develop new legislation to put a stop to such forms of discrimination.”
“Daerim Market is a common place just like any other. I go there for lunch. What you see there is pretty much what you will see anywhere else,” Cho added.
“I’ve worked as a police officer for more than 20 years, stationed in various places, and Daerim Market isn’t particularly vulnerable to violent crimes,” said a police officer from a local precinct. “It is just like anywhere else.”
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
