In this blog post, I will explore how director Im Heung-soon’s documentary ‘Comfort Factory’ captures the history of the Guro Industrial Complex and the ongoing suffering of female workers through sequence analysis and personal reflections.
‘Factory Complex’ and Me
It was pure coincidence that I ended up watching ‘Factory Complex.’ I saw a post on social media—a platform I frequent—from the distributor, Atnine Film, inviting people to a screening of the documentary ‘Factory Complex,’ and I felt compelled to see it. The screening took place not far from the Guro Digital Complex, which serves as the film’s primary setting, and a single line from the promotional text kept echoing in my mind: “My head ached the entire time I watched ‘Factory Complex.’” Though I couldn’t pinpoint exactly where this pain came from, I could feel the raw suffering of the female workers—who continue to endure pain even after 40 years—in its raw, unadulterated form.
I pondered deeply why I had chosen to watch this documentary. After the screening, I thought of my mother and my late grandmother. Even though they didn’t work in factories, I thought of all the people who worked in their own ways during that era—and those who are still working today. I had never once asked my mother where she worked, what she did, or if it was hard. I hadn’t even offered a single word of comfort. The female workers of the “Consolation Industrial Complex” must have longed for someone’s words, for a small comfort as well.
Director Im Heung-soon says he began making this documentary three years ago after walking through the old Guro Industrial Complex and wondering where all those female workers had gone. His perspective, which began with a simple curiosity, revealed the reality of the world around me that I usually overlooked. Mothers cleaning dormitories, people working night shifts at convenience stores—they all unfolded before me just like scenes from the documentary. I felt ashamed of myself for trying to turn a blind eye to reality, and my heart grew heavy at the thought that I must face their suffering head-on.
After the screening, there was a Q&A session with the director, and the actual female workers who appeared in the documentary attended and shared their stories. There was no pretense in their words. As I left the theater after the screening, the phrase “Factory girls have simply become call center workers” came to mind. Their outward appearance may have changed, but the fundamental suffering remains the same. I hope many people will watch this documentary. The very reason I chose this film is that this pain continues to this day.
Documentary ‘Factory Complex’
Synopsis
The Guro Industrial Complex has merely changed its name to the Guro Digital Complex, but little has actually changed. The women workers there are still suffering, wounded, and toiling under difficult conditions. “Factory Complex” takes a slow, reflective look at the lives of these women workers. Through interviews, it brings to light the environments in which they worked during the era of industrial development—the harsh conditions they endured in factories filled with dust and noise. Life was arduous then, just as it is now, and the film arranges the girls’ gestures and movements like artistic devices to present a unified aesthetic landscape. Through stories spanning 40 years—such as the interview with a woman who worked at a Nike factory but had never worn a pair of Nike shoes—it unravels the irony and pain of reality.
Subject Matter
The central subject of ‘Uri Gongdan’ is “female workers.” While many people are interested in labor issues, relatively little attention is paid to female workers as a specific group. This was not a familiar topic to me either, but through this documentary, I developed an interest in the realities faced by female workers and issues of human rights. The film addresses the past and present hardships of female workers, spanning from the 1970s to the present day—from the Park Chung-hee era to the Park Geun-hye era.
The documentary directly names familiar companies—such as Dongil Textiles, Pyeonghwa Market, Samsung Electronics, E-Land, and Hanjin Heavy Industries—and sheds light on these events from the perspective of female workers. The director mentioned that she began this project while thinking of her mother and sister, reminding us that “female workers” are not merely a special subject but our neighbors and people right in front of us. Reality will not change easily unless we take action for change.
S#1. Women Working in Prison-Like Factories — They entered factories at the ages of seventeen and eighteen, operating sewing machines all day long. The noisy machinery, stale air, and chaotic factory floor made it feel like a prison. When they demanded fair treatment, the only thing that came back was a notice of dismissal.
S#2. Women Still Groaning Under the Yoke of Labor — Even today, female workers continue to suffer under the yoke of labor. The sight of supermarket workers who cannot rest even during holidays or long weekends, or workers sitting on cold floors eating packed lunches brought from home, has not changed much from 40 years ago. Emotional labor and physical exhaustion persist.
S#3. Like Looking in a Mirror — The working conditions for women in Cambodia resemble those in Korea decades ago. Low wages, poor working environments, and expressionless workers. This scene, which feels like a mirror image of Korea’s past, makes one reflect on just how slow progress has been.
S#4. Factory Workers Have Simply Become Call Center Workers — A call center worker remarks, “Factory workers have simply become call center workers.” While the physical labor of sitting and answering phones may appear comfortable, the emotional labor remains agonizing. The reality of having to endure sexual harassment and verbal abuse reveals another facet of the working environment.
Sequence Analysis of ‘Wiro Gongdan’
Sequence analysis can focus on the unfolding of scenes, composition, editing techniques, and artistic direction. The film weaves a narrative that traverses past and present through a combination of interviews, reenactments, and aesthetic imagery. This analysis allows us to examine the director’s narrative and visual choices.
Uniqueness
The uniqueness of “Uri Gongdan” lies in its ability to capture both personal memories and social records simultaneously. The vivid memories conveyed through interviews, the aesthetic arrangement of reenactment scenes, and the perspective that connects domestic and international workplaces elevate the film beyond a mere record, evoking empathy and raising questions.
Conclusion
What I felt after watching the film is that, despite many changes, the fundamental issues remain. We must not turn a blind eye to reality but instead pay close attention to it. I hope more people will watch this documentary and listen to the voices of female workers.
The Women Working in Prison-Like Factories
“Back then, the minimum wage was 100,000 won, but we were paid less than that. So my 17-year-old colleague would say, ‘Oh, I want to wear Nikes too.’ It was so sad that even though we were making Nikes, our wages weren’t enough to buy them.”
They were still so young. They wanted to live ordinary lives—running around with friends and studying at school—but these young female factory workers spent their days operating sewing machines. The loud hum of the machines, the stale air, and the chaotic factory environment trapped the young female workers like a prison.
Recalling the factories where they once worked, they recount their childhood days in interviews. Though they took a stand despite receiving no proper treatment, what they got in return was a layoff notice and a life that was just like another factory.
They still groan under the yoke of labor
What has changed today? There are still female workers suffering under the yoke of labor. From the women working in supermarkets during major holidays like Chuseok or Seollal, to those who, contrary to appearances, sit on the cold floor eating packed lunches brought from home—the reality remains the same.
What, exactly, has changed since that day 40 years ago? Through interviews, the ongoing emotional labor and the ceaseless suffering of female factory workers are laid bare.
Like looking in a mirror
The scenes from Cambodia were also striking. The working conditions for women in Cambodia are not much different from those in Korea decades ago. The low hourly wages and prison-like working environment feel like a glimpse into Korea’s past.
There is no smile on the faces of the female workers there, and their voices are monotonous. Their living conditions also appear bleak. And the labor environment back in our country isn’t much different either. Even if a good facade is maintained, the cycle of suffering in their lives remains the same.
Gong-sun has simply become Call-sun
A worker at the Dasan Call Center says this. “It’s just that factory workers have become call center workers.” Sitting at a desk and answering phones may be physically comfortable, but emotionally, it is not.
Emotional labor continues to be painful in the face of people who suddenly hurl insults or engage in sexual harassment over the phone. Why is the labor environment in this country so suffocating for those who work hard for their own reasons? Where, indeed, can they find comfort?
Uniqueness
The documentary ‘Consolation Factory’ won the Silver Lion at the Venice Biennale. What is noteworthy is that this award was presented at an art exhibition. ‘Consolation Factory’ was exhibited as a work of art in a museum, with the entire documentary screened in its entirety—a rare occurrence for a film to be shown in its entirety at an art museum.
Director Im Heung-soon, who has experience as an art director, stated that he believes art and film should serve as tools to change society. The director’s reflections are reflected throughout the film; while the boundaries of his practice have become blurred, the themes have become clearer.
The artistic sensibility permeating the film makes it unique. Experimental and symbolic imagery overlays the typical documentary approach of featuring interviews with real people and depicting reality. Scenes such as the actions of girls with their eyes covered or running through a forest filled with mirrors may not be immediately intuitive, but they resonate as powerful symbols.
The director reportedly wanted to contrast nature with industrialized cities and incorporated women to express a primal existence. The faces with eyes covered by bandages feel like a device designed to prompt the audience to interpret various meanings.
Documentary Review
It was very different from any films I’ve seen before. The fact that a documentary on labor was presented with such an artistic perspective was surprising in itself. Though the film wasn’t long, it made me reflect on my own life and ask myself what kind of life I’ve lived.
Situated at the intersection of art and film, this work felt like a message of comfort to the suffering female factory workers. The gazes, gestures, and actions revealed in the interviews were unpretentious and sincere, which made them resonate even more deeply.
“Labor” is our very lives. There are still many people suffering, in pain, and struggling against the world. “Woloo Industrial Complex” is a work that will be long remembered as a message of encouragement and warm comfort to those people.
