Biography

Byun Young-joo graduated with a law degree from Ewha Womans University and did her graduate studies at the Department of Theater and Film at Chung-Ang University. She is a founding member of the women's feminist film collective "Bariteo," which was established in 1989. She worked as a cinematographer on a short film about gender discrimination at work, and a documentary film about childcare in a poor neighborhood. Her first documentary centers on the sex trade in Asia, particularly the sex tourism of Jeju Island. Byun is best known for her trilogy documenting the present and past lives of "comfort women" who were abducted and forced into sexual servitude by the Japanese army in World War II. Byun's efforts have lent a significant push to the women's demands for a formal apology and compensation from the Japanese government. At the same time, the films have drawn praise for their aesthetic and emotional power. For her feature film debut, Byun adapted the Korean novel "A Special Day That

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Filmography