It is well known that many Koreans were forcibly conscripted and worked as sex slaves during the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945. However, the story of around 30,000 Korean women who labored in spinning mills in Osaka during this period is not widely recognized. The documentary “A Song of Korean Factory Girls” aims to shed light on these lesser-known figures, telling the story of women who endured discrimination yet showed remarkable perseverance in an unfamiliar place.
The film vividly recreates the memories of these workers—more than 80 percent of whom were teenage girls—who crossed the sea to work in spinning mills and support their families during the Japanese colonial era. Through survivors’ testimonies, historical records, and re-enactments, the documentary portrays these women as independent and strong individuals who carved out their own lives, not merely victims of discrimination and violence.
These women chose to work in Japan to support their families but faced harsh conditions: 12-hour shifts, beatings from supervisors if threads broke, and confinement behind a high fence to prevent escape from the dormitory. Lacking money to buy food, they often had to roast and eat pig intestines from butcher shops and endure contempt from Japanese people. Despite these circumstances, these women opened night schools to study Korean and went on strike to protest against unfair treatment. They even fought for their Japanese colleagues who were unjustly fired. “There was discrimination and various incidents. But now I don’t hold those things in my heart. It’s the life I’ve lived until now,” says Shin Nam-sook, now in her 90s, a former worker at the spinning mill.
Director Lee Won-sik became curious about these women after seeing the spinning mill wall during a visit to Osaka. “When I visited Osaka in 2017, I became curious after seeing an old red wall with cross-shaped fixtures. I found it was the wall of a spinning mill, and the cross shapes were frames used to wrap wire to prevent the workers from escaping,” Lee said during a news conference. “While the forced conscription of Koreans and sex slaves during World War II is well known, the case of the female workers seems to be less known and less researched as it’s a history at the civilian level.”
Fourth-generation Korean-Japanese actress Kang Ha-na plays the lead role in the film, bringing to life the story of factory workers based on their testimonies. “I received positive energy while participating in this film,” Kang said. “The lives of Korean women workers are not just about painful history. (The audience) will be able to gain bright, strong, and positive energy.” She added, “I felt that living proudly as a Korean-Japanese is the same whether it’s the first or fourth generation. I also gained energy as a Korean-Japanese while filming.”
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