Every morning I wake up next to my sleeping husband.

 

Every morning I go to work by taking the Metro Line 9.

 

Line 9 was built and is operated by the Samsung company.

 

Samsung has done a lot of things for our country.

 

They are very famous for their electronics,

but there is more.

 

Samsung owns 80 subsidiaries.

 

My father used to work for Samsung.

 

When I was a child, he used to bring us to Everland,

 

the Samsung amusement park.

 

We had so much fun there.

 

I live with my family in a Samsung housing complex.

 

There are a lot of those in Korea. Mine is very pleasant.

 

We have everything we need.

 

We are very close to the Samsung Medical Center,

 

the best hospital in the country.

 

This is where I gave birth to my son.

 

Samsung is the most important company in Korea.

 

I cannot tell you all the many things they do.

 

They build nuclear power plants,

 

power stations.

 

They own petrochemical complexes.

 

The Seoul City Hall

 

the Incheon bridge, that’s them too.

 

And also the Busan New Port, the biggest port in Korea.

 

Nearby, on the Geoje island

you’ll find the Samsung Heavy Industries' shipyard.

 

Among the largest in the world.

 

They built part of the Ewha Woman's University

 

where I used to study.

 

My husband got a degree in semi-conductors science

 

at Sungyungkwon University, acquired by Samsung in 1997.

 

The company then funded his thesis for five years.

 

I’ve worked for Samsung for 10 years now.

 

When I was hired, the company sent me some flowers and a cake.

 

The flowers were very beautiful

 

the cake was okay.

 

My family, my friends, the neighbours...

 

everybody was so proud.

 

My husband and I met at Samsung.

 

We got married a year later

 

on the 5th floor of the Samsung Electronics tower.

 

There, employees can have inexpensive wedding ceremonies.

 

It was a success.

 

I was so happy.

 

On that day, a demonstration was held

 

at the foot of the Samsung towers.

 

To be honest I cannot recall the reason behind it.

 

Protests happen all the time. I hear about them in the news.

 

A Samsung employee even committed suicide

 

to denounce the harsh working conditions.

 

This is his wife.

 

This is his daughter.

 

This was his workplace.

 

This is his funeral.

 

Samsung made a statement denying all responsibility.

 

There was no public apology.

 

This man attended the funeral.

 

He was the first to create a trade union for Samsung workers.

 

The first in 75 years.

 

The company never allowed unions.

 

It already takes good care of its employees.

 

I have read that Samsung threatened him and then fired him.

 

This former manager at Everland Park also wanted to start a union.

 

Samsung has been suing him for 3 years now.

 

I’ve also heard of problems related to chemicals

 

used in the semi-conductor factories.

 

This lady lost her husband,

 

an engineer who died of leukemia.

 

This young woman was diagnosed with a brain tumor

 

after years of working with LCD screens.

 

Her mother never leaves her side;

 

the operation to remove the tumor left her  physically disabled.

 

Samsung remains the most prestigious company in Korea.

 

We benefit from generous salaries

 

and we get bonuses when the company earns big profits.

 

But we have to be efficient.

 

I work 14 hours a day.

 

I get home very late.

 

I still have some weekends to spend with my family.

 

Last Sunday I took my son to the baseball stadium

 

to see his favourite team, the Samsung Lions.

 

I am proud to work for Samsung.

 

Later, when I retire,

 

and perhaps spend my days playing cards with friends,

 

I hope my son will be a member of the big Samsung family.

 

Meanwhile, I lie in bed next to my husband

 

and close my eyes.

 

 

Credits:

 

Written, photographed, directed and edited by:

ROMAIN CHAMPALAUNE

 

Narrated by:

SUNG-YIN YOUN