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