Teaser

People walking

ITV Kim Haeon

ITV ex-bully

Archive school bullying

ITV Jang Hye-Jeong

Portrait shots

00:08 South Korea is dealing with an epidemic of school bullying. 00:12

00:14 The school’s bathrooms were filled with insults against me. I would spend my time trying to remove them with an eraser or with acetone. 00:20

00:20 I would target someone who looks weak. And then I would beat him up without any reason. The beatings were very bad. 00:29

00:31 Celebrities have been targeted with recent revelations of bullying when they were at school. 00:37

00:37 Accusations target not only athletes and entertainers but also civil servants like police officers and firefighters. 00:42

00:43 School bullying scandals including allegations against high profile celebrities have rocked the country, triggering growing concerns. 00:52

00:52 There are many cases of students committing suicide … because of bullying at school. Reporting these incidents is important to stop the problem. 01:00

01:01 101 East meets the South Koreans fighting back against school bullying. 01:07

FILM TITLE

SOUTH KOREA’S SCHOOL BULLIES

A FILM BY YERINNE PARK

Victim

Haeon in her room

ITV Climbing

Kim Hay-un

Haeon on the bus

ITV Haeon

Images Haeon on her phone

Images children outside of school

01:23 I believe [the teenage years] is the time to build your self. But since everybody seemed to hate me, it was hard to see myself as someone … who deserved to live and be happy.

I love climbing so much. When you climb, you are above the ground.

It’s on the ground where I feel the pressure of my traumas.

But the moment I rise…I feel like I distance myself from those traumas and the hardships I’m experiencing.

When I climb, that’s when I feel real freedom and happiness. 02:06

02:07 For 23-year old Kim Haeon, climbing is more than just a hobby. It helps her deal with the anxiety caused by years of school bullying. 02:17

02:19 It’s hard for me to interact with people. After six years of being bullied by my classmates, the most challenging part is dealing with my peers. 02:26

02:28 Haeon says the bullying started at the age of just 8 - when she joined a new school and befriended children with disabilities. 02:36

02:37 Since I was friends with them, I was told I was disabled just like them.

The whole school were bullies in my case.

Even quiet students just followed the others… and were either spectators or took part in these bullying incidents… for example, not entering a classroom where I was present.

There were some bullies who harassed me more than others. They would, for example, lock me in the toilets… so that I couldn’t go to class.

They were small incidents, but they happened every day. I ended up being scared of going to school.

On Sunday nights, I always felt like I was losing my mind. I was having panic attacks. My heart was racing and my hands sweaty. I wished when I went to sleep, the world would disappear the next day. 03:26

03:28 Haeon was also a victim of cyberbullying, a type of harassment that is increasing every year. A third of South Korean students say they experienced it in 2022. 03:42

03:43 In the past, the harassment would end once you left school. But with cyberbullying, there is no way out and you are a constant target.

In group chats, I could easily receive more than 300 messages a day.

On social media, they would change their name… to “Kim Haeon, die”. 04:03

04:05 Haeon believes bullies are not just aggressors but also victims of the South Korean education system which prioritizes high results. 04:15

04:17 In South Korea, we are used to private education from a young age. There is a lot of stress regarding studies at school. Parents have high expectations of their children… since they invest money in private tutoring.

The easiest place [for students] to vent this pressure is at school… because they can’t rebel at home.

I believe that stress definitely leads these children to bully each other. 04:48

Ex-bully

Drone

Coming out of elevator

Close up feets

Looking out of the window

Closeups and various shots from back and profile

Sitting at the table

Playing on his phone

ITV bully

Nightscape Seoul

People walking slowmo

04:51 To find out why some students become bullies, we meet a man who confesses to abusing dozens of his former classmates.

Now in his late 30s, he says he’s never had to pay for his actions. 05:09

05:12 When I was in school… I beat up more than 50 of my schoolmates.

I would beat them until their ears would explode… and the veins in their eyes would burst. Stuff like that.

It started in the last year of primary school… and went on until the last year of high school.

I guess I was a bully my entire school life.

I would target someone who looked weak. And then I would beat him up without any reason. The beatings were very bad. 05:58

06:01 He says that at the time, he didn’t realise he was a bully. 06:05

06:06 I just thought bullying was a part of school life. I did it just like that. Maybe I just wanted to show off.

I feel that in South Korea… schools are clearly divided between bullies and victims.

I’d rather hit than be hit.

I’ve never regretted being a bully.

Because after bullying my friends…

I was never told off by my parents or professors. If I had suffered from my actions I might have regretted what I’d done. But I never had to take any responsibility for my actions.

We were better off than other families. That’s why my parents raised me with lots of freedom… and without any restrictions. 07:15

07:16 He says his bullying continued beyond his school life due to the country’s strong social hierarchy. 07:23

07:24 When I compare life as a student and life as an adult… I feel that there is a continuity.

Bullying is even more cruel in the military than at school. And what surpasses the military is our society.

It is important to hold power in South Korea. All things yield to money, and all things yield to power. Doesn’t everyone agree with that? 08:04

Transition

08:08 With reports of bullying increasing, parents say schools are not doing enough to protect children.

And they’re looking for other solutions. 08:17

Detective

Video

Detective Lee driving Lee Joon-Yong

Detective looking through his binoculars

Video

Detective taking pictures from his car

Video

Driving

Arriving at his office

Looking at his footage on his computer

ITV Detective Lee

08:24 Hi! I am Detective Tiger from Detective Tiger Channel. We will try to find the truth. Follow me! 08:31

08:33 Private detective Lee Joon-Yeong, who calls himself Detective Tiger, has investigated about 20 cases of school bullying in the past two years. 08:43

08:44 In our latest case, a father called us… because he noticed bruises on his son’s body when he returned from school. He wanted to make sure that he was not a victim of bullying.

For cases related to school violence, we use our mobile phones. If the target is too far away we use binoculars that also work as camcorders. 09:15

09:16 Parents secretly hire Lee Joon-Yeong without telling their children. 09:21

09:22 I will check if this boy has any problem on his way to school and then report it to his parents. OK, the son is coming out.

We need to collect proof of physical abuse… or money extortion. They are important for the school committee or the police to solve the incident. 09:51

09:53 Once they are solved, detective Lee uploads some of his cases on his online channel, with the consent of his clients. 10:00

10:01 Usually, in cases of school bullying, kids sneakily abuse the victim… or take advantage of him. But there are no such signs in this case. 10:11

10:15Concerned for their children’s safety, parents pay him more than $2000 a week. Sometimes, they ask him to do more than just investigate. 10:26

10:30 I can see that worried parents are ready to do anything for their children.

We receive lots of requests from parents… who want us to use the ‘Uncle package’.

It refers to a service where dangerous-looking men scare children… with their tattoos and physical appearances. They present themselves as the victim’s ‘uncle’. They intimidate the bullies by showing them… that there are scary people in the victim’s family.

Parents want us to threaten bullies and use physical violence on them. These are often parents whose children have been bullied for a long period of time. 11:16

11:20 Detective Lee says up to a quarter of parents who contact him, ask for such physical intimidation… Something he refuses to do. 11:28

Transition

11:31 If convicted, students aged 14 and older can be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison… But most bullies receive minor sanctions ordered by a school committee, such as writing an apology to the victim, or punishments like cleaning the school.

For some parents, getting justice for victims of school bullying is a lifelong battle. 11:57

Mother

Dawn on mountains

Mrs Lim going up stairs, arriving at sanctuary

Urn

ITV Mrs Lim

Lim Ji-Yong Seng Min

CCTV footage of Seung-Min arriving at his home with his aggressors

Mrs Lim reading her son’s letter

ITV Mrs Lim

Mrs Lim looking at pictures of her son

Press conference

News archive school bullying

Mrs Lim reading letters of support

Mrs Lim walking

Cherry blossoms in the wind

12:01 When I came here, I fell in love with this place. The landscape is beautiful and it feels like the mountains are wrapping us in a warm embrace.

This is the sanctuary where I keep my child.

My son was bullied at school. He committed suicide.

I used to find this place hard to visit because it made me sad. But now it’s different and I am happy to see my son. 12:41

12:43 Lim Ji Young’s son committed suicide in 2011. Thirteen-year-old Seung-min left behind a 4-page letter describing a year of torture… The incident sent shockwaves across the country. 12:59

13:01 They dragged him around… by the cord of a cassette player tied around his neck. They threw crumbs on the floor … and told my son to eat them. They also put water in the sink… and pushed his head into it. 13:21

13:22 Mrs Lim had no idea her son was a victim of school bullying until after his death. 13:28

13:30 It was the longest day of my life. It’s hard to think about it. I never thought this could happen. It still feels like every day is just an extension of that day.

Our son was at the morgue. The police told me to do an identity check. Under his clothes, his body was covered with bruises.

There were recent ones and fading ones… - purple, red, blue, light brown bruises. 14:14

14:15Seung-Min’s bullies were charged on several counts, including intimidation, blackmail and assault. One of them was jailed for two years, the other for two and a half years. 14:27

14:28 Daegu’s Office of Education fully recognises its failure in protecting a life… more precious than the entire universe. We promise that the student’s desperate message… for which he sacrificed his own life, will not get lost. 14:49

14:51 Schools introduced counselling services to help tackle bullying and a special police unit was established. But Mrs Lim says it’s not enough.

She’s now calling for harsher penalties against bullies and more protection for young victims. 15:11

15:12 I thought that if I start speaking out, other people will join this fight. I hope that it will help hidden victims… come out of the dark.

I’ve started my battle for my son’s rights… but now it’s about not making any more Seung Mins. 15:35

Transition

15:41 Two out of ten South Korean students don’t ask for help when they are bullied, mostly because they think it won’t solve their problem…

After the death of Seung-Min, the government set up a hotline dedicated to school bullying. 15:57

Hotline

People answering phone calls

Officer Jang arriving at the SMPA

Jung

Officer Jang sitting at her desk

Answering phone call

ITV officer Jang

Meeting 117

16:01 Hi, this is Dr Shin from the 117 centre.

Have you reconciled with your friend? How is school life?

We received a call and sent police officers. I’m just checking if everything is alright now. 16:17

16:19 As a hotline dedicated to school violence… we provide counselling and help report cases.

During the school year, we receive around 150 to 200 calls a day. 16:29

16:31 Officer Jang works on the nightshift of the Seoul Police Agency’s hotline. 16:35

16:37 Police officers and professional counsellors work together as a team… and are available 24/7 all year round. 16:46

16:51 Hi, this is 117. Yes, hello?

So you called us before but you didn’t tell your father about it?

Please let me talk to your father.

Hello? Yes, so your son says he will tell you about it… so please have a chat together.

This student calls us regularly. He sends us lots of text messages. 17:22

17:23 It’s often difficult for victims of school violence to ask for help. Bullies might retaliate if victims speak out. And parents and teachers don’t always take proper action… to solve these incidents. The situation can sometimes get worse after speaking out.

But this doesn’t help solve the problem. It’s important that victims find the courage to report incidents in detail… so that bullies also understand why their actions are reprehensible… and have the chance to reflect on them. They need to know that bullying can be punished. It’s important to report these incidents to stop them from happening. 18:00

Alternative:

Daygu

18:05Some teachers are trying to tackle bullying head on.

At this school in Daegu, one of South Korea’s largest cities, students are encouraged to write their own musical about bullying to help spread awareness.. 18:19

Students’ association

Students arriving at school

Discussion between professors and students

Lim Min Shik

Banchungo

ITV Pr Lim

Images students

Students moving chairs to sing in a circle

Images students

Student singing

18:21 First of all, I'd like to ask what school bullying means for you.

People think that it has to be a big incident for it to be called school bullying. But it’s the accumulation of small incidents that creates it.

I think something that begins as a game between friends can become school bullying.

School bullying can occur between friends having fun. Has this happened to you before?

Yes.

Who thinks that school bullying is a big problem in South Korea?

It is a problem that is so frequent. It is part of our daily lives.

We are writing down all of your answers. This will be our material to write a synopsis [for the musical]. 19:03

19:04 For Lim Min-Sik, the school’s science teacher, this anti-bullying project is a way to raise awareness, but also to try and help students in need. He named this students’ association Banchango, a Korean word for band-aid. 19:21

19:22 The association targets students from multicultural families… those coming from disadvantaged families… as well as those who have difficulties fitting into the school environment.

I think they tend to receive less attention. This feeling of isolation can push some of these students… to become either bullies or outcasts. This is something I’ve witnessed many times.

I want to take care of my students. Band-aids are the first thing you apply on a wound. 20:03

20:07 But Mr Lim says teachers are often reluctant to get involved in school bullying incidents. 20:13

20:15 In our country, the law against child abuse is very strict. In the past, we would scream at students who wouldn’t listen to us. In the process of being corrected, students could feel angry or hurt. Some teachers got reported for abuse. That’s why there are school teachers who are hesitant to get involved. 20:43

20:45 Nothing can heal my pain. Just leave me alone. 20:59

Drone

Concert at anti-bullying protest

21:06 The South Korean government is planning to introduce legislation to permanently attach students’ bullying history to their education records, which could affect their entrance to university and employment.

Protest

Crowd

Kpop idols going on stage

Korean rapper Outsider giving speech on stage

Time lapse

Visitors

ITV mother

Politicians and staff walking

Lee Tae-Gyu posing for pictures

Lee Tae-gyu

ITV Lee Tae-Gyu

Politicians and members of Blue Tree Foundation flying paper planes on stage

Today, this anti-bullying event in the capital, Seoul, draws more than 10,000 visitors. K-pop stars are among the performers showing their support.

Organisers hope the event will help students speak openly about school bullying. 21:42

21:44 There are stories and pain that you keep in your hearts, right? Don’t try to hide them but take them out instead. When you share this with someone, I believe it gives you the strength to heal. Alright?

- Yes! 21:57

22:00 Organized by the Blue Tree Foundation, the country’s largest anti-bullying NGO, the event attracts students and parents across the country. 22:09

22:11 My son is in primary school right now… and he is soon going to join the upper classes. School bullying is a big problem in our society. I think this experience here will inspire him… and teach him more than what he would learn in school. 22:26

22:27 Politicians at today’s event pledge their commitment to the fight against school bullying.

Among them is a member of the National Assembly, Lee Tae-Gyu. 22:37

22:37 In the past, we tried to understand bullies because they were children. We were lenient. Of course, I think the older generation, the government and politicians… have a responsibility in the increasing number of school bullying incidents. But it is not too late to take firm actions through rules and norms… and to work actively to protect our students and make them our priority. 23:04

23:05 Let them fly! 23:06

Conclusion

kim Hay-un

Kim Haeon arriving University

Library

Kim Haeon studying

Drone school

School teachers preparing event

Students arriving and taking seats

Images students + Pr Lim

23:11 Others with first hand experience are waging their own war against bullying.

Kim Haeon is now studying at a prestigious university to become a social worker and help young people in distress. 23:24

23:28 I realised that if I limit my experience to a simple story of bullying… then I would remain a victim forever. But if I use it as a means to help others… I would become a survivor instead.

I need to study more to better help victims of school violence… and young victims in general.

All the children who are going through the same pain as I did… I want to take them in my arms and be there for them. 23:58

24: 06 While working with Banchango, I’ve found a new direction to my life. 24:10

24:12 Meanwhile, Mr Lim spends his free time going from school to school to spread new methods of prevention. 24:20

24:25 Now, I spend more time looking for ideas and programs… to solve this problem of school bullying. 24:33

24:37 It is a program that is helping us acknowledge our differences. Alright?

You prefer to live without smartphone than without your friends. Why?

Because I feel lonely without my friends!

What do you say to bullying?

No!

Once more! Bullying?

No! 24:58