Hyuk-soo Seo
Daegu Citizen’s Forum for Halmuni

Amidst the long, harsh winter, buds endure the toil of their own blossoming and the biting agony of the frost, only to burst forth in the spring. Like those flowers, there are women who, even before their lives could fully bloom, endured over fifty years of perpetual winters. They bore the weight of their pain and haunting memories in silence, their voices muted, their stories untold. From every corner of the world, beyond Korea, these women were abruptly torn from their lives by the Japanese military's comfort station system, thrust into a strange land and an inevitable despair. After surviving these horrifying experiences, they tread the thin line between life and death, unable to return home, finding refuge in unfamiliar territories. Their silence was not a lack of words, but an inability to articulate such profound suffering. Yet, these painful memories were inerasable for them.

However, on August 14, 1991, with Hak-Soon Kim's first public testimony, a new chapter began for them. Following her bravery, survivors of the Japanese military “comfort women” gathered their courage to unearth their long-buried memories, painfully opening lips long sealed. Like peeling off a scab from an old wound, they shared their torturous tales, a process both arduous and agonizing. The immense pain of revealing one's deepest, darkest experiences on a spotlighted stage, under the glare of lights and eyes of strangers, is unfathomable to many. For these hesitant testimonies to “prove their victimhood”, the demand for proof only deepened their suffering.

The stories that poured forth, though varied in language and background, converged into a single narrative: the violation of women's rights under the Japanese military-led comfort station system, such atrocities still unaddressed. Upon their brave yet painful testimonies, citizens across nations joined hands, stepping out alongside the victims, forming a bond that expanded across national borders. This global unity sparked a movement for the “comfort women” survivors, reviving a forgotten chapter of history, enlightening younger generations across the globe.

In the face of comments like "Isn't this enough now?" we are compelled to look again at the enduring survivors. What truly suffices when their lives continue in unchaned, continued pain? Even as the winter of Japan's “historical denial” persists, we await the spring of resolution for the “comfort women” issue. Yet, we vow to breathe warmth into the withering buds, promising a reunion in the forthcoming spring. This exhibition is dedicated to the spirits of the departed “comfort women” victims worldwide and to the enduring strength and health of all survivors, still battling time and affliction.