[Environmental Story in Media] Samjin Company English Class _ Toxic material, Phenol

    

There are many media contents such as a movie, drama, book, and so on and an environmental issue is one of the interesting subjects. The element sometimes just explains the background or acts as an important foreshadow that completely changes the flow. In either case, it definitely helps us to have the basic knowledge to empathize and understand the story better. That’s why rePAPER wants to share interesting facts about environmental issues in the media and to take time to think about their implications.

Today, we would like to introduce a film titled ‘Samjin Company English Class’ which went viral even during Covid19.

 

The 1^st Chapter. Plot

                            

The title of the movie may make you assume that it is about encouraging people to learn English or suggesting better ways to study. However, it is not about studying English at all. The main characters are 3 young women who graduated from girl’s commercial high school. They joined a major company dreaming of a successful career woman, but they were passed over for the promotion by male juniors and did not have an opportunity to show their potential at work. At the beginning of the film, it shows how this trio was unfairly treated due to the male-oriented culture in the early 90s in Korean society. When you finally decide that the movie talks about feminism in a witty way, you are proven to be wrong again and the story entered a whole new phase.

 

One of the main characters, Jayoung (played by Ah-sung Go) witnessed the dark wastewater released into a river nearby the Samjin Company and it turns out that the water contains phenol. As it is a toxic material, it destroyed the surrounding environment and people’s health in town. Jayoung, trying to redress the situation, exposed the company’s conspiracy. While investigating the case, she and her colleagues fought against the evil internal enemies who secretly wanted to take over the company. In the end, they won the battle and their hard work got recognition.

 

The 2nd Chapter. Link to Reality

Surprisingly, the movie is based on a true story that happened in Korea. There are some scenes and backgrounds in the film that connects between the film and reality.

 

Dreams Come True

The scene where Jayoung said her dream came true just by joining Samjin company, and the fact that it had a systemic executive board including a chairman and a CEO who is a foreigner even give us a hint that it must have been one of the largest companies in Korea that everyone recognized by its name.

 

An Apple Orchard

One of the victims in the film was running an apple orchard. A place famous for apple cultivation and an industrial complex and a river to release phenol nearby. All these conditions may remind you of one place in Korea, Daegu, and it is right next to Gumi, the biggest industrial complex. The plant to release the toxic material in the film seems to refer to one of those in the area. Then, the Nakdong River that passes through Daegu may be the location where Jayoung saw the wastewater.  

 

Lines Saying that Phenol Used for PCB

Phenol has mostly been used as a disinfectant at a hospital. Due to its toxicity, it is extremely limited for direct use such as herbicide.

  

Actually, phenol is a raw material used for phenolic resins and it is also mentioned in the film that the material is used for the circuit board. Phenolic resins are synthetic polymers obtained by the reaction of phenol with formaldehyde. The phenol illegally released in the movie must have been used to make such phenolic resins as well. The resins are not as much more harmful to humans as phenol, but are still very likely to cause water pollution when released into streams or rivers.

 

Then, what is the circuit board? The circuit board, commonly known as PCB(Printed Circuit Board), is a thin, flat board that connects electronic components. An insulating material used for PCB is made of phenolic resins. As the board is used for almost every electronic product, we can easily assume how much of phenolic resins, and ultimately phenol, are used to make such products.

 

The 3rd Chapter. Hazardous Material, Phenol

 

The hazardousness of phenol is described through the scenes of the town people getting skin diseases, fish dying in river, fruits rotten in the orchard. Yet, we should realize that phenol can cause much more serious harm.

 

There is no solid proof whether it may cause cancer or not, but it is reported that 1 gram of phenol causes paralysis, convulsion, and eventually drives one to death. In fact, phenol was used for a massacre during the world war 2, for it was inexpensive compared to poison gas used then.

 

The 4th Chapter. The beginning of Social Environmental Movement

 

 A rally against illegal phenol release into Nakdong River in 1991/ source: KFEM

In reality, the phenol accident caused massive damage on people in the town that it triggered calls for the boycott of the company. Government officials were severely disciplined and the chairman of the company and even the environment minister were replaced.

Everyone learned a lesson by paying the great cost through the incident at that time. We should always remember the horrible consequences of our selfishness will certainly come back to us and our neighbors and believe us, we are not going to like them.

While there are not many contents talking about the environment yet, the film ‘Samjin Company English Class’ combines prosecution of society and fun elements together in a well-balanced way. rePAPER hopes to have more opportunities to realize how important the environment is and what we should do to protect them.