Original subtitles

Write a letter of resignation.

I will help you get few more months of termination pay.

This

is written by Kyung-sik?

Jun-cheol!

What's important is that this is the first time for both you and them.

Manager gets the treat, assist gets the sack?

Have they held a disciplinary hearing before?

What are you worried about so much?

I got them into this.

But there is so little I can do for them.

I want to attend the hearing.

Come in if you can.

Mr. Lee.

Hwang Jun-cheol.

Who told you to sit down?

Awl.

This story begins on a certain day in June, 2003.

Episode 5.

You can't talk to me like that.

Why not?

Is there a policy against talking like this in the employee handbook?

You guys love that handbook, no?

Joo&Hwang Produce!

Why is it only you today?

Where is Mr. Hwang?

He's working.

Ah.

All right. See you.

Why am I so nervous?

Be prepared.

How come you don't say it's going to be okay?

My wedding is coming up.

What do I do if I get fired?

If you are getting fired anyways, there's no harm in trying this.

The only skill I have is cutting fish and selling it.

What if this fails,

and I end up getting a bad rap and can't even find a new job?

We've got Joo&Hwang Produce.

We can still open our Joo&Hwang Produce.

What if it fails?

You can still start over even if the business fails.

Yeah.

I will be finished if it fails.

You have wealthy parents to turn to.

I am not like you!

I can't just say screw this because I am getting fired no matter what.

What do you want me to say then?

You want to collect that termination pay and walk off with your tail between legs?

I don't know. I don't.

What are you doing?

Sit down.

I call the meeting to order.

HR Manager will now proceed with the meeting.

The respondent is an assistant manager of seafood department,

Employee number, 98000274,

Hwang Jun-cheol, is this correct?

It is correct.

I now state the circumstances and the charges against the respondent.

The respondent, Hwang Jun-cheol,

on Wednesday May 28, 2003, around 8 p.m.,

from the employees of Young Kwang Fish Co.,

at a karaoke in Kyojin District,

received entertainment worth of three hundred dollars,

and received monetary gift from the CEO of Young Kwang Fish Co.

This is the allegation brought against Mr. Hwang.

That is all.

The complainants may ask the respondents questions regarding the allegation.

Then, we will proceed to hear a statement from the respondent.

Mr. Hwang.

Do you plead guilty to these charges?

Yes.

I plead guilty.

But,

Mr. Huh was there with me.

He told me to take the cab fare from Mr. Kim

Mr. Huh.

Is this true?

It is not. I wasn't there at that time.

I was in the meeting with Pung San Inc.

I can have them verify immediately.

Kyung-sik,

Mr. Hwang.

We are at a formal hearing.

Please refer to me as Mr. Huh.

Evidence indicates that Mr.Hwang has been demanding

excessive gifts from employees of Young Kwang Fish. Co.

And threatened to stop the business with Young Kwang Fish. Co.

if they fail to comply with his demand.

Testified by the CEO, Kim Bok-sung.

Mr. Kim said that?

Mr. Hwang.

How long are you going to wait for them to promote you?

Come work for me. I will treat you well.

Same testimony was given by Choi Min-sik, the general manager.

Mr. Hwang!

Take care of our promoters, please?

You are the only one I trust at Fourmis, you know that?

Hello.

It was verified that Mr. Hwang was the only one who was there at the karaoke

by the promoter, Chung Sung-min.

Jun-cheol,

Don't you guys have an opening this month?

Can you recommend me, please?

We are friends, aren't we?

And also by the promoter Byun Jin-hyuk.

Hwang Jun-cheol.

Do you admit these charges?

No,

they are talking about what Mr. Huh did.

Are you saying that all these witnesses are lying?

Why would they do that?

That's because, if they don't help Mr. Huh,

they are going to lose their business.

Are you saying that

I blackmailed them into falsifying testimony?

After all I have done for him,

He is stabbing me in the back.

I didn't know.

What a two faced bastard!

Okay, then.

Mr. Hwang, do you wish to present any evidence?

A former employee at Fourmis, Kang Sung-pil testified that

Mr. Huh habitually received entertainment from suppliers.

Sung-pil?

Kang Sung-pil?

Isn't that the guy I fired for harassing promoters?

Then, he must be holding grudge against Mr. Huh.

It's probable that he made up things to ruin Mr. Huh.

Don't you all agree?

Was Mr. Kang

there with you at the karaoke on that particular night?

No, he wasn't.

Then,

He can't testify about that night.

That's true, but,

His testimony has to be disregarded then.

Mr. Kim.

Who are you going to do business with?

That's right.

I trust you to write the statement I requested.

Mr. Hwang.

If you don't have anything to add, the meeting is adjourned

No, it's not true.

It was one time thing!

Kyung-sik asked me to go there with him.

I am telling the truth.

Hwang Jun-cheol!

You think you'd get away if you cry?

Let's wrap this up. What are we waiting for?

Mr. Hwang.

I will ask one more time.

If you don't have any evidence to present or witness to testify on your behalf,

I will call the meeting adjourned.

Please.

Give me one more chance.

Let me have a talk with those who testified.

I can't believe Mr. Kim said that,

and Sung-min, too. He couldn't have said that.

Let me see them just once.

Then what?

Can you bring one person who would testify on your behalf?

Is there one person who would do that for you?

Witness?

You haven't changed.

How dare you ask me to be your witness?

Let's wrap this up, shall we?

The meeting is now adjourned.

That's enough.

You are embarrassing yourself.

I told you to write that damn letter, didn't I?

Mr. Huh.

What the hell do you think you are doing in front of the whole committee?

I apologize.

Hwang Jun-cheol, it's over.

Stop this.

Stop?

You were there!

You told me it was okay to take that money!

Bring your proof then! Proof that I was there!

What the hell are you two doing?

What do you want?

I have a witness.

What do you want?

I have a witness.

Who's that?

She was there at the Karaoke.

She will testify.

Please.

On Wednesday, May 28,

In that karaoke room,

there was not only Mr. Hwang

but also that guy. He was there.

Excuse me,

but what were you doing in that room?

I was there

as a karaoke hostess.

Are you sure

it was Mr. Huh you saw?

Yes.

I even remember

picking up his eyeglasses when he was getting inside a cab.

That's right!

When he was getting in that cab

he dropped his eyeglasses.

All right then.

Can you describe to us the men you were with last night?

Why?

You don't remember?

I don't understand.

What kind of suits they wore,

how tall they were,

what their faces looked like,

Tell us about it.

It's not relevant to this case.

Why,

She remembers Mr. Huh whom she saw only once few months back,

but she can't remember the men

she entertained only last night?

Don't you find that strange?

Besides, in that dark room

when you were probably drunk,

how do you remember his face so clearly?

A woman like her can't be a witness.

What nonsense!

What are you implying?

Am I wrong?

You are a karaoke hostess, huh?

You must meet a lot of men on a daily basis.

How many of them wear glasses?

It is him, I know!

A woman like that,

you can make her do a whole lot more than giving a false testimony

with a couple of dimes.

How can we trust anything what she says.

Mr. Chung!

Miss.

Do you have any physical evidence, pictures or a voice recording,

that we can actually use?

Miss. witness.

You look tired. You are free to go.

I am sure the man who brought you here will see you out.

Mr. Lee.

I am so sorry.

We will take that the respondent, Mr. Hwang,

does not have anything further to add.

We will notify the decision of hearing through his manager, Mr. Huh.

Now we will adjourn the hearing.

Mr. Hwang. Go back to your station.

Hey!

Hwang Jun-cheol!

Take a break for a while.

Get ready for the wedding.

I will go to your wedding.

This was a gift from Jin-hyuk!

The same thing as this one!

What about it?

Byun Jin-hyuk!

You said Jin-hyuk wrote that testimony!

That's right.

Let me see!

You said Jin-hyuk wrote a testimony about that night!

Hwang Jun-cheol, are you crazy?

Get him out of here!

Sit down!

One second.

I didn't erase it, I know I didn't.

Byun Jin-hyuk. Working your butt off to cover me? Have Fun!

Found it!

Jin-hyuk had gone to Philippines for vacation that month!

He was on vacation, look!

He got this as a souvenir for me!

Sit down!

How could he have been at the karaoke when he was not even in Korea?

Answer me!

You guys fabricated this!

You called me a liar? You are the liars!

I am not the liar!

Hwang Jun-cheol, sit down!

This is the proof, real proof!

Can HR verify this now?

We are not in charge of promoters' vacation.

The seafood department makes the schedule.

Mr. Huh, you have their schedule, right?

Bring the schedule here, hurry!

Don't you try to fabricate that!

Hurry up!

Yes, sir.

You people,

you can't even take care of that?

If you think that's the best way to handle, go ahead.

Like I said, we will notify you of the decision,

later this week.

Mr. Hwang.

Mr. Lee.

Well done.

You did great.

Good job.

Great job.

Are you okay?

What happened?

Is he going to be okay?

He looks like he's ready to hit the sack.

Don't cry, Jung-min.

I am not crying.

We've got fresh squid just caught from East Sea!

Everyone this way! Fresh squid here!

The freshest-

frozen squid right here!

Hurry up, it's only for thirty minutes!

We are running out of time!

The decision of committee was

a reprimand.

We won.

Nothing has changed while everything has changed.

Application for a labor union.

Thank you.

Is this okay to turn in? I didn't have a stamp.

Your face is enough of stamp.

We are not joining just because of what happened with Mr. Hwang.

Whatever you say.

We are serious.

We'd meant to join but then we found out that

he was a member.

Mr. Lee worked so hard for Mr. Hwang.

I don't care.

We are joining only because you are there, got it?

Got it.

Fourmis produce team, Let's go!

Why are you just standing there like idiots?

Encourage customers to try it!

Those that used to shake like a leaf at managers' yelling

stopped shaking.

Mr. Koo, we won!

How are children?

Is Min-Jin in middle school now?

Thanks to you.

You know

I hate you.

I don't even want your money.

I take it only for my children's sake.

How's Cheol-seung?

Have you seen him lately?

No.

I hear about him from here and there.

At his age and in his condition

where would he find a job?

I

hate you so much.

They can't do anything for you.

I talked to him all night

to remind him of his duty as a father.

But each time he comes home after meeting you,

he would get all excited like a little boy,

and insist that he is going to win,

that he can protect everyone!

Seung-cheol, are you all right?

Kill me, if you can!

If you have just let them alone,

they would have gone down quietly like a sand castle,

Why did you have to push them to the edge of a cliff and let them fall like that?

Seung-cheol!

Mister, can you hear me?

Mister,

Mister, can you see this?

Honey, honey!

Open your eyes!

Honey!

Always,

there is one that breaks through.

the sharpest one that comes out first

is the one that gets destroyed first.

Mr. Koo, we won.

A man like an awl.

Mr. Koo.

You've never seen this before?

I do this four times a day.

Chronic kidney disease.

Since when?

Trauma from torture.

When your predecessors held military regime.

Don't look at me with such admiration in your eyes.

I don't deserve it.

When did you get back from North Korea?

You've been to North Korea, no?

When is the exact date?

Hey, Mr. Kim.

How can he remember all that?

He needs our help.

Why do we go to that restaurant all the time?

Can we try somewhere else?

Don't you think the waitress there is hot?

She's married.

I am not a single either.

You can't be too greedy!

Hey, Ko-shin!

Koo Ko-shin!

Koo Ko-shin!

Did you sleep well?

Time to work hard!

Sounds good?

Please.

Please don't.

Don't move. I am taking this out.

We are in the office.

You had that dream again.

How long have I slept?

Do you see this?

You see how cloudy it is?

You are going to the hospital when this turns brown.

It's only three.

Go back to sleep.

How's it?

You think it's going to break?

It's already a junk car.

Driving this junk is asking for an accident.

How's Mr. Koo?

He's so stubborn.

He shouldn't be driving like that in his condition.

I don't think even a tour bus driver works that much.

This car and Mr. Koo,

they are not living, but holding out.

Mr. Lee.

We have some news.

Let's go upstairs.

Because of what happened with my case,

people began to think that joining the union can protect them.

Even the ones that had run away at the mention of union began to listen.

We have to seize this opportunity and recruit as many as possible.

That's right!

You've seen what the company did,

they are a bunch of thugs, real thugs

Mr. Lee.

Since we are doing this union thing, let's do it big.

Our priority is to fight the bias against labor unions.

Is Mr. Koo busy these days?

He did say that

he would stop by for labor education.

Great!

We can have the meeting and go for a drink afterwards.

Big time!

Mr. Reprimand.

How can you still think about drinking after all that?

It's not that I want to drink.

By the way, why do you keep calling me Mr. Reprimand?

Mr. Reprimand.

I told you not to call me that.

Cut it out!

The doctor said you could die if you do dialysis in a moving vehicle.

I don't.

Guess what I found in your car.

Why did you started all that mess if you don't intend to live long?

You've stirred them all up.

Until you have cleaned all that mess,

don't even think of dying.

[No more discrimination against Temp Workers]

Why do you wear that all the time?

What?

I've gained weight since I lost the job.

I was skinny when I worked on my feet all day.

This helps me hide my love handles.

Are you holding out?

I have to see this through.

No matter how it ends.

Miss, move over.

After graduating from high school,

I didn't know what to do

or what I wanted to do

but I believed that everything would work out once I have found it.

I was ready to work hard,

I wasn't stupid enough to get easily swayed,

most of all,

I was pretty.

I needed time to think before I could figure out my life's passion,

I needed money to buy that time.

People seemed indifferent,

tired,

and hostile.

It didn't matter.

I wasn't there to stay.

When I came back to work after weekend, there was a new person next to me .

The captains made the list of people who should get fired.

People that are slow at learning,

that are lazy,

that are prone to make mistakes,

that have fallen out of favor with the captain.

And people that could cause trouble,

for some ambiguous reasons.

Captain.

I went to the hospital and,

the doctor said my shoulder won't get better if I repeat the same movement.

Could you move me to another line for a while?

I will ask the management and let you know.

We no longer need your service. Please call if you have any questions.

The most unlikely to get fired got fired.

Vaguely, I thought it could not be all workers' fault,

after all.

Still, it didn't matter.

It wasn't my problem.

So-Jin.

Do you know how to set up a blog?

Yes, sort of.

Can you help me with that later?

Mi-ran seemed like a good person.

I'd seen her getting yelled by the captain

for not turning in the list of people who should get fired.

Sam Jin labor Union.

A good person doing good deeds.

I guessed I could help out a little,

I had no intention of being a good person.

I could help out good people for a while,

but I never wanted to be

a good person myself.

Everyone, please have faith in me.

Follow my lead.

I need your support.

Let's do this together.

So that we can survive together!

Are you with me?

Yes!

Good people are always the losers.

That's not me.

There are three lines of people waiting in front of the restroom.

They are all desperate.

Only one line is moving fast.

The ones that came later than me are going in before me.

It's not fair.

How do we solve this?

Form a single line.

Form a single line, that's fair.

Build more restrooms later, how about that?

But,

What do they say on TV?

The secret of peeing before others.

I will share my secret of figuring out which line will move fast.

I have to take care of my needs before everyone else's.

The one who is peeing at this moment was in the line just you are now.

They turn this system failure into individual responsibility.

When people try to solve this problem at individual level,

all they can do is changing who gets to pee first.

The fact that someone is always suffering

does not change.

It's like a race. The fast ones are supposed to get a reward.

I couldn't understand.

Right.

I am not saying that it's wrong to reward the fast ones,

The problem is that the fast ones get punished first.

Temporary work.

What is this temporary work?

Lower wage. Easy to fire.

Dangerous works without workers' compensation.

Without workers' compensation, spend fortune on hospital.

Hard to organize a union.

High risk of being unemployed.

Higher rate of working poor.

They suffer from bad health, lower pay, lack of promotion,

and they are stuck in that low level rut.

Moreover,

They get branded as temp workers for good.

Temp job experience is not a plus but a minus on your resume.

Once a temporary worker,

forever a temporary worker.

To make the matter worse, they are the ones first to get fired in bad economy,

They worked the hardest at the worst condition,

but the least appreciated and cared for.

Get fired through a text message, there begins unemployment.

How do you survive?

More debt.

Investment for self-improvement?

There is no guaranteed return on that investment,

and is there even time to learn new things?

How about finding a new job?

The longer the period of unemployment, the harder it gets to find a new job.

Even when they have found a new job,

because of the fear of losing that job,

they allow themselves to be victims of company's tyranny.

This is reality.

That's their own fault for not working hard.

No.

I couldn't accept what he said.

Society?

System?

I know that my company does some illegal things and treat us bad,

but who cares about a place like this?

this kind of place is like a bus stop,

where you just stop by on your way to achieve your dream.

Do we really have to make so much fuss?

A bus stop?

What about people who have this place as a destination?

This isn't some kind of trap we need to escape, but a house where we should live.

They lost in a competition. It's their own responsibility.

Losing is not a crime!

We don't live to get punished.

We are not racing, but living.

We are not losers,

but ordinary people.

Our country,

our government,

does not exist to punish the ordinary.

Why is he exaggerating so much?

Why is he dying to make people feel miserable?

We no longer need your service. Please call if you have any questions.

I was infuriated.

more so than when I got dumped by Byung-Jin, who I'd agreed to date out of pity.

Hundred times worse.

I should have dumped first.

I don't want to go tomorrow.

I am sorry, but I can't.

Tomorrow is the official organization of the union.

Please come and join us.

You've worked hard for this.

Don't you want to see us being recognized?

Pass this around and sign it.

In a flash, there were two hundred members.

I am happy to announce that

Sam Jin Chapter of Korean Metal Workers Union is officially established.

Am I getting fired today or tomorrow?

Is it going to be me or someone else?

Let's put an end to these worries!

Korean Metal Workers Union?

Is that us?

Why are we metal workers?

You don't know that?

Production workers automatically belong to KMWU.

Metal workers are not pretty!

Hello?

Moon So-Jin?

Yes?

Come back to work.

Should I have left then?

People are walking.

It's the first time I've seen it.

People stopped shoving rice into their mouths.

Inside the changing room where they'd refused to put a fan,

stood a brand new air conditioner.

However,

our victory

was short-lived.

Take them out!

Reinstate Dismissed Workers.

At first, hope,

later on,

anger and vexation,

for some time now,

uneasiness.

The big empty space I would make if I leave

weighed heavily down on me.

Should I have left then?

Do you think I don't want to work?

They are refusing to negotiate,

I told you, didn't I?

KMWU is like a profit organization for permanent workers at big companies.

You are like the third class passenger fixing

lifeboat for the first class passengers.

I know permanent workers get priority over temp workers.

Only when there is still room left in the boat, third class passengers can get in.

Who said there is room?

Let's talk when you are sober!

We can talk about it when you are sober!

How can I be sober in this situation?

How could you do this in clear mind?

This is the agreement?

The one that allows only you permanent workers get your job back?

You bastards!

Stop it!

It's not like that!

It's not our doing!

You heard them, right?

They said it was absolutely impossible to reinstate everyone.

Instead!

They offered to consider 75% reinstatement of permanent workers.

What's the point of holding out like this?

We take their offer.

And we will negotiate again.

What did you tell us at the restaurant?

Let's survive through this together?

You and us all together!

Now,

How is this surviving together?

How can you do that?

I thought we all were of the same color.

I guess I was wrong.

Hey, babe!

Where have you been?

I was beginning to worry that you quit.

We've become fond of each other, no?

Stop talking to me like I am your friend, you ugly ass.

You have quite the dirty mouth, don't you?

You are not going to find a man, if you talk like that.

For some time now, I feel more comfortable around them.

At least they know

what a messed up situation we are stuck in.

At last they can see us in a way that

people inside tent can never see.

Everyone leaves when they are hurt.

You should quit too.

Then do what?

Go to another bus stop and take a different bus.

What's the point of waiting for a bus that might never come?

If no one is waiting at the bus stop,

buses are not going to make a stop.

and if buses don't stop,

the bus stop no more exists.

Then,

what about people who live there?

what about people whose destination is this bus stop?

You are a good person.

I don't care for being good.

Why do you do this, Mr. Koo?

You are smart and can be very persuasive,

You'd have made a great conman.

You are so smart, Ko-shin.

Great talker, too.

You would make a successful business man.

Yeah, it's yours.

Eat before it gets cold.

You got that right.

I stir up those poor people,

make them believe their sacrifices will matter

and we will live in a better world together.

When I know nothing will ever change.

Am I not a conman already?

Mr. Koo

are you trying to be a good person?

I don't care for that either.

Please step aside. You are interrupting the meeting.

This is a union activity protected by law.

You guys are engaging in unlawful labor practice.

Mr. Koo's not here yet. Do you think he forgot?

I will call him right now.

Yes, Mr. Lee.

Mr. Koo.

You don't sound so good, are you okay?

What if I am not?

I called to remind you about labor education meeting.

But if you are not feeling well, then

Mr. Koo.

Mr. Koo.

Mr. Koo!

Why are you yelling in my ear?

I am here right now.

Mr. Koo's here.

All right!

Let's get to work!

At your Il dong branch,

a union is being organized.

I am sorry.

I will take care of it.

Come to my office after the meeting.

You too. Come to the office!

What do we do?

Too many warnings can lead to dismissal.

Are you that dumb?

We aren't going to fire you for joining the union.

We will fire you for something else.

You want to withdraw? Why all of a sudden?

This is an application for union membership.

Turning people against one another is

innate in humans.

There is no need to teach them.

Hey, did you file the application?

It's almost as if we learn it

Lee Chang-hoon!

while in mother's womb.

A living human being!

gets angry and fights against enemies!

Stop!

You do

what you can do.

We will

do what we can do.