The day when the Sewol Ferry Tragedy occurred, what was the president doing? If a sharp turn caused the ship to sink, why did the crew perform a sharp turn in the first place? These are the unanswered questions that still live inside the people of South Korea, especially the ones who lost their loved ones in the Sewol Ferry tragedy.
One of the most disastrous tragedies in South Korea took place on April 16, 2014, when the Sewol ferry, sailing from Incheon to Jeju Island, sank, killing 304 of the 476 passengers. In addition, five of the bodies never got recovered. Also, out of the 299 deaths, 250 were students in their second year of high school and never returned to their homes.
How the Sewol Ferry Tragedy took place?
It was a pleasant Spring morning when the ferry went down at the morning, around 8:50 a.m. The day began like any other day when the nation first got the news of the ferry sinking. Although, soon the people felt a sense of reassurance when the media reported that all the passengers who boarded the ferry, were rescued. However, soon it was revealed that the news was false.
The rescue operation was undertaken by the Civilian divers and the Coast guard, although, they were already too late. The victims’ families had no option but to pray while they were suffering inside the sinking ship and agonized in the increasing water. According to press accounts, private fishing boats rescued more individuals than the Coast Guard, prompting many Koreans to mistrust the agency’s actions.
The Rising of the Sewol Ferry Three Years after the Sewol Ferry Tragedy
After one week of intense work, the sunken ferry was raised on March 23, 2017. It took the authorities almost three years to figure out how to get the ferry out of the sea. How painful it must have been for the families who lost their loved ones, a child whom they nurtured with all their love and care for years and they couldn’t even get their belongings for straight three years. By the time it was raised, even many parts of the ship were not recognizable, let alone the victims’ belongings.
Who is to be Blamed for it for the Sewol Ferry Tragedy?
It immediately became evident that the tragedy had been exacerbated by the failure in leadership. On the ferry, the captain evacuated first, without assisting the passengers. Meanwhile, passengers instructed to remain aboard the sinking ship awaited help, which never arrived. Meanwhile, the chief of the control tower, which must respond rapidly during any such crises or emergencies, did not sincerely participate in protecting people’s lives and safety. During that period, both, the government and the Coast Guard responded inexcusably slowly.
Although the captain of the ship was then sentenced to prison, one source of disagreement is that no one in command of the Coast Guard or the control tower was held responsible for the disaster’s response failure. In addition, the ship’s decks were laden with double the authorized amount of goods, and the crew lied about the boat’s entire weight.
Songs Dedicated to the Sewol Ferry Victims and their Families
Although the pain in the victims’ families’ hearts will always be incurable, the Korean music/pop industry has tried its best to immortalize the pure souls who lost their lives.
Spring Day (by BTS)
“Spring Day,” BTS’s 2017 smash, is a thoughtful, emotional song about love, grief, and longing for the past—though the song is unclear about what the longing is for. Right from the beginning of the song, “Spring Day,” the music video has a deep meaning behind every section of it. BTS being a rookie group could have been blacklisted, but BTS chose to produce a poignant and memorable song of hope and desire, which then became the anthem for this dreadful occurrence. Although BTS could not confirm it officially they did mention to Esquire magazine that the song was inspired by a tragic occurrence in South Korean history.
The music video is full of water imagery indicating the Sewol Ferry tragedy. Nonetheless, the wistful, longing tone of BTS’s “Spring Day” gently helped keep the disaster in the thoughts of the Koreans years after the tragedy.
There Must Be (by Joo Hyo and HA: TFELT)
Joo Hyo & HA: TFELT never directly said that the song, “There Must Be,” was inspired by the Sewol Ferry disaster. Everyone who listens to the song’s words, however, may sense the grief and wrath associated with the tragedy that the vocalists attempted to portray via the song.
The line “small movements can create a big miracle” appears to emphasize the Yellow Ribbon Campaign, which South Korean civilians carried out to mourn the victims of the disaster and unify the country in this great grief. Everyone who participated in the campaign carried yellow ribbons to demonstrate unity with the families of the victims.
One of These Nights (by Red Velvet)
The MV is a memorial to the Sewol ferry disaster. In contrast to “Red Light’s” warning tone and sense of urgency, “One Of These Nights” is a touching homage to the victims and an attempt at reaching out to the bereaved survivors. The ship set — implied by the tight corridors when Wendy and Seulgi walk in, Irene’s porthole, and Yeri’s boat — and the overwhelming amount of water imagery prompt the spectator into connections with the Sewol event.
The theme of water is prevalent throughout the MV, encircling, soaking, and even drowning them. Seulgi approaches a balcony, which is surrounded by vivid blue water in a pull-back image. When water rushes through a porthole, Irene falls.
