ABSTRACT
The Gwangju Uprising in 1980, known as May 18, is regarded as singularly pivotal for the democratization of South Korea. To oppose the military coup staged by South Korean Army General Chun Doo Hwan, ordinary citizens joined student protesters, holding the city during the ten-day-long uprising until a brutal military crackdown resulted in a civilian massacre. This chapter examines the implications of photographic and video evidence from the uprising that has only recently been made public. This new evidence highlights how transitional justice remains incomplete yet highly relevant. to defend against the specious claims made by Gwangju-massacre deniers. Adding to ongoing forms of May 18 memory activism – such as public screenings of recovered footage and mediated advocacy among the global fandom of K-pop phenomenon BTS – these recent developments highlight the importance of responding to controversies over historical redress not only through institutions like fact-finding committees but also in cultural realms and the public sphere.
