Hello, and Happy New Year! We send warm New Year’s greetings to everyone who supports the activities of the National Solidarity against Sexual Exploitation of Women.  

January 29, 2002, marks a tragic day in Korean history when a devastating fire broke out at a bar in Gaebok-dong, Gunsan, causing the death of 15 people. This catastrophic event, following the Gunsan Daemyung-dong brothel fire that shocked the Korean society just a year and a half earlier, laid bare the exploitative and violent nature of the sex industry. In response, the Anti-Prostitution Law was enacted in 2004 to eradicate prostitution and sexual exploitation and to protect the human rights of women in sex exploitation industry.  

As we commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the Gaebok-dong fire tragedy on January 29, 2025, we would like to share a heartfelt memorial letter written by Kissing Gourami, a Survivor group based in Jeollabuk-do.  

—

To My Sister Living on January 29, 2002
The cold wind brushes against my nose today.  
Standing quietly in Gaebok-dong, I gazed at the spot where the butterfly seat should have been and I tried to feel your presence.  

Sister,  
I suddenly thought to write you a letter.  
Today, there isn’t a single cloud in the sky.  
It’s not one of those days when the sky feels so high that it clears your mind,  nor one of those days when the sky seems to be so low that I would stretch my hands to it as if I could reach any kind of hope.  
It’s just an ordinary day.  
A day when I feel happiness in the ordinariness.  
There were days when I felt guilty about such happiness and ordinariness.  
Perhaps those were the days when I felt unconfortable, believing I was living the kind of days you once dreamed of.  
Today, I’m spending my day thinking of you.  

The world is noisy with various issues these days,  but everyone is doing their best from where they stand.  
In this biting cold, as if our ears might fall off with a single touch, we wave our sticks of hope, yearning for better days.  

I haven’t forgotten you.  
Forgetting you would mean giving up on the world where I can live as myself and surrendering to it.  
The laws and policies that did not seem to exist when we needed them most now shake the foundation of our lives.  
I envision a world where women who have experienced prostitution, and those without power, can also find happiness.  

When asked the most changed thing since I left prostitution,  I’d say I’ve learned how to persevere, how to remember, and how to fight for what’s right.  
Each day, I feel deeply that every issue and every one of us is interconnected.  

This year’s Lunar New Year falls on January 29.  
It will also mark the 23rd anniversary of your passing.  
On that day, I’ll remember you, and I’ll stay warmly connected to those who are by my side to smile more than ever.  

Sister, I believe you’ve become a free bird.
 I hope you’re traveling to all the places you dreamed of and finding happiness.  
Sister, I’m living an ordinary, joyful, and happy life.  
I hope you’re happy, too—just like me.  

With love,  Kissing Gourami
January 29, 2025  

—

In the new year, the National Solidarity against Sexual Exploitation of Women will continue to engage in various meaningful activities. Thank you for your continued support and interest!