SBS's "The Story of the Day That Bites Its Own Tail" Explores Urban Poor's Struggle for Survival

SBS's "The Story of the Day That Bites Its Own Tail" delves into the history of the first major urban poor protest since the establishment of the South Korean government.

The episode titled "Shadow City - The 1971 Gwangju Dae-danji Incident" will air on the 27th.

This broadcast examines the forced eviction of shantytown residents and the controversial Gwangju Dae-danji relocation project, initiated by then-Seoul Mayor Kim Hyun-ok during President Park Chung-hee's administration. Residents were forcibly relocated to barren land lacking basic infrastructure such as water and electricity. The displaced individuals faced severe job and food shortages while battling illness.

The program also sheds light on shocking rumors that emerged during this period of extreme poverty. A disturbing urban legend spread among residents: a mother, driven by hunger, allegedly boiled and ate her own baby. The show investigates the veracity of these rumors and scrutinizes Mayor Kim's "substandard building cleanup plan."

Nam Gyu-ri, listening to these accounts, expresses deep empathy, stating, "Unimaginable things were happening." She reveals her own experiences with housing insecurity, having lived in rooftop rooms, semi-basements, and goshiwons (small, cramped living spaces). Nam recalls, "During heavy rains, the rooftop room would flood. I'd come home to find everything floating."

"The Story of the Day That Bites Its Own Tail," which addresses the desperate survival struggles of the urban poor, will air on the 27th at 10:20 PM on SBS.

Nam Gyu-ri, born in 1984, debuted in 2006 with the pop group SeeYa. The group recently reunited after a 15-year hiatus, generating buzz with various media appearances.