Hwang Young stars in SBS drama, 'Kkori Kko Mu' sheds light on tragedy of Japanese forced conscription... "183 buried alive"

*This content was translated by AI.

'Kkori Kko Mu' highlights the painful history of Japanese forced conscription through the 'Josei Coal Mine Submersion Incident'.

In the episode airing on the 10th afternoon titled 'Black Bones - A Death Notice Delivered After 49 Years', SBS's 'The Story That Followed the Tail' (hereinafter 'Kkori Kko Mu') features former national swimming champion and SBS commentator Park Tae-hwan, singer Kim Jong-seo, and actor Byun Yo-han as listeners. They share stories of victims who were trapped in underwater tunnels and lost their lives unjustly.

During the Japanese colonial era, countless Korean youths were forcibly taken to an underwater tunnel in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, where they were compelled to mine coal for 12 hours daily. One day, the tunnel collapsed, resulting in the submersion of all 183 people inside. This location is the 'Josei Coal Mine' situated in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.

The incident, which was concealed without even clarifying its cause or death toll, began to be revealed in Korea only after a letter arrived from Japan in 1991. The letter sought to identify the true names of those who perished at that site on that day. The sender was 'Yamaguchi Takenobu'. Who was he, and why did he send such a letter?

Furthermore, 83 years after the incident occurred, in August 2025, blackened human remains were discovered for the first time in the problematic underwater tunnel, becoming a major topic of discussion in both South Korea and Japan.

'Kkori Kko Mu' delves into the truth of that day through testimonies from survivors of the 'Josei Coal Mine'. It also reveals the remarkable stories of people who worked tirelessly for decades until the mine entrance, sealed immediately after the incident, was reopened 82 years later and the remains submerged in the sea were discovered. Regarding this, Park Tae-hwan expressed deep empathy for the tragic circumstances of the bodies still remaining in the cold seawater, stating, "I hope we can find the remaining remains as soon as possible before it's too late."

Kim Jong-seo is also reported to have voiced his outrage, saying, "The seawater pouring down looks like the tears and blood of the deceased."

What should we do to comfort the spirits of those victims who died without understanding why after enduring grueling labor, and whose souls remain trapped in the collapsed tunnels beneath the sea? We will discuss this together through the main broadcast of 'Kkori Kko Mu'.

'Kkori Kko Mu' is a program where three storytellers study on their own and share their insights one-on-one with their respective 'story friends' in the most everyday settings. It airs every Thursday at 10:20 PM on SBS.

Meanwhile, SBS is preparing to air its new drama 'There Is Hope', starring Hwang Young, a descendant of Ahn Sang-ho whose treasonous activities have been exposed. Ahn Sang-ho was revealed to have been active in the Daetong Friendship Society, a prominent pro-Japanese organization, alongside traitor Lee Wan-yong, sparking significant controversy.

'There Is Hope' completed all filming on the 3rd and is scheduled to air in February 2027.

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*This content was translated by AI.