Nepalese Minu is a migrant worker who lived in Korea for 18 years as an illegal immigrant. He is fluent in Korean and excellent at singing. He performed as a lead vocal of a migrant worker band ‘Stop Crackdown’. Also, he was a social activist for the Migrant Workers’ Human Rights Movement, in partnership with Korean NGOs. In 2009, he was deported back to Nepal due to a targeted crackdown. After he returned to Nepal, he worked as a social entrepreneur, but still could not forget about his life in Korea. Later, he had an unexpected opportunity to visit Korea as a representative of Nepal for the Seoul Hand Made International Expo to promote Nepalese hand craft goods. Minu was worried because of his past deportation record, and feared he might be rejected to enter Korea or be blacklisted. Luckily, his visa was issued, and after 8 years after being deported, he flew back to Korea again. However, he was stopped at the airport in Korea, and unfortunately, he had to return back to Nepal without stepping outside of the airport. After 8 years, he faced another frustrating moment by failing to return to Korea. Ultimately, the remaining members of the ‘Stop Crackdown’ prepared the performance for Minu.

What does one's country and home mean to a person who spent his prime 20's and 30's in a foreign country? Minu was an illegal resident in Korea for 18 years and was forced to deport back to his mother country. Sometimes he felt he had to live as Nepalese. He speaks fluent Korean, and misses Korean kimchi. Minu is not a Nepalese nor Korean, but he identifies himself as a ‘Man of Wonder’. In 2004, Employment Permit System was constructed and Korea has now 600,000 migrant workers. Every year around 6000 Nepalese migrant workers come to Korea for work. Koreans who know Minu say that ‘Korea will never see a person like Minu ever again’… The world suffers from ‘Nationalism’ and an aggressive ‘Anti-immigrant Policy’. Minu endured his life difficulties and grew to be a good social activist. I hope that his song can build hope and deliver comfort to migrant workers around the world.

2018년 제10회 DMZ국제다큐영화제 개막작