Human Acts

Dong-ho is the central character of Human Acts; every other character is linked through their connection to him. He is a middle-school boy who becomes involved with the events of the Gwangju Uprising when his friend, Jeong-dae, is shot and killed by military forces. Dong-ho is characterized by his childlike questioning of the events around him. For example, he wonders what happens to souls and tries to wrap his mind around who is responsible for Jeong-dae’s death. Dong-ho’s youth is noted by all of the other characters, who are older than him, thus making his eventual death even more horrific to them. The unnamed prisoner notes that the children involved in the conflict may not have fully understood what they were signing up for, making their deaths even more senseless.

However, despite his youth, Dong-ho is depicted as someone struggling to make sense of the senselessness of violence. After witnessing Jeong-dae’s death, he feels guilty for not immediately finding his friend’s body. This guilt factors into his motivation to continue his work at the Provincial Office, even as it becomes increasingly dangerous. In the face of state violence, Dong-ho struggles to survive and preserve some sense of humanity, just as all the characters do in their respective chapters.