Memorial Mass for the 40th Anniversary of Kim Sabok, the Taxi Driver from the Film "A Taxi Driver"

At 10 a.m. on the 19th at Gwangju Pungam Unriseongdang Church

A memorial mass marking the 40th anniversary of the death of Kim Sabok, the real-life protagonist of the film "A Taxi Driver," will be held in Gwangju.

The film "A Taxi Driver," which surpassed 10 million viewers, is based on a true story about German journalist Jurgen Hinzpeter, who revealed the truth of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement that the military regime tried to conceal, and the hidden helper, taxi driver Kim Sabok.

The Kim Sabok Memorial Association announced on the 18th that the 40th anniversary memorial event for Kim will be held at 10 a.m. on the 19th at Pungam Unri Catholic Church in Seo-gu, Gwangju.

Still cut from the movie 'Taxi Driver'.

The memorial mass will be officiated by parish priest Kim Sunwoong, and a tribute video for Kim will be shown during the homily.

Currently, the ashes of Kim and the memorial stone for Hinzpeter are enshrined at the old Mangwoldong Cemetery.

Park Seokmu, chairman of the Dasan Institute and advisor to the Memorial Association, stated, "This is not simply a time to look back on the past, but a moment to reflect on the message of courage and sacrifice of an individual for us today. It is a symbol of humanitarian practice, in which people cared for and loved each other even in pain, and through his life, we hope to convey a message of solidarity and peace that can heal wounds and suffering."

Kim's eldest son, Seungpil, said, "My father's last words before passing were 'Father Kim Daegeon.' I will live cherishing my father's message of acting in the face of truth and living within love."

Memorial Mass Notice Poster. Provided by the Memorial Association