How Undercover Activists Infiltrated the Dog Meat Industry in South Korea

Andrew Abrahams was taken aback by the concept of eating dogs. The cultural beliefs surrounding the dog meat industry in South Korea shocked him even more. There are myths suggesting dog meat enhances male stamina or virility, he explained in a conversation with Steve Pond. Some believe that the more a dog suffers, the tastier the meat becomes. That kind of thinking fascinated me.

Abrahams interest deepened when he discovered that American military veterans had dedicated themselves to shutting down the dog meat trade in South Korea. These were trained soldiers accustomed to lethal situations, yet they risked everything to save dogs, he said. They werent merely protestingthey carried out covert operations, sometimes skirting or breaking the law.

The documentary Dog Warriors follows these activists as they infiltrate farms and markets, attempting to rescue dogs from the grim fate faced by millions annually. The film also delves into generational shifts in South Korea, highlighting local opposition to the consumption of canine meata practice some trace back centuries, while others link it to post-war survival.

Behind the camera, Abrahams encountered cruelty of an extreme nature. One of his earliest challenges was determining how much graphic violence the audience could endure. I assumed people were ready to see the harsh realities, similar to what audiences accepted in the 2009 documentary The Cove, he said. But I underestimated how much dog owners would be affected. Their attachment made the scenes even harder to watch.

As a result, Abrahams moderated the level of brutality included in the final cut of the film. He was also careful to address cultural sensitivity, especially regarding Western perspectives on the activism depicted. Some viewers criticize it as white saviorism, he noted. We can use the film to start conversations about cultural change, not just present a moral verdict. I wanted to involve the audience in questioning, not just instructing.

For those concerned about on-screen suffering, the documentary concludes on a positive note: in January 2024, South Korea passed legislation banning the dog meat industry, set to take effect in 2027. The ending shows that activism can succeed and that people can influence the values they care about, Abrahams said.

Author: Grace Ellison