Category Archives: North Korea

Documentary: Kim Jong-Il and Stars (Part 1)

I know I promised the mother-lode  but I’m afraid it’s just going to have to be another taste. Here’s the first part (there are three in total) of a DPRK documentary about Kim Jong-Il’s efforts as a producer in North Korea. … Continue reading

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13th Pyongyang International Film Festival opens

I dug out some footage from Chinese broadcaster CCTV of the Pyongyang International Film Festival that is going on at the moment. I am sick as a dog not to be there – alas my application to enter a film … Continue reading

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Johannes Schönherr interviews Somi – the Taekwon-do Woman producer

Johannes Schönherr dropped me a line the other day to highlight an interview he conducted with Masao Kobayashi, the producer of Somi – the Taekwon-do Woman. Always good to hear from the man as he highlights another little insight into making movies … Continue reading

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“Rocky” Theme Performed in North Korea

In the previous post we pointed out that Disney made it’s stage debut in the DPRK, but also in the same performance the theme from Sylvester Stallone’s “Rocky” was heard. Here it is for your listening pleasure.

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Screenwriter: Ui Ung Yong

A Korean feature film “Two Families in Haeun-dong” produced in 1996 and the other “Myself in the Distant Future” in 1997 gave deep emotions to the Korean people. The former shows that one can only enjoy happiness in family when he devotes everything … Continue reading

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Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea

There are so many facets of North Korean animation worth exploring (I touched on it a little bit in my last post). By far the most fascinating account of how the animation industry works in North Korea can be found … Continue reading

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WCW Wrestling in North Korea

Not essentially a DPRK film related story, but the sheer bizarre nature of how WCW wrestling ended up performing a show in North Korea shortly after the death of Kim Il-Sung is definitely worth a post. The above video shows … Continue reading

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Review: Pyongyang Nalpharam

Museum curator: “Our traditional martial art was established as Thaekkyon in Ri Dynasty through Koryo’s. Regionally its practitioners were nicknamed differently. Eg, Chaebi and Jebi…” Mr Ko: “… and those around Mount Taesong were called Pyongyang Nalpharam… “ I loved the feel … Continue reading

Posted in Hong Kil Dong, Kung Fu, North Korea, North Korean Films, Review | 2 Comments

Review: The Flower Girl

It’s difficult to over emphasize the importance of The Flower Girl (1972) in the history of North Korean cinema… and possibly even harder to find an analogous example in another country’s movie cannon. The US may have iconoclastic Citizen Kane (1941) … Continue reading

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North Korea’s Cinema of Dreams

Filmmakers Lynn Lee and James Leong of Lianain Films gained unprecedented access to the Pyongyang’s main film academy for an exceptionally well observed documentary piece. It’s fascinating to see filmmakers battling with constant power cuts and also a group of obviously privileged students living … Continue reading

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