Pulgasari (1985)

In feudal Korea, the evil King becomes aware that there is a peasant rebellion being planned in the country. He steals all the iron farming tools and cooking pots from the people so that he... See full summary »

Director:

Sang-ok Shin

Writer:

Se Ryun Kim (screenplay)

Stars:

Chang Son Hui, Ham Gi Sop, Jong-uk Ri

Cast

Credited cast:
Chang Son Hui	...	Ami
Ham Gi Sop	...	Inde
Jong-uk Ri	...	Ana
Gwon Ri	...	Takse (Ami's Father)
Gyong-ae Yu	...	Inde's Mother
Hye-chol Ro	...	Inde's Brother
Sang-hun Tae	...	Rebel Forces
Gi-chon Kim	...	Rebel Forces
In-chol Ri	...	Rebel Forces
Riyonun Ri	...	General Fuan
Yong-hok Pak	...	The King
Pong-ilk Pak	...	The Governor
Kenpachirô Satsuma	...	Pulgasary (suit actor)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
'Little Man' Machan	...	Baby Pulgasari

Storyline

In feudal Korea, the evil King becomes aware that there is a peasant rebellion being planned in the country. He steals all the iron farming tools and cooking pots from the people so that he may make weapons to fend off the peasant army. After he returns the property to the people, an old blacksmith is imprisoned and starved to death. His last creation is a tiny figurine of a monster- Pulgasari, a Godzilla-like creature that eats iron. The blood of his daughter brings the creature to life, and fights with the poor, starving peasants to overthrow the corrupt monarchy.

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Plot Keywords:

korea | fight | army | sword and sorcery | north korean | 

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Taglines:

Banned for a decade!

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Fantasy

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Details

Official Sites:

Japanese distributor for Pulgasari (Japanese text only) Official South Korean Homepage

Country:

North Korea Japan

Language:

Korean

Release Date:

4 July 1998 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Bulgasari

Company Credits

Production Co:

Korean Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the early 1990's, the North Koreans attempted to market this propaganda film to foreign countries with no success. Finally in 1998 it got its first international viewing in Japan where it gained a small cult following.

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Connections

Referenced in WatchMojo: Top 10 Movies that Broke the Law (2018)

User Reviews

A movie from behind the DMZ!

Since I began living in South Korea several years ago, I have always been curious about what life and art would be like in the isolated North. The educational channel in South Korea (EBS) has a weekly show that gives us clips of North Korean newscasts, movies, music, dramas and animation.

When South Korean president, Kim Dae-jung visited North Korea last year in the first step toward normalizing relations and possible (albeit future) unification, we learned that the North Korean supreme leader is something of a movie fanatic. He has been secretly receiving western movies and monitoring South Korean tv dramas. It is not surprising to learn that he apparently ordered Pulgasari be made. Like every other artform from the North it can only be broadcast or shown if it matches the philosophy of the state. Pulgasari is a metaphor. The evil king represents the feudal government of the Chosun Dynasty which ended at the beginning of the 1900's. The monster, Pulgasari represents capitalism. It arrives apparently to help the people, but soon grows out of control. The heroes in the movie are the peasantry, the common people who must fix everything that people with power have wrought.

Nobody can claim that Pulgasari is state-of-the-art. Even by rubber monster standards, this movies special effects are poor. It does help to consider that the budget for this movie was probably around what we spend on lunch in a year. But for me, the true fascination of a movie like this is the chance to see how another culture, living under a completely different philosophy, sees the world.