Almost unknown story of many Koreans who lived in Japan being attracted to the promise of North Korea communism around 1990 that led them to send family members to the North, only to be stuck there forever in what wasn't "The promised land." The portrayal of the family and their personalities is very honest and realistic.
2 Reviews
Brilliant and heartbreaking
seohyunchoi15 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
A South Korean immigrates to Japan and dedicates his life to unifying a Communist Korea. In 1971, he sends his three teenage sons to North Korea to be raised under the ideology of Kim Il Sung.
The documentary follows his daughter, Yang Yong-hi, who does not share this undying loyalty and devotion to Kim Il Sung, as she travels to North Korea in an attempt to understand why her father is so loyal to it's ideology. We see interviews between her and her father, in which he laughs and jokes with her in a very loving way. His decision to send his sons to North Korea was a terrible one. This is emphasised further when you see the difference between her childhood and that of her brothers, she had freedom whereas her brothers lives were strictly controlled, and still are to the present day.
The documentary shows honest footage of Pyongyang, the viewer gets to see a small glimpse of the lives of the people for what it really is, rather difficult and dreary. Watching things about North Korea will always make me grateful I was born in the South.
The documentary is very 'home movie' style, which may put some people off, but in my opinion it makes it much more personal to watch. Overall this is a wonderful and incredibly sad documentary of the effects of opposing political ideologies on a family.
The documentary follows his daughter, Yang Yong-hi, who does not share this undying loyalty and devotion to Kim Il Sung, as she travels to North Korea in an attempt to understand why her father is so loyal to it's ideology. We see interviews between her and her father, in which he laughs and jokes with her in a very loving way. His decision to send his sons to North Korea was a terrible one. This is emphasised further when you see the difference between her childhood and that of her brothers, she had freedom whereas her brothers lives were strictly controlled, and still are to the present day.
The documentary shows honest footage of Pyongyang, the viewer gets to see a small glimpse of the lives of the people for what it really is, rather difficult and dreary. Watching things about North Korea will always make me grateful I was born in the South.
The documentary is very 'home movie' style, which may put some people off, but in my opinion it makes it much more personal to watch. Overall this is a wonderful and incredibly sad documentary of the effects of opposing political ideologies on a family.
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