The Lovers & the Despot

This documentary film tells the remarkable ordeal of a famous South Korean actress and a film director, who were kidnapped by North Korea in 1970's to strengthen the North Korean film industry. The actress recounts her multi-year ordeal, together with interviews from multiple people and the film director's voice recordings to tell the world their experience.

"The Lovers & the Despot" is a well executed documentary. It appears comprehensive, as it has extended interviews by Choi, Choi's children, US government officials, international film critics and even a Hong Kong police officer. It tells a horrible story of kidnapping, brainwashing and torture. It must have taken them great courage to speak up on record against the most secretive regime in the world. It is engaging and captures me throughout. Even though it is comprehensive, I am quite sure it only scratches the surface of what they have gone through in North Korea.