I was scrolling through YouTube the other day and came upon one of the craziest stories, maybe ever. Imagine being at the peak of your career, a celebrated film director and a famous actress, only to be kidnapped by a future dictator and forced to make movies for his propaganda machine. Any by the way, this really happened. It's the real-life story of South Korean director Shin Sang-ok and actress Choi Eun-hee.Today, I want to unpack this incredible story. Let's dive in. How This Director and Actress Were Kidnapped by North Korea to Movies In the late 1970s, Shin Sang-ok was a household name in South Korean cinema, known for his massive box office hits and pumping out lots of projects that people loved. However, his thriving career came to an abrupt halt in 1978 when his studio was shut down by the government, thanks to censorship. That was a shame, because many of his movies had a cultural impact, some beyond even what he thought they could. Across country lines, in North Korea, a young Kim Jong-il, not yet the supreme leader, but a passionate film nerd. And he was plotting to revolutionize his country's film industry from the ground up. Of course, even though his country wasn't allowed to watch movies from the outside...he was. Kim Jong-il wanted to make his own Hollywood in North Korea. But they just needed some talented directors and actors to build the foundation for his beloved industry. Kim Jong-il's audacious plan began with...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday