| Dear Pyongyang | |
|---|---|
South Korean theatrical poster |
|
| Directed by | Yang Young-Hee (South Korea) / Yang Yong-hi (Japan) |
| Produced by | Inaba Toshiya |
| Editing by | Nakaushi Akane) |
| Distributed by | Cheon, Inc. |
| Release date(s) | PiFan: October 2005 Japan: August 26, 2006 South Korea: November 23, 2006 |
| Running time | 107 min. |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese Korean |
Dear Pyongyang is a documentary film by Zainichi Korean director Yang Young-Hee (Korean: 양영희, Hanja: 梁英姬) about her own family. Shot in Osaka Japan (Yang's hometown) and Pyongyang, North Korea, the film features Korean dialogue with Japanese subtitles. The US release has Japanese and Korean dialogue with English subtitles.[1][2] In August 2006, Yang also released a book in Japanese under the same title expanding on the themes she explored in the film.[2]
Contents |
In the 1970s, Yang's father, an ardent communist and leader of the pro-North movement in Japan, sent his three sons from Japan to North Korea under a repatriation campaign sponsored by ethnic activist organisation and de-facto North Korean embassy Chongryon; as the only daughter, Yang herself remained in Japan. However, as the economic situation in the North deteriorated, the brothers became increasingly dependent for survival on the care packages sent by their parents. The film shows Yang's visits to her brothers in Pyongyang, as well as conversations with her father about his ideological faith and his regrets over breaking up his family.[3]