Dive into a harrowing tale of abduction and forced creativity in the latest Rotten Mango podcast episode, where hosts Stephanie Soo and her co-host unpack the true story of Shin Sang-ok and Choi Eun-hee, a filmmaker couple kidnapped by North Korea's regime. The episode meticulously details how the obsession of Kim Jong-il with the cinematic arts led to a series of events more gripping than fiction, placing the couple in a position to produce films under the dictator's oppressive vision - a quest for international cinematic recognition.
This Rotten Mango narrative goes beyond the screen, bringing to light the struggles and resilience of Eun-hee and Shin as they navigated imprisonment, indoctrination, and psychological warfare. The hosts delve into the couple's secret plotting for freedom, revealing how they turned a risky film festival trip into a daring escape to the American embassy in Vienna. Stephanie Soo and her co-host guide listeners through the twists and turns of this unbelievable survival story, climaxing in the couple's successful bid for asylum and a life beyond the shadow of North Korea's propaganda machine.
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The couple Shin Sang-ok and Choi Eun-hee were abducted by North Korea, orchestrated by Kim Jong-il, who was fixated on filmmaking. They were victims of manipulation and control, used as pawns to uplift North Korea's cinematic presence on the world stage. Kim Jong-il wanted Eun-hee to star in North Korean movies, enforcing his vision of realistic love stories similar to European films to achieve international acclaim. Meanwhile, Shin was welcomed with personal items and clothing to encourage him to utilize his directing expertise. The regime went to extreme lengths to retain control over them, highlighted by Eun-hee's attempted escape and subsequent drugging.
Shin Sang-ok and Choi Eun-hee faced severe conditions, including imprisonment, torture, and indoctrination, following their abduction. They were forced to participate in the propagandistic praise of North Korea and endure stringent indoctrination rituals to internalize North Korean superiority narratives. However, they were given funding and some freedom to produce films intended to fulfill Kim Jong-il's cinematic ambitions and to slander South Korea. Despite the constraints and coercion, they produced seven films across various genres, fostering enjoyment and a better cultural understanding among North Korean civilians. Their movies introduced concepts of love and humanity, contrasting the government's propaganda films.
The couple conducted secret recordings of Kim Jong-il to support their future plea for asylum and used this leverage to negotiate their safety. They meticulously planned their escape during a trip to Vienna for a film festival, ultimately seeking refuge at the American embassy. Successfully evading North Korean agents, Shin Sang-ok and Choi Eun-hee were granted asylum in the US, entering witness protection and sharing their experiences with the CIA. They managed to attain citizenship, effectively ending their harrowing journey since their kidnapping in North Korea.
1-Page Summary
Stephanie Soo details the harrowing tale of famous South Korean film director Shin Sang-ok and his ex-wife, actress Choi Eun-hee, who were both kidnapped by North Korea.
Without explicit mention in the provided content, one can infer that North Korea’s then-future leader Kim Jong-il's involvement in the couple's abduction was tied to his fascination with filmmaking and his aspiration to elevate the North Korean film industry to international stanards.
While there is no specific information given about Kim Jong-il's belief regarding the depiction of real events in foreign films, the North Korean regime's actions towards Shin and Choi suggest a deep-seated desire to bolster the country's film production capabilities. Stephanie Soo explains that Kim Jong-il aspired to create movies equivalent to American standards, hinting at his aim to produce world-class films.
Kim Jong-il expressed his wish for Eun-hee, a top South Korean actress, to star in North Korean movies, which implied that she had no choice in the matter. This underscores his efforts to utilize foreign talent to achieve his goal of international film recognition. Moreover, he liked the idea of movies about regular love because it matched his vision of aligning with European movies and gaining international acclaim.
Shin Sang-ok, after his abduction, was taken to North Korea and found his house stocked with his favorite items and clothing tailored to his size, indicating a calculated move by Kim Jong-il to make Shin feel compelled to con ...
Eun-hee and Shin's kidnapping by North Korea
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Eun-hee and Shin, prominent figures in the South Korean film industry, endured a harrowing ordeal when they were abducted and forced to make films in North Korea under the regime of Kim Jong-il.
The couple faced severe conditions during their captivity. Director Shin was imprisoned for two years after an escape attempt, enduring torture including being handcuffed to a railing in an uncomfortable position, leading to sleep deprivation and loss of bodily functions. He was forced to carve "Shin Sang-ok died here" into his cell wall, believing he would never be released. Other prisoners experienced similar ordeals, such as digging their own graves.
Shin and Eun-hee were also subjected to relentless indoctrination. They were taken to visit sites like a log cabin where Kim Jong-un was rumored to have been born and were expected to internalize and affirm the narrative provided to them. They encountered propaganda in the form of false depictions of American brutality and sham newspaper articles praising the Kim dynasty. They were forced to read extensively, sing songs exalting the Kims, and write adulatory letters to the family, all part of a campaign to convince them that South Korea was suffering while North Korea was superior.
Though the couple was under duress and constrained by the conditions imposed upon them, they were given a substantial budget and a measure of creative freedom to produce films in North Korea.
Under coercion, Shin and Eun-hee worked on movies that were initially intended to serve Kim Il-sung's birthday celebrations and slander South Korea. However, they aspired to utilize their platform to make movies for the North Korean people, aiming to introduce themes of love and humanity absent from the country's typical propaganda-laden filmography.
They were affo ...
Eun-hee and Shin forced to make films in North Korea
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Stephanie Soo details the harrowing escape of director Shin Sang-ok and actress Choi Eun-hee from North Korea, shedding light on their secret taping of Kim Jong-il and their eventual asylum in the United States.
Soo explains that in order to seek asylum, Shin and Eun-hee needed proof of their kidnapping by North Korea, which they aimed to obtain by recording Kim Jong-il's voice. They meticulously rehearsed starting a tape recorder without arousing suspicion and ultimately planned to capture Kim Jong-il's voice during a dinner. The recordings were necessary because both intelligence agencies and the North Korean public had never heard Kim Jong-il's voice. They intended to use the tapes as an insurance plan, valuable to agencies with the power to grant asylum.
Kim Jong-il, unaware of Shin and Eun-hee's intentions, had all his conversations recorded, resulting in a misconception that someone on his side leaked tapes, implying Eun-hee and Shin were loyal to him. However, not all audio was released; some recordings are believed to be held by the CIA, with only transcripts made available.
The couple handed over tapes and photographs to a friend who was instructed to release them to the Japanese and Korean news media if they didn’t hear from Shin and Eun-hee in six months.
Shin and Eun-hee planned their escape while allowed to travel to Europe for film work, despite being surrounded by guards. They searched for the perfect moment to flee and needed to convince everyone they were not being held against their will, as part ...
Eun-hee and Shin's escape from North Korea
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