Best North Korean movies

On the planet Gandahar where peace reigns and poverty is unknown, this utopian lifestyle is upset by reports of people at the outlying frontiers being turned to stone. Sylvain is sent to investigate this mysterious threat.

In feudal Korea, a group of starving villagers grow weary of the orders handed down to them by their controlling king and set out to use a deadly monster under their control to push his armies back.

Propaganda movie about units of the "whites" (PMC "Wagner") who perform an assault operation to capture buildings. They are opposed by the "yellow" units, which have dug in these buildings and are also ready to fight to the end.

A North Korean coal miner struggles to realize her dream of becoming a circus acrobat.

This movie tells the story of Hong Kil Dong, a legendary 15th century Korean Robin Hood figure.

The story of a husband and construction worker whose dream is to have his picture taken with the leader of his country.

A documentary spanning from the Korean Wars to the present. (MUBI)

The manager of a quilt factory retires, leaving the job of running it to a woman. She resolves to rebuild a new factory to meet the vision of the president, giving up much along the way to become the "mother" of the factory.

A woman has just been newly christened in her job as a Pyongyang traffic supervisor. On her first assignment, she encounters a man who is using his work truck for personal use, along with driving unsafely. She detains him before eventually finding out that he was delivering the washing machine to her house. She attempts to hide in another room, but the man sees her. She immediately feels guilty for her actions.

A small troop of North Korean soldiers, armed with just four guns among them, defeats General Douglas MacArthur and 50,000 American soldiers at Inch'on.

The Kites Flying in the Sky is a 2008 North Korean film. Directed by Phyo Kwang and Kim Hyon-chol, the film is based on the true story of a former marathon champion who devotes her life to caring for orphans. It officially premiered on 16 February 2008, and was the first film to be shown on television prior to a general release in June

The hero of this film toiled was a lighthouse keeper before Korea's liberation in World War II. He suffered many indignities and mistreatment by the Japanese, who were then occupying Korea. After the liberation, he leads a better life, and despite his advanced age, he keeps the lighthouse in full working order, in devotion to his country and doesn't rely on recognition or praise. Lighthouse is a quiet revolution drama, which makes it clear that a meritorious fate can also stand behind an unassuming person.

Although an initial match-making attempt between Pyongho and Saebyol through their grandparents is unsuccessful, the two are brought together by fate to participate in the Pyongyang spring fashion show. Modelling both the fashion and the virtues of a wedding couple, their families convene to judge the potential unity. However, tradition versus the foreign influence seeping into society becomes the theme as misunderstandings come to create drama between the two families and the young couple

A group of boys decide to form a guerrilla unit in order to sabotage and spy on the American enemy after one of the communist-controlled cities falls to them.

The country is occupied by the Japanese imperialists. Koppun is selling flowers at the market to get some money to buy medicine for her sick mother. Her brother is imprisoned, her father dead and her sister blind.

This is a Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics co-production. This film is set during World War II, and is about a female Russian soldier named Masha. She is on a mission to discover a secret Japanese base in Korea. Everybody who accompanies her on the mission shortly dies, and she’s forced to stay with a local fisherman. She is trying to get the information about the base location back to the Russian army, because if she doesn’t, the Japanese will unleash the “Sakura Plan”, which is an all-out biological warfare assualt on the world.

"Taek" and "Kyon", children of the two Masters who founded the school of martial arts "Taek-kyon", must keep the school manual away from the hands of the Japanese occupiers (early 20th century) and entrust it to Priest "Jiham" according to the will of their fathers. The two lovers, who have not seen each other since childhood due to the travel of "Taek" to Seol, meet in the cave where the manual is hidden and plan to defend the manual until the last drop of blood. The students of the school, known as the "Pyongyang Nalpharam"(pronounced Nal-Pa-Rem)shall help them in this path, but the Japanese also want to seize the manual very badly; as they want to destroy it so that their school of "Judo" remains unrivaled in Asia.

Set during the Goryeo period, the film tells the story of a family who fight together to protect the Dokdo islets against Japanese invaders.

The film follows Yu Rim, a Korean expatriate in the United Kingdom working as a journalist, who is ordered by the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea to proceed to Seoul and gather intelligence on the United States Forces Korea.

A tender hearted young noble man, Mong Ryong, falls in love with the famous Chun Hyang, the most beautiful girl of a Korean village, who is also a pure hearted artist but unfortunately from a humble family. This forbidden love yields a secret marriage which is doomed when Mong Ryong departs for Seoul to pass state exams and his absence lasts three years, during which no news is heard of him. Meanwhile, the arrival of an infamous new sheriff puts Chun Hyang in great peril when she refuses to break her marriage and obey the desires of the sheriff.

A romantic comedy that tells the story of a fashion designer from Pyongyang who comes to a small village to show her latest designs. Since the fashion designer is young and attractive, the village patriarch comes up with a plan to set her up with a duck farmer who has ambitions of moving to the city.

The National Security Agency of North Korea is fighting against the conspiracy of the imperialists and class enemies to protect the dignity and authority of the Korean government and leaders. Not even a single case should be allowed to remain unsettled in the work of devotedly defending the headquarters of the revolution and defending the security of the socialist system.

Sol Ok is in love with Chol Young. when they ask for his parents' acceptance for their upcoming marriage, she is denied by Chol Young's sports obsessed family for being a mere musician. Can she learn the DPRK state sport of basketball, and win over his family?

A documentary highlighting how both Kim il-Sung and Kim Jong-il work for the prosperity of the juche system and North Korean people.

While serving as a journalist in World War 2 for the Imperial Army of Japan, "Takahashi Minoru" (Pak Ki Ju) sees first-hand the impact on Koreans who have had their national identity forcibly taken from them by the Japanese occupation of their country. It's at this time that he adopts a mantra of viewing an incident before writing a newspaper editorial on it. Several years later he once again visits Korea as a war correspondent during the Korean War and takes home with him several more memories that have a great effect upon him as well. Years later he becomes a respected writer and while giving a speech on the Juche system has his perspective challenged by a young man in the auditorium. Having never seen North Korea he realizes that in order to meet his own high standard of journalism he must travel there and see for himself whether his opinion is valid or not.

A Pyongyang family with five overachieving athletic daughters get involved in their studious son’s romantic life.

The film tells the story of a small group of the Korean People's Army, led by Hakcheol Lee, deputy chief of the reconnaissance division, which went behind enemy lines.

Jin Song Rim strives to turn her humble mountain hometown of Pyokgye-ri into a model socialist village.

A film by Kang Jung-soo.

Pyongyang, DPRK: Two ex-child gymnasts find themselves working together as directors in charge of the production of "mass games" (aka mass gymnastics, a North Korean specialty). Their joint area of responsibility is the youngest children's performance. However the two directors have different personalities and priorities. Their co-operation is less than friction-free as the pressure leading up to the performance increases. The two find that they work no better together as adults than they did as children. However there is still a bit of a spark between them. Will they manage to finish the production in time for the grand opening in front of the country's Leader? Are the children up for the challenge? Will any romance come out of all this....

"A Forest is Swaying" is the story of a former soldier (Pak Sŏng-ryong) who struggles to plant a pine forest and raise and orphaned child in an area devastated by American bombs in the Fatherland Liberation War (Korean War). A young agricultural expert comes to judge the work Pak has been doing. She finds that it is impossible to have a pine forest in this area, and surmises that he should plant other trees instead. He continues to plant pine trees regardless of her advice.

Having been arrested by the American forces, a Korean engineer tries to save a North-Korean engine from the possession of the enemy by pretending he is working for them.

At the beginning of the Korean war, the love story, in a remote village, between a young worker and the daughter of a traditional musician.

A Japanese florist creates his masterpiece: the red begonia hybrids will represent the Juche ideology and stand as a symbol of love, justice and peace. In honor of the beloved leader, he gives her the name Kimjongilia.

North Korea Animation that teaches the importance of learning Geometry.

Some animals cooperate in gathering food while a greedy pig pays the consequences of his individualism.

Story of two brothers, stayed in different parts of Korea. Elder one works on recovery of electric plant. Younger brother comes back to native town with sabotage task.

The plot follows that of an idealistic school teacher who was orphaned during the Japanese occupation of Korea. When approached by the intelligence bureau and asked to join the course to help protect Kim Il-sung, Jo Yun Chol is at first apprehensive, but after realizing that “… safeguarding our national leader is our lifeline” he joins the good fight.

A romantic drama from 1997, that revolves around the coupling of a big city businessman and a lowly plasterer based in the countryside, who decides to stay in her home despite the apparent benefits of leaving

Billed as a North Korean "Titanic". On August 15, 1945, Japanese Imperialists were defeated and there echoed in Japan, too, shouts of victory of thousands of Korean people who had been drafted to Japan. They formed a repatriation autonomy to return to their dear homeland. The Japs plot to blow up their ship on the way which is overloaded with thousands of Koreans who requested repatriation; whose number in fact is twice as many as the ship's fixed capacity. Cha Myong Jin and other Koreans who are ignorant of this fact set out with great joy and hope, talking and laughing. Cha Myong Jin meets his fiance on the ship and whispers their future life. But they dream breaks out. The Japs turn the ship to the Maizuru Port under the pretext of refilling the drinking water and drive the Koreans below deck while preparing to blow up the ship.

A famous singer and her engineer-scientist husband move into a Korean apartment. Soon, the singer becomes jealous of the intimacy in their neighbours' marriage.

A film about a South Korean actress who has been involved in many political activities under President Park Chung-hee's rule. Ch'a Hong-gi persuades Kim Hyong-uk, the former KCIA director to expose the corruption of President Park Chung-hee in a book. After Kim's death, Hong Yong-ja suspects the South Korean government of being involved. She eventually becomes a vice president of International Taekwondo Federation by the help of Ch'a Hong-gi.

Based on the true story of DPRK athlete Jong Song Ok. Marathon Runner narrates the effort and spirit involved in overcoming a failed medal attempt at the Atlanta Olympic Games. She decides to work harder and reach "glory" in a world championship marathon in Seville, Spain. She realizes how the training regime is parallel to the one of her country, still struggling to recover from the serious crisies in the 1990s. Her deep personal understanding of this national sacrifice is just the inspiration she needs to finally triumph the test of a marathon.

Documentary film praising the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il for his political and social values, and beliefs to build a strong communist nation.

A film about a woman who works in Pukch'ŏng apple village to produce apples with the best quality encouraging the villagers to join her efforts. She also works with them to develop the best techniques to perserve them.

A resident of foreign intelligence, nicknamed 'badger', receives a new task through a sent messenger. Badger's subordinates Sen-ryur Pak, a doctor, and his wife Chon-ok Lee take action. They are participants in a new sabotage operation.

About peasants who did not immediately understand the joy of collective labor. Not only does the film promote collective farming, but it also has an unconditional emotional intensity.

The film tells the story of a newlywed couple working on the railroad (the husband is a train driver and his young wife works at a lathe) in a lyrical and poignant tone. Both have difficult personalities and their own views on life, but together they take an active part in the economic recovery of the country after the Korean War.

The Lysynmanovites planned to kill Lee Min Se, a prominent scientist living in North Korea, in order to take possession of his discovery. To this end, they sent Park Dong Gyun to Pyongyang. After getting a close look at life in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Park Dong-gyun couldn't go through with the crime and decided to tell the Korean counterintelligence folks everything. With his help, a gang of seasoned saboteurs was exposed and caught.

Against the backdrop of the time when North Korea was fighting the war for the liberation of the Korean peninsula (1950-1953), the main character, Ok-khi Cho, participates in a guerrilla war in a village occupied by the American military.

Forty years after her father's return from North Korea a Japanese university professor is subject to harassment for advancing his views on this country. Just like her father, however, her commitment to the truth remain unwavering even though all around her fear for her health and safety.

Two Korean states, Goguryeo and Ranran, are on the brink of war. While the king of Goguryeo tries to keep peace at all costs, King Ranrana plans to take over Goguryeo with the help of foreign allies. Under these circumstances, Prince Huodong travels to Ranran to offer peace and falls in love with the beautiful princess.

An Emissary of No Return retells the story of a real historical event in 1907 known as the Hague Secret Emissary Affair. Korea had been colonized by Japan. In order to protest to the international community, the Korean emperor king Gojong sent three secret emissaries to the talks of the Hague Convention of 1907, to get the great powers to overturn the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1905.

Having already added to the tensions between North Korea and Japan, a university professor finds that her views are considered even more dangerous now. Things quickly take a turn for the worse when missiles are launched from North Korea directly over Japanese air space.

Musical film based on the traditional story of the same name.

Mr. Komak, a musician from one foreign power, and Ra Sol Ju, Navy communicator of DPRK, who also does have a sense of music, met twice. First, on the Korean War, where she captured him, and then at the Festival of Youth and Students in Berlin. Many years later, Komak is coming to the festival in Pyongyang, with hope to find her.

Life in Korea seen from the perspective of the 'cheollima' philosophy encouraged at that time. The aim of 'cheollima' was to speed up both the economy and cultural and artistic achievements.

The film tells a funny story about how two old men, wanting to meet their son-in-law and daughter-in-law, travel from the village to Pyongyang and find themselves in a funny and confusing situation.

How schoolboy Yoon Ho and his friend Seung Mo are looking for the grave of his brother who died during the struggle of the Korean people for their independence. The film tells about the guys' adventures during these searches.

Yong Nam was separated from his mother by the war on the Korean Peninsula (1950-1953): the boy remained in South Korea, while his mother left for the North. But how can they live apart?

Using the fate of an ordinary woman as an example, the film shows how life has changed in liberated Korea.

Based on the story of the same name by Han Sorya, which tells one of the pages of the life of South Korean youth - her struggle against external interference and for the unification of the peoples of South and North Korea.

About how spies made their way to the plant where Geum Sam works and how they, using some facts from his biography, want to force this person to help them in their criminal activities.