A Kim Jong-Il Production

A Kim Jong-Il Production recounts the true story of South Korean director Shin Sang-Ok and actress Choi Eun-Hee, who were kidnapped by North Korea in 1978 at the orders of Kim Jong-Il. The book traces Kim Jong-Il's rise within North Korea's propaganda machine and his obsession with cinema, which led to the abduction of two of South Korea's biggest film industry names. Through extensive research and interviews, Fischer reconstructs the events surrounding their disappearance and subsequent years in North Korea. The narrative follows the captives' experiences in North Korea's film industry, where they were forced to create movies under Kim Jong-Il's oversight. Their story intersects with North Korea's attempts to develop its cinema and project cultural power during the Cold War. The book examines themes of identity, power, and the role of art as propaganda, while offering insights into North Korea's ruling dynasty and its relationship with cinema. Through this extraordinary episode, Fischer reveals patterns of control and manipulation that continue to shape North Korea's relationship with the outside world.

Readers describe this book as a thriller-like narrative of the 1978 kidnappings, with careful research and engaging pacing. Many note its balance between entertainment and historical documentation. Likes: - Reads like a thriller despite being non-fiction - Clear explanations of North Korean society and politics - Detailed research and extensive references - Humanizes the kidnapping victims through personal details Dislikes: - Some sections drag with excess background information - A few readers found the writing style sensational - Questions about accuracy of some dialogue recreations - Limited perspective on post-1980s events Ratings: Goodreads: 4.15/5 (5,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (460+ ratings) Notable reader comments: "Stranger than fiction and meticulously documented" - Amazon reviewer "The first third moves slowly but pays off" - Goodreads reviewer "Could have been shorter without losing impact" - LibraryThing reviewer

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✦ Kim Jong-Il kidnapped South Korean film director Shin Sang-ok and actress Choi Eun-hee in 1978 to create movies for North Korea's propaganda machine, holding them captive for eight years before their dramatic escape. ✦ Before becoming North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-Il ran the country's film industry and owned over 15,000 movies in his personal collection, with a particular fondness for James Bond films and Rambo. ✦ During their captivity, Shin and Choi made seven films for North Korea, including "Pulgasari," a Godzilla-inspired monster movie that became one of North Korea's most expensive productions. ✦ Author Paul Fischer pieced together this incredible story through extensive interviews, secret intelligence documents, and previously unreleased materials from film archives in South Korea. ✦ The book reveals how Kim Jong-Il's film obsession led him to write a manifesto called "On the Art of Cinema," which became required reading for all North Korean filmmakers and remains so to this day.