“Crossing” is a Korean movie which is going to be aired in late June 2008. The movie is based on a real story about the life of a North Korean defector and his family.
Actor Cha In-pyo starred as a North Korean coal miner who crossed illegally into China to get medicine for his wife. His wife passed away soon after he crossed the border, and he was separated from his 11-year-old son (played by Shin Myung-chul) who was trying to trace him from North Korea.
The story shares the hardship of North Korean refugees in the late 1990s, with famine striking the country and killed an estimated 1 million people.
The North Koreans couldn’t cross into South Korea directly because of landmines and heavy military presence at the border… these defectors had to cross into China and made a de-tour to South Korea instead.
The Chinese government, an ally of the North Korean regime, does not recognize the defectors as refugees and would send them back to North Korea to face stiff action.
Update - Crossing will represent South Korea as a candidate for the foreign film category at the 81st Academy Awards. [Koreatimes]
looks like a very sad movie….. but i am happy to see cha in pyo again.
[...] that the movie-clips from the music video are cuts from South Korean movie “Crossing” and not real footage; the movie is said to be based on real stories [...]
is this movie available in english?
Anon#3… not so soon. The movie is just out in Korea, and would probably take around 3-4 months before the DVD is released.
“Crossing” is fantastic!
I highly recommend you watch it. It is a must-see movie.
It is about escaping from North Korea. The movie is very realistic.
Check out these two previews of Crossing:
1) Korean Movie “Crossing (2008)” Main Trailer
http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=ThXzb4QSMzE
2) Korean Movie “Crossing (2008)” Teaser Trailer
http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=dJNvEtEuL5A
It’s great that a movie like this has finally come out so that the world, in
particular South Koreans themselves, know about the evils of North Korea.
Unlike the rest of the world, South Koreans are completely ignorant about the evils of North Korea, which is quite ironic. A movie like this is long over due.
Go see Crossing today!
South Koreans ignorant about what’s going on in the North? That’s news to me… I always thought that they are quite concern about the situation.
Yeah, I understand your suprise.
If anyone out there was to known the evils of North Korea, we would all think it would be South Koreans themselves.
But as shocking as it is, it’s the truth.
South Koreans know nothing and are 100% ignorant about North Korea. Of course this does not mean 100% of the population, as nothing is absolute of course.
But on average, it’s true. Ask any Western or Japanese person living in South Korea and they will tell you the same thing.
It’s very sad and also very ironic.
But this movie will at least education some South Koreans about the current situation.
I just came back from S. Korea on a Missions trip and did find out that a lot of S. Koreans are ignorant to the fact of the hardship N. Koreans have and the tremendous risk they take to leave N. Korea. At the Camp i was at, i had the priveledge and honor to speak with some N. Korean refugee. I will say even the western society does not know the extent of the N. Koreans plight. Westerners know that Kim Jung Il is a crazy and the N. Koreans are in a poverished conditions, but it goes way beyond that. As for me, i have found a new goal in my life to help any N. Korean to escape out of N. Korea.
You have my blessing mrquaint. Do let us know if there is anything we can do to help the N.Koreans… something relatively easier like donations etc.
I just watched this film last night. The film is far more powerful and moving than what the trailer presents. To realize this is not a “fictional story” of a family, but a reality behind the borders, gives this film that much more meaning. My girlfriend and I were pulled into the realness of the story forgetting it’s “a movie”. It’s almost a culture shock just watching it. The “portrayers”, as I will call them, were incredible as well…”acting” belittles their performance.
For anyone who is into Japanimation…it reminds me of “Grave of the Fireflies”. If you watched both, you’ll know what I mean — the depiction of the lives of people based on these kinds of real events — sad.