"Please come back. Look for me." Honestly the best line the documentary could have ended on.

i have watched several north korean documentaries and nothing has ever given an insight just as this. “after reunification, please come find me”. powerful and impactful. this was amazing and took the viewers through a journey in the lense of several different eyes. amazing.

Seeing those soldiers eagerly await their turn to get a picture with Sung-Hyung really melted my heart.

This is really heartwarming. So many people go into North Korea with the intent to expose their lies and deceit, and obviously are met with opposition from the people and government. This lady goes in there with curiosity and respect and as a result is able to talk a lot more with the locals and get a lot more insights into their mentality. She doesn't talk against them. She doesn't challenge them on their beliefs. This is what a documentarian and/or ethnographer SHOULD be like. You won't get anything if you go in with an accusatory mindset. Is she seeing all of North Korea? Of course not, but rarely do we see the whole picture when we go somewhere, anywhere. It's important that no matter what preconceived notions you have, to leave those at the door when approaching people of different cultures. That's how you get people to trust you.

I've watched a lot of documentaries on North Korea but I think a South Korean interviewing north Korean made a lot of difference it feels so genuine i loved it

"Please come back. Look for me" Broke my heart

No bias, no political influencing, no bullshit or drama. Even though I’m not Korean, I do wish both nation become one again someday.

This was extremely educational and did a good job humanizing and contextualizing so much which tends to be ignored in more sensationalist coverage, while also letting the realities speak for themselves, amazing and at time heart tugging stuff.

The fact that the interviewer is Korean, made them more relaxed and comfortable even though she's from the southern Korea, brotherly love never dies

This is nothing what the world has ever seen. Scripted or not you can actually feel the subtle reflections of what North Koreans are really like. Korean interviewing in Korean made a huge difference in what more we can actually perceive. This is truly the first real documentary of North Korea.

The narrator was so sweet humbing and very respectful. This documentary is so heartfelt. I love that we got a chance to see her really watch and interract with the citizens of NK and listen to their stories. Most documentaries I've watched were just full of sadness and darkness. This was refreshing to see.

мои братья и сестры😢 сам я этнический кореец с Узбекистана! Мы корейцы разделенный народ, но все же мы всегда останемся корейцами, и будем чтить наши традиции независимо от стоаны проживания. Люблю всех Вас❤

I love how she asked what their dreams are. Their answers felt genuine and from the heart. That women just wanted to sing forever. The other wanted to design clothes. For once a documentary showing that these are people just like the rest of the world who have feelings hope's and dreams just as the rest of us. I felt both happy and sad watching this. The best documentary by far.

This is, by far, the most accurate, respectful, interesting and heart warming documentary on North Korea I have ever watched.

When Ms. Cho, S. Korean film maker, obtained a German passport, she was finally granted the permission to visit N. Korea. ( Btw, she was asked to make the doc. about N. Korea by her German friend & film maker.) After having visited there not just 1 or 2 times but as many as 6 times, she had finally created this doc. regarding N. Korean civilian life. She was invited to Japan to render the seminar about this doc. & lectured them how average people live there, Cause this is unavailable on UKposts in Japan, & so shown only on college campuses. All in all, it is fair to say that this doc. depicted the current average or above average people's life more or less accurately. Enjoyed, admired & appreciated it a lot & much obliged to Ms. Cho, Sung-Hung. My highest commendation & kudos to her. From the USA. (01/02/22)

I have watched this documentary multiple times. It never ceases to put warmth in my heart to realize we are all the same, same hopes and dreams but in multiple forms. My best wishes for North Korean people, so genuine and lovely

The facial expressions and subtle hints throughout conversations are much more genuine than 99% of "documentaries" on North Korea.

wow this has to be the most personal, daily life, not biased interview. i have seen tens of documentaries but this one takes the cake. especially seeing a north korean talking to a south korean speaking mother tongue. this is insane.

the "please come find me" at the end is so beautiful. i wish nothing but strength and happiness for the Korean people. much love from the US, maybe i have some revolutionary clothes in my closet!

"Please come back, look for me" this part got me shedding tears

The interviewer has an incredible ability to ask certain questions that show the viewers how hypnotized the citizens of this country are, while simultaneously showing courtesy and a natural curiosity to the interviewee.

From Kenya and I absolutely approve this documentary. We are so used to the sadistic documentaries of North Korea and it's refreshing to note that they are not subhumans but fellow humans.

North Koreans are a remarkable people.. resilient..good natured ..hard working... dignified...they deserve the respect that this wonderful documentary gives to them .

I love this documentary film. It is totally different from what I have seen before. Balanced and easy to understand. I wish more people could see it to make a well-informed view of North Korea. Definitely, I have learned something new today, the people in North Korea are just ordinary citizens with light humor. They are polite and down-to-earth. Thank you Sung-Hyung Cho.

It's such a relief to watch a documentary of life in the DPRK where the journalist isn't asking awkward questions that everyone knows the citizens aren't allowed to answer. She's polite, and allows them to talk about themselves and just give a little a bit about their daily lives - which I think is what most of us are curious about, since we know good and well these people can't answer openly about their thoughts on the government and politics.

When the teacher said that the children don't want to go home because they have so much food and snacks it really broke my heart!

All I can learn are that the environment is so clean everywhere including the houses and the streets. And people who she interviewed are so nice. They answer her question willingly and warmly. All of them are so skillful in their respective field.

Amazing documentary. I have found of special interest the intelligent way these people avoid wasting energy and carefully plan their resources. Probably due to the lack of them, but it is still inspiring to see how few you need to make a living if you really commit to it. They live in hard conditions (economically speaking), but the aount of effort they put into work and living is surprising. Definitely this documentary makes us think that beyond politics, life goes on and people just wants to work and be successful on their own way.

That teacher teaching the students English seems like she's awesome at her job, I like her teaching style.

The sad fact is the longer they are divided the more difficult it will be for reunification. The differences between the 2 is enormous after 70 years.

As that grandson said. Reunification is just as same as met their own people, basicly both koreans shares same cultures. Warm heart words from grandma is best part. To unite them, both people needs understanding and cooperate on what life values of both people. Then share their best parts of their life values and blend it to be teamwork. This part is my best values, that part is your best values, let do together to achieve better life.

My heart went out to the clothing factory women...I sincerely hope their lives are peaceful and hopeful. One of the very best documentaries I have ever seen!

why the hell no one talking about how adorable the Korean teacher is in the dorm.. world needs more teachers like her

That female officer’s voice gives me peace.. such a lovely voice♥️

The interviewer is so respectful, i really like this documentary. That girl at the clothing factory is the sweetest. I hope she has a happy life.

My father's hometown is Geumseong-ri, Donghae-myeon, Gilju-gun, North Hamgyeongbuk-do, North Korea When we are unified, the first thing I want to do is run to my hometown

I have never seen people as wholesome as the North Koreans. They deserve nothing but happiness and fulfilment!

This is a masterpiece of a documentary . By far the best one ever made about North Korea . I may be over reacting , but this feels like a piece of art . Congratulations

23:00 "military service made me realize grandma was alright" is a funny as hell take

Thank you for creating this. I was suggested this after watching "loyal citizens of Pyongyang in Seoul" and seeing this country through a new light has been astounding and eye-opening. I never suspected I'd have respect for a country I was taught to hate since I first learned about it

This needs more views and comments. It really humanizes North Korea as a country. It's easy for people to forget North Korea is a place full of human beings with dreams and feelings. Well done. Shedding light on such a misunderstood place.

By far, by FAR the best documentary on North Korea I have ever seen, thank you for making this available to the world to see, for free. Wow.

I kept laughing at the painter.omg i cannot with how straightforward he is.😂😂😂

my grandpa born in 1945 was separated from his father and his 3 siblings during the Korean War. Documentaries like this makes me think if I have relatives in the north and weather there are still alive or not

Hands Down - The best documentary on North Korea that I've seen. Well done.

Oh, I really hope Gum Hyang is able to accomplish her dream of being a self-made designer! I wish there was a way to support her goal and buy her clothes for encouragement, she seems like a really sweet woman and a hard worker!)

An incredible documentary film, thank you for sharing this piece of work. After having seen many documentaries on NK and having read various books on the country, this film shows a rare glimpse of everyday life that many films don’t show. And I can’t help but think that even this work will have been ‘vetted’ to some extent by the regime. Some nice interviews with some lovely people, all with the personal element of a native interviewer- that’s made such a huge difference to the film. The final scene of ‘Please come back, look for me’ was very tear worthy.

I can feel so much care and so much respect went into the making of this video. Thank you for sharing.

Interesting and touchy part at 25:37 when the young lady serving soup ( maybe soup ) was saying , " Grandma, I think we have to cook more rice for the film team."

Sad to say...still no reunification grandma😪 it will take a very long time for this to happen. It warms my heart how sincere and happy she was about meeting you from the South. I wish you had more raw footage like this to share😊

One of the best North Korean documentary. i enjoyed watching locals in different fields speak about their jobs and daily lives, and dreams! the interviewer was respectful.

The silence that comes after every time they finish speaking is too painful for me. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like they’re keeping themselves from tearing up and losing it.

I've never felt so emotional and patriotic over a swimming pool before

That artist dude made me believe those people aren't just actors, I mean I would never allow someone who say things like "she is ugly so I don't paint her face on my painting" to be filmed.

Everyone already spoke of how fantastic and professional Sung-Hyung Cho produced this most informational and relatable view of North Korea, so I'm leaving my comment simply for the boost it gives :) Thank you for an impeccably grounded and genuine look into such an isolated existence.

This is the most insanely honest documentary without any narrative .

A thoughtful and sensitive portrayal of the gentle people that live in North Korea. One can read between the lines to understand that a lot more is unsaid......beautiful

20:28 the plastic film on the controller! 😆 Some things are universal, wherever you are!

This is the first documentary I have seen that we're able to speak directly the people from different aspects of life without guards. I'm amazed to hear their reality straight from the people both from the rich and the poor. It is admirable how the lady who works in the sewing factory looks at her situation positively and her mindset that she has passion for the profession she does..

This is by far the best documentary about North Korea I've ever seen, I wish I could understand the language to get deeper into the dialogues and interviews. Great work, congratulations and thank you for sharing

The way the factory girls dance so gracefully and unselfconsciously is beautiful yet heartbreaking at the same time.

I worry that a lot of people watching this documentary will think this is representative of daily life across the country.

Congratulations to the filmmaker and her team. I was happy to see her reception by the people she met and to hear of their hopes for reconciliation with South Korea. I hope she can someday make a new documentary without constant chaperones and restrictions to certain people and places.

Best documentary on this subject I’ve seen so far. Great job!

It seemed like a lot of them wanted to say more but seemed to cut themselves off. Just something I noticed but this is a great documentary! Very different from the typical DPRK documentaries.

Am I the only person amazed by the tractor dude. He wasn't provided a home with heat or electricity but he engineered it so that he could have both. I totally believed his wife when she said she thought he could do anything. The dude setup his own solar and had no shame in making his own bio-diesel. I would not fair as well as he and his family does if I was thrown in that situation. That's way more than just making lemonade out of lemons. The dude definitely has an engineers mind. Shame he can't profit from it.

it was so cute how happy the grandson was when his grandmother praised him, at the end of the day it is absurd to think that the sensationalised media is an accurate representation of the everyday north korean

Finally a record of ordinary people in DPRK which is not a hysterical account of wild oppression and starvation

That last part broke my heart when the grandma was talking about the soldier who died on the tracks: "I was very envious. How nice it would be if the hero were my grandson." Meanwhile, her grandson is right there. I'm sure the grandmother of that war hero is proud of her grandson, of course, but would rather he still be alive. Granny seems so nice but she should be grateful for her grandson's health and safety. No one should have to die a war hero. That's not something I think we should be envious of or aspire for, personally. Anyways, great documentary. Edit: Hey, just as a response to some of the comments I'm getting: Obviously the grandma is doing what she thinks is right. The overall culture and intentions of the government have influenced her mindset. I do disagree with the people saying this is a west vs east thing. This is common in ALL CULTURES. From the US, we have plenty of the same rhetoric. Worse even. This is not a "North Korean problem." This is a power problem seen in every human civilization. I found the scene so sad because it is representative of how any large entity seemingly "above us" can influence an entire population to do bullshit because it's in their "best interest."

This is amazing! In all the other docs I’ve seen the filmmakers were assigned several “handlers” & were only allowed to film surface life in Pyongyang or the DMZ, the handlers repeatedly telling them to turn off the camera. You actually went into the villages & these people treated you like one of them! This is by far the most intimate portrait I have seen! Wonderful, educational & enlightening!

Thank you so much for making this trip and this film. This is of immeasurable value! I think you have captured the spirit of the ordinary people of the North. Reunification is a challenging goal. Best of luck and blessings to you all.

Interesting interviews. from these questions and responses, expressions, answers, scenes, I can clearly hear what is not said, and clearly visualise beyond what is shown.

I love how this documentary portrays these people as human beings rather than the brainwashed savages that are usually seen in documentaries made by westerners.

Concerning the artist, I think that the working girl is absolutely gorgeous. Then he said he took a girl more beautiful for the head but I think the working girl was more beautiful. Her face was so pure and so nice.......This guy wasted it................

This is one of my favorite documentaries ever. I really hope that you make something like this again about North Korea as soon as you're able

I have seen several docs on North Korea and this one is by far one of the best. So interesting to see the various Koreans. I hope a reunification will occur soon as these people are currently stuck in a cocoon. Great respect and admiration to them. Well done to the filmmaker.

i cried with the farewell line ..'please come back'......i can feel the thirst of love .

God the documentary is just unbelievable. I've watched so many I'm obsessed and I've never seen anything like this before even close this is so real

Beautiful and respectful documentary. Thank you for sharing it.

29:49 I cried at how soft and sweet you are. Heaven bless you and your family, angel.

No doubt this is one of the best documentaries. Appreciate how the team literally documented it as aliens, without trying to introduce or broach foreign point of view of life as such. Also the way they portrayed the beautiful outskirts and daily live of locals with as it was.

This was a really wonderful documentary, and probably the most enjoyable documentary about North Korea that I have ever seen. What we are shown is certainly very limited. But it does paint a more holistic picture of life in North Korea. It was also that in spite of economic sanctions, that China still distributes North Korean products, claiming that they are made in China. While we are officially condemning them, we are still blissfully ignorant of how they fit into the supply chain of cheap goods being imported into the US and Europe. Very insightful, unbiased, and fascinating.

I didn’t realise how beautiful the North Korean countryside is. It’s like something straight out of a painting. I wish I could visit, it looks like it would be a really nice place to holiday. When Korea hopefully reunites or if North Korea opens up more, I think they could definitely turn it into a relaxing holiday destination. It reminds me of the French countryside for some reason. I would love to stay in a small North Korean village in the countryside. It seems like it could be a peaceful place with lovely people.

Their eyes speak more then they say, and it's enough to see out of the box.

"Both men and women, everyone wishes to have their beautiful features highlighted." *breathes in* sir, you replaced her entire face with someone else's what exactly did you highlight!? How will anyone even know that's her!?

Outstanding documentary, one of a kind. Excellent work!👍🌟🌟🌟⭐⭐

Kinda Wish they could see how beautifully this documentary has depicted their day to day lives. Good job.

Dang, just watched the best NK Documentary out of the 100's I've seen.

This documentary is beyond brilliant. Hands down the best NK documentary. Thank You for this

1:32:56 they are funny to keeping that clip in there. The fabric factory lady basically said the capitol is off limits unless you work hard and are recommended to travel there when they do excursions there. I enjoyed watching this docu, it was completely different from all the other North Korea docus that I've seen.

I love how beautiful and untouched their land looks though. There is a lot of natural beauty in that country.

I'm seeing a lot of "look how brainwashed they are" but we do the same thing lol. "We need to work hard so my countrymen can eat=you need to work hard and become successful or else you will starve"

El más sincero en su mensaje y honesto en sus intenciones que he visto sobre los norcoreanos. Mi más gratas felicitaciones por este documental.

These people are happier and more fulfilled than any working class person in the west. It’s impossible for us to understand what socialism does for the spirit, which is why this seems so strange to us. But they have something we do not have, and never will have, as long as personal wealth is prioritized as our only virtue. We don’t know the joy of feeling a part of something bigger, connected to your comrades and country through everything you do. That sense of oneness and pride is alien to us. Most can’t even guess at it. This was the single best piece of media on North Korea I’ve ever seen. Well it’s tied with Blowback lol

55:33 It's so cute and funny at the same time how the kids couldn't keep focus on their teacher lol

The lady at 1:12:27 is so beautiful and looks sincerely happy. I know their life is not perfect but she is blessed to find happiness.

The citizens look very healthy. I hope the sanctions are lifted but I doubt the capitalist nations would be pleased with witnessing the explosion of prosperity.

wow, they honestly look so full of life. I live in the US and these days everyone looks so miserable and empty inside; most people I know are unhappy or depressed in some shape or form, especially young people like myself. We're constantly glued to our phones and feeling as though we have no purpose in our lives. I feel this way too, all the time. There is no sense of community here; no unity, no greater purpose to fight for as a collective. Here there is an 'every man for himself' mentality because we're all in a constant state of competition with one another, persistent fighting just so that we can "make it". Every day is survival for many of us because the government doesn't take care of it's people and provide them with the basic necessities to live. I really think the culture here is dead and crumbling. I really wonder what it must be like to feel so purposeful everyday; even at a job that if you were to work at in the US would leave you feeling a sense of worthlessness, as well as providing you with a less-than livable wage as most the companies here in the US don't care about it's workers anyway. The only thing that is prioritized is profit, and I often feel that the people here are just treated as machines to feed these unfair systems of power, looked down upon by those in the very top wealth brackets, and not really seen as individuals or humans for that matter. It's very soul sucking. North Korea is far from ideal, but it gives us a glimpse into an early stage of what a future society without capitalism could look like.

I have watched a lot of documentaries on North Korea, this is by far the best and most genuine, it feels so real. Behind the façade of what is obviously allowed to be said, and what not, you get a real feeling for the soul of the people, - thank you!

Imagine how many products that were "Made in China" were actually made in North Korea