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An implausible love story by which a (literally) high-flying South Korean heiress inadvertently paraglides into North Korea, lands for a soldier and falls deeply in love with him has transformed into the latest Korean drama smash hit.
Crash Landing you is in numerous methods a normal K-drama relationship, but happens to be commonly praised because of its well-researched and nuanced depiction of North Korea, one thing it accomplished by having a real-life North Korean defector on its writing group, as BBC Korean’s Subin Kim describes.
Along with his broad arms and torso that is thick Kwak Moon-wan has most of the look of a bodyguard.
That is most likely because until 2004, he served using the Supreme Guard Command, the elite protection force which protects North Korea’s ruling Kim family members.
He had been therefore trusted which he ended up being assigned to the office offshore too, for a North Korean trade business in Moscow that was getting much needed foreign exchange.
Just a choose few North Koreans are allowed to your workplace beyond your nation, also to guarantee their continued loyalty the leaders have actually measures set up – Kwak needed to keep their spouse and son behind in North Korea.
In 2004, he had been purchased to return to Pyongyang. Within a stopover in Beijing, he learned one of is own buddies in Moscow had reported with their bosses in Pyongyang what he had stated in personal discussion.
He knew instantly that just just what he’d stated would cause trouble that is huge he got house.
During our discussion in a cafe in Seoul, Kwak kept glancing around to check on whom could be nearby. He speech is easy, or even dull, but Kwak would not duplicate for me just what he stated. He would just state he had talked by what he saw while escorting users of the Kim family members in the past.
So he chose to defect. Alone. In which he has resided in Southern Korea without their household from the time.
“we have only one shadow as soon as the sunlight pops up,” Kwak stated. “which is my entire life in Southern Korea.”
After showing up in South Korea, Kwak, like a large number of North Korean defectors, started the entire process of creating a new lease of life. Also it took a twist that is remarkable of for Kwak to get their method in to the booming realm of Korean activity.
From defector to film adviser
Before going into the army, Kwak had invested time researching film. straight Back within the 1980s, the North Korean movie industry ended up being booming, because of then frontrunner Kim Jong Il’s well-known love of the art.
At that right time, Kwak had been going to set about further training, and then he finished up being accepted to examine movie directing in Pyongyang University of Dramatic and Cinematic Arts.
Right after Kwak found its way to Southern Korea, a filmmaker that is famous ended up being taking care of a North Korea-themed film task approached Southern Korea’s spy agency asking for a few advice.
Kwak had simply finished their interrogations, area of the resettlement process defectors that are new through, by which he’d discussed his movie abilities.
The agency put him in contact with the filmmaker, whom offered him task at their movie company. Kwak accepted it immediately.
He continued to your workplace as an adviser and a screenwriter on lots of films and dramas, as well as in 2018 a colleague that is former Kwak to Park Ji-eun, your head composer of the drama.
She had appear with a sense of an intimate comedy having a North Korean officer and a South Korean heiress, but her absence of intimate understanding of Northern life ended up being a pressing concern.
Kwak joining the united group kick-started the Crash Landing on You project.
Undercover spies and children that are homeless
The series happens to be probably one of the most effective Korean dramas of most time. It tells the tale of heiress and businesswoman Yoon Se-ri and North Korean military captain Ri Jeong-hyuk.
While out paragliding 1 day, Se-ri gets trapped by freak winds, and forced throughout the edge into North Korea. This woman is discovered by the Jeong-hyuk that is dashing in the place of turning her in agrees to keep her safe and help her get back house. Inevitably, they fall in love.
Kwak’s intimate familiarity with exactly exactly just how North Korean officials run meant he had been in a position to add innovative plot products.
As an example, at one point, secret authorities run into Se-ri hiding in a town. Jeong-hyuk quickly pops up because of the line that she actually is a spy with Division 11, the unit that is military works undercover into the Southern.
That can help explain her accent that is southern lack of documents and her appearance, and provided the type the freedom to explore the town and communicate with other people, while refusing to resolve their questions regarding her life on protection grounds.
Through the entire show, you can find depictions of life which may be produced legitimate through the insights of somebody like Kwak.
Trains are shown suddenly stopping as a result of power cuts, homeless young ones on the roads, and fridges used to store publications and clothing in the place of meals.
Kwak additionally assisted create a subplot into the drama, of some other set of star-crossed fans through the North and Southern, Gu Seung-joon and Search Engine Optimization.
After embezzling an enormous sum of money from Se-ri’s bro, Seung-joon continues the run, and chooses to look for refuge in North Korea.
“North Korea may be the place that is only Interpol can not achieve,” Kwak says.
Can it be real that North Korea provides protection for desired crooks in return for a hefty sum of money? “It is definitely plausible,” Kwak claims. “that is all let me state.”
Praise off their defectors
Some have actually accused Crash Landing for you of glamorising North Korea. As an example, villagers appear to have lots of meals – however in reality meals shortages are a problem that is recurring.
However these details that are nuanced seldom seen by South Koreans, additionally the drama has also got other defectors excited.
Chun Hyo-jin, whom defected whenever she ended up being 19, stated the drama does deviate from reality but that will not dent her passion for this. Almost all of her family are actually located in the Southern, together with drama is now a topic that is weekly.
“Every time it really is on atmosphere, we call one another on the phone and speak about the drama,” Chun claims.
“This has made individuals enthusiastic about North Korea. It gets my buddies to inquire of me personally about North Korea and I also’m actually grateful because of it.”
Additionally it is won praise from individuals like Sokeel Park, whom works together with defectors through Liberty in North Korea.
“Its depiction of numerous areas of North society that is korean demonstrably been completely investigated, ensuing when you look at the most three-dimensional depiction of North Korean culture of any movie or drama up to now,” he told the BBC.
“It is refreshing how it portrays various aspects of North society that is korean needlessly moving judgement, and shows North Koreans as complex people that are finally relatable and also lovable, whether or not they’ve been culturally various.”
It’s distinguished that North Koreans, especially the children, are fans of K-drama too – so when Crash Landing on You accurately illustrates, lots of South Korean films and dramas are smuggled into North Korea.
Kwak states he 
has gotn’t been aware of any Korean that is north who watched the drama.
“I’m certain they’ll be extremely interested. It really is their tale. It is about them.
“And we reckon that especially North Korean males would feel really grateful to own a handsome man like Hyun Bin to relax and play one of those,” he chuckled.