HONG GIL-DONG: KOREAN KUNG FU MOVIE- DPRK Martial Arts!

HONG GIL-DONG

KOREA FILM

Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea

(North Korea)

90 Minutes

DVD - PAL (Europe)

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(PLUS EXTRA FEATURE - PRETTY CHEERLEADING GIRLS OF PYONGYANG - DPRK Cheer Team at 2001 Asia Games)

Hong Kil Dong (1986) Directed by Kim Kil-in
Starring Ri Yong-ho, Ri Gwon and Ri Ri-youn 
90 minutes approx

Mixing Hong Kong-style kung fu with a socialist ethos, the Robin Hood-esque Hong Kil Dong took the Bulgarian box office by storm in the late 1980s. Forever barred from privilege, the eponymous protagonist-the illegitimate son of a nobleman-wanders Korea helping farmers fend off feudal exploitation. But when Korea is invaded by Japanese ninja, he must unite with his perennial enemies to defend the fatherland.

You will not find this film anywhere outside of the closed state of the DPRK (North Korea). This is an incredibly rare find and a definate must have for all film buffs, especially those interested in Martial Arts movies, Asian, particularly Korean cinema and just rare, hard to find and obscure movies titles.

Main feature in Korean with English subtitles. Extra feature has English narration.

Basic synopsis:

HONG GIL GONG

Hong Gil Dong, born as the illegitimate son of a wealthy nobleman is cast out along with his concubine mother from his fathers family. As they look for refuge he and his mother are attacked by bandits, his mother his killed but Hong Gil Dong is saved by an elderly man, an expert in martial-arts the old man adopts Hong and trains him to be an expert warrior. As a young man Hong Gil Dong becomes a bandit himself, devoting himself to fighting for the oppressed, he and his gang rob from the rich and give to the poor.

An exciting, swashbuckling martial arts drama set in the Yi dynasty, HONG GIL DONG is the story of a mistreated concubine's son who grows up to become the "Robin Hood" of suffering peasants. Bursting with fights, a handsome hero, love, evil yangban (lords), and villains, Hong Gil Dong is North Korea's answer to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", and a metaphor for the search for a equitable, classless society.

Hong Gil Dong (Kim Gil-In, 90 min)

The DVD being offered is a basic copy of the movie, the resolution quality of the original encode isnt great, so not really suitable for very large screen viewing, but the movie is very watchable and the subtitles readable. It is being sold as a curiousity and a collectors item for those interested in obscure films, martial arts movies and the closed secret state of North Korea. Incredibly rare.

PUBLIC DOMAIN MATERIAL: This film is not commercially available. The DPRK is not a signatory to international copyright laws. No copyright is claimed or held on this film. 

The film is supplied on a basic plain DVD in a plain case, no frills!