Perhaps the most famous film they created was a campy monster movie called “Pulgasari,” which has gained cult status and is still shown in some U.S. movie theaters today (via Vanity Fair). Kim Jong-il was apparently a huge fan of the movie, too. The New York Times reports that Shin claimed he made his best movie, “Runaway,” during his time in North Korea.
“Pulgasari” was actually the reason that the two managed to escape. They had already tried to flee twice, but they were caught and returned to North Korea (via The Korea Times). Shin and Choi only escaped their movie-loving captor after eight years (via CNN). They were allowed to travel in moderation, with permission from Kim, and they were given a business opportunity in Vienna related to “Pulgasari,” Vanity Fair reports. They quickly sought help from the U.S. embassy there, and moved to the United States in 1989, where he created the “3 Ninjas” films for Disney. Shin and Choi returned to South Korea in 1994.
Apparently, Kim Jong-il absolutely loved “Pulgasari,” at first, despite the movie’s flaws. But he was furious about the couple’s escape, and banned “Pulgasari” and all of Shin’s other movies from North Korea forever. (For those who are curious, the movie is available in its entirety, with English subtitles, on YouTube.) Kim also dropped Shin’s name from the movie’s credits, declaring him a traitor. With the monster movie as Shin and Choi’s legacy, the story of their kidnapping transformed North Korean cinema forever.
