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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Saturday 22 February 2020

Cross-border S. Korean drama

overcomes political risks

By JUWON PARK names from North Korea's price of an iPhone.
Associated Press ruling family dynasty – Kim Joo said some scenes were
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, and Kim exaggerated for theatrical
For the South Korean crew Jong Un – were banned till reason. One scene where
behind the latest hit drama the very end. a woman puts together a
"Crash Landing on You," The surreal plot – cross-bor- makeshift plastic shower
recreating the life in North der love between beau- stall to keep the water
Korea was a painstakingly tiful heiress and a hand- warm for longer drew a
meticulous process with big some North Korean soldier complaint from one of de-
political risks. from the top military family fectors for being "too con-
In this Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, photo, props manager Joo "At first, we were even told – doesn't fail to show oc- descending." The defector
Dong-man, left, speaks as costume manager Yang Hee-hwa
listens during an interview at a cafe in Ilsan, South Korea. not to use the word 'chair- casional glimpses into the who advised the team had
Associated Press man'" when referring to most repressive authoritar- told him that such method
North Korean leader Kim ian regime in the world. The was used in the 1960s.
Jong Un, said Joo Dong- team had to tread care- However, Kang Na-ra, a
man, a props manager for fully in order to avoid glori- Youtuber who defected in
the story about a South Ko- fying or misrepresenting the 2014, said people living in
rean billionaire heiress who state. rural parts of North Korea
accidentally paraglides They blurred the portraits of still use it. Kang was one
into North Korea and falls in the Kim dynasty, which are of the escapees who pro-
love with an army captain. mandatory in public places vided real-life depictions of
Apart from its fantastical and private homes in North North Korea – from a group
plot line with prominent Korea. Objects displaying kimchi-making session to a
stars like Hyun Bin and Son the faces of the Kims are popular make-up style that
Ye-jin, the drama has been practically illegal in South emphasizes the eyebrows.
creating a buzz for its un- Korea, where wearing or The South Korean actors
conventional take on North possessing them could be speak with a North Korean
Korea. considered praising the re- accent and use expressions
With detailed portrayals of gime, which is punishable less familiar in the South.
the isolated country down by law. The two rivals are The drama series aired its
to words, objects and the still technically in a state of final episode this week.
makeup style, the cross- war. For Yang, this was an op-
border love story even Since all North Korean portunity to create some-
drew praises from several adults are required to wear thing new. "Everything we
North Korean defectors in a pin with the leaders' im- did was the first so there
South Korea. Behind the ages to show their loyalty, wasn't any benchmark (to
effort are people like Joo, Yang Hee-hwa, a costume follow)," said Yang. "I think
who had soaked in almost manager, said the cast had we've created the bench-
everything about the se- to wear them too. But she mark."
cretive regime — collect- devised her own safe way "To be honest, we always
ing details from books, of doing so. "Our badges showed poor and famished
experts and North Korean were almost half or one scenes when it comes to
escapees. third smaller (than actual North Korea," Kang said.
Joo said recreating life in badges)," Yang told AP. "But I really like this drama
North Korea was a difficult The team created scenes because it shows that North
process, simply because that had "the least resem- Korea is also a place with
there's no guidebook on blance to South Korea," people, and they know
multiple hurdles he had according to Joo. He said how to share despite the
to hop over - skillfully and the most difficult props scarcity."
delicately – to accurately was smartphones made in The drama is one of a few
depict the country while North Korea, which came reminders of Kang's far-
dodging criticism. He said from a series of meetings away home. It's also a dis-
rules, self-imposed by the with defectors, including tant place for both Joo
production team them- one based in Yanji, the Chi- and Yang, because neither
selves, were arbitrary nese city near North Korea. nation allows contact with
and frequently subject to Joo declined to comment the other's citizens.
change. further on the process due "I thought about how nice
"Later, we got permission to sensitivity of the matter. it would've been to film in
(to show propaganda slo- Joo brought with him three Pyongyang," Joo paused.
gans)," Joo told The Asso- North Korean phones, each "Well the time will come
ciated Press. He said three as much as three times the one day."q