The Incredible True Story Of “the Lovers And The Despot”: “until North Korea Collapses And We Get Access To The Files, We’ll Nev

Shin Sang-ok, Kim Jong-il, and Choi Eun-hee in "The Lovers and the Despot" (Credit: Magnolia Pictures) The lovers in the new documentary, “The Lovers and the Despot,” are South Korean actress Choi Eun-hee and her husband, filmmaker Shin Sang-ok. The despot is Former Supreme Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il. Directors Robert Cannan and Ross Adam have used secretly recorded tapes of Kim Jong-il as well as interviews with Choi Eun-hee to recount the remarkable story of how in 1978, the lovers were independently kidnapped by Jong-il and forced to make films — they completed 17 features in 2 years — to improve North Korea’s cinematic output. The documentary addresses brainwashing, escape attempts, loyalty, trust, and betrayal as well as other intrigues, culminating in the big question: Was Shin’s kidnap story real? Salon spoke with the filmmakers about the fascinating true story of “The Lovers and the Despot.” How did you discover this story, meet Choi, and learn of the tapes she recorded of Kim Jong-il? Rob: Neither of us can remember what we read, but we came across this story individually, and we had it in the back of our minds that this semi-mythical story was true and it was amazing that no one had done something on it.