Oh, Youth!, also called O Youth!, is a 1995 North Korean comedy drama film directed by Jon Jong Pal and written by Ri Il Chol, which was originally titled "Chongchuniyo!".[1] While North Korea is not typically known for releasing comedies,[2] Oh Youth! is a rare example of a comedic film produced in the DPRK, with English subtitles, and can be viewed on YouTube.[3] Of note is that, while mention of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is a typical occurrence, the success of the characters is not attributed to him.

Oh, Youth!
DVD cover
Directed byJon Jong Pal
Written byRi Il Chol
StarringMerited Actress Kim Yong Suk
Merited Actor Jang Yu Song
Hwang Song Ok
CinematographyRyu Sung Chol
Edited byJu Suk Kyong
Music byMerited Artiste Han Si Jun
Production
company
Korean Film Studio
Distributed byKorea Film Export and Import Corporation
Mokran Video
Running time
92 minutes
CountryNorth Korea
LanguageKorean

The film focuses on the life of a Korean family, and a romance between two characters with an interest in tae kwon do, an ancient martial art with its origins in Korea.

Oh Youth! contains scenes from Pyongyang. Locations shown in the film include the Grand People's Study House, a Pyongyang amusement park, and the Pothong River.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Kim, Immanuel (15 July 2020). Laughing North Koreans: The Culture of Comedy Films. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 7, 116. ISBN 978-1-7936-0830-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  2. ^ Han-byeol, Lee; Ji-hyun, Park; Kwang-hyun, Joo (8 January 2015). "North Koreans review The Interview". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  3. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: O Youth! (1994, English Subtitles). YouTube.
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