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Steel Rain

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Deborah Whetstone
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Steel Rain

This film is from 2017, and focuses on a North Korean invovled in a coup, who ends up in South Korea with "Number One".  

I found it interesting first that the NK leader kept being referred to by both sides as "Number One" - I assume that is a way to not offend that they're portraying KJU as having coup movements against him, etc.  

It is similar to Crash Landing On You (without the comedy angle) in that it has (what I think) are good comparisons between North and South Korea.  They show the main North Korean character in his living room with his wife and daughter cooking and eating dinner.  Then you see the main South Korean character with his kids at a Food Court in a Mall.  The difference is stark.  

The film also takes place in the Kaesong Industrial Complex, with Number One coming to visit.  The factory workers/cheerleaders are female, and screaming and waving flags and placards when his care drives by to the degree you would expect for BTS or any other pop group or person.  If accurate, it helps to show the level of devotion some/many North Koreans have for the Leader.  Later on, one of the women ends up having to have blood drawn for Number One, and both she and her friend are just beside themselves at the honor of being able to 'share' blood with Number One.  I think both of these scenes with be helpful for my students when discussing the concept of Cult of Personality.  

During the film, South Korea is also in the aftermaths of an election, with the outgoing president, and president-elect differing on how to handle the events.  I liked that angle to show the difference between the two styles of governments.  

I did read a review of the film that felt the movie played to "sterotypes of North Korean deprivation", but I really didn't notice too much that wasn't also portrayed in a similar manner in Crash Landing on You.  

Overall, I felt Steel Rain was good if you're trying to get a better understanding of relationships, or lack thereof, between the two Koreas.