Korean Film
Song of Retrospection
April Spring Friendship Art Festival
Aren't you Mr. Komak?
-Are you coming alone?
-Yes.
Let's take into the car, please.
Thank you.
Get in, please.
Thank you.
It's a very fine season!
Your country is similar
to mine in temperature.
Is it so?
Let's go in, please.
Thank you.
Here we gather in sunny Pyongyang
Holding the friendly hands
with one another
Let's sing altogether
Singing the song of friendship
Singing the song of solidarity
Following the way of independence
Let's go energetically
Vice president, singing has improved a lot.
Yes,
but as it is a programme for
the joint assembly of the festival
you should go on practicing.
Yes.
Oh, what's brought him here?
Your country has made
tremendous changes.
How surprising to see such changes
in less than 30 years.
Have you ever been to our country?
Yes, in the midst of the Korean war,
I came here as a war composer to write
sonata about the victory of UN forces.
Really?
Pyongyang at that time was
literally in a complete ruin.
But today it's change is a miracle.
I am going to sing the victory of
the Korean people in this melody.
Yes.
May I have a look at it, please?
Don't misunderstand me.
I am not an expert.
-Yes, please have a look.
-Thank you.
When did you start this melody?
I wrote it 30 years ago,
but I did not compose it.
Why?
There's something with it.
The owner of this piece is
a Korean naval radio operator.
A naval radio operator?
I modeled on her song and
completed this concerto.
Before presenting it in the festival,
I felt anxious to hear some
opinions from Ra Sol Ju,
a naval radio operator
who composed it.
It is really impressive.
By the way where is she now?
I don't know.
But anyway I want so much
to hear her opinions before
presenting it in festival performance.
I see.
It's morality among the artists
and I have some reasons myself.
We'll try our best to find her.
Couldn't you tell me anything more
helpful to find her?
Thank you.
I shall be obliged if you do so.
She is my unforgettable friend
who taught me
what a beautiful and noble music is
and the real conscience of an artist.
Follow me.
Lay down.
Hands up!
Come out.
Comrade Yong Hui!
Take weapons away from them.
Yes.
I haven't any arms. I'm not armed.
A man without weapon,
does it make sense?
He is from our allied nation and...
Stop!
Comrade Yong Hui.
Take them down.
Yes.
Battalion commander,
armored trucks are coming to
the communication squad.
What?
Comrade Yong Hui.
Shoot them immediately
if they try to run away.
Yes.
What did she say just before?
She said to kill us immediately
if we try to run away.
Don't speak.
Comrades, stand up.
Get grenades ready!
Throw!
This way!
-lsn't it painful?
-Not much.
Comrades.
Our commander is coming.
Well done, comrades.
Well done.
-Any casualties?
-No one, sir.
Excellent, comrades!
Comrade Sol Ju.
Your communication squad
is also a model in a battle.
Lieutenant!
Tell that officer that
I am a member of consolatory
group of UN forces.
Don't be silly. They would kill you.
I am not a soldier.
I am a civilian who has come
to write the sonata about the war.
Do you think they know
what a sonata is?
Didn't you see an American
officer's death before our eyes.
Stand up!
Your certificates.
Quick.
Are you a TI and E personnel?
Yes.
Your's.
Your ID card.
I have no ID card.
I am a civilian.
He's saying he's a civilian.
American?
No,
from allied nations.
Why are you in Korea although you
are not an American or a serviceman?
What did he say?
Tell the purpose of your visit.
I'm, in fact, a historian, you know.
Studying specially about the
war history of the East.
He's a historian,
specially about the war history of the East.
War history of the East?
Indeed there is a need for people
in your allied nations
to know how Americans' noses
are put out of joint by Korean people.
lsn't it, TI & E personnel?
They are real heroines.
It's great that 5 girls fought
against the unit of armored vehicles
to defend their position to the end.
Right.
The leader of that communication squad
captured an armord truck of the enemy.
-Who's that?
-Her name is Ra Sol Ju.
Her father died in the
battle of the river Rakdong,
and before she joined the army,
she studied at musical university
We appointed her as a radio operator
as she is quite good at English.
Is that so?
So there is an opinion about sending
her to the meeting of model combatants
organized by supreme headquarters.
We have a female musician soldier
as a model combatant. Nice!
I'm sorry that I have to leave the battalion
without celebrating the holiday together.
So we are.
We were preparing hard to celebrate
the holiday of April 15th in frontline.
Go to the brigade as soon as possible
and hand over the prisoner.
And enjoy the holiday well there.
Battalion commander!
Ra Sol Ju is leaving as you ordered.
Stop there.
Sit down.
Don't look here.
Well, do you want to eat?
I am hungry.
Forget it.
Though they are full, they will
throw away it, never give us.
Komak
Let's try to take it by ourselves.
Turn back!
We'll just have a light meal
before going on.
Hey, take one.
Komak,
let's lie that we need to relieve
ourselves after eating the bread.
Will she let us?
Maybe she'll let us go one by one.
Moreover she won't let us go freely.
At least she'll tell us to sound
like cuckoo as we walk.
What shall l do?
I'll go first and you take the chance
to run to the opposite.
Er-r-r
Why?
Can I go to a private place and...
Yes,
but in turns.
Just a moment.
Shout "one, two", "one, two"
as you walk.
Are you making fool of
an military officer?
Think as you like.
As soon as the sound stops
I'll think you're running away
and fire all the bullets.
OK.
One
Two
One
Two
One
Two
One
Why don't you run away?
Why are you surprised?
Perhaps he may be irritated
waiting for you.
He was going to escape
taking a chance that I follow you
But you can't do it.
What an idiot!
Let's go.
Why didn't you do as I said?
Hush! She knows English.
Leave!
Speed up!
What did she say?
If we take off this path there is a road.
Jump down to the valley.
Quick!
Stop there.
Stop!
The bridge's broken.
Let's give the way to
the cart with shells.
Yes.
Lie down!
Lie down! Hurry up!
Lie down!
You want to kill yourself?
I don't care to be killed in any way.
Who said you would be killed?
You want to kill yourself
in bombardment of the Yankees
in the foreign country far way
from your motherland,
leaving behind your parents and brothers?
Comrade Yong Il.
Thank you.
Hurry.
Yong Il.
Yong Il
Come round.
Thank you, marine.
I am a company commander
of engineering.
You have done a fine job.
It's our duty.
This was the second time in today.
Where are you going?
I am going to the brigade headquarters
with a foreign civilian.
Foreigner?
Well, comrade.
Please wait here for a moment.
What's the matter?
As soon as we finish rebuilding
that bridge, we'll let you go first.
Thanks.
-Hey, let's go.
-Yes, sir.
Today I can understand you very well.
So what do you think of me?
I'm sure no one can escape from you and
no one can trick you.
You're a tough girl, indeed.
We've grown tough and terrible.
All of us, women and children
are strong before the enemies.
You saw just before
the bombardment of the Yankees to those
two carts of the ordinary people.
-Hurry up.
-Yes, sir.
All ready?
We're doing the last work.
As the comrades want,
you drop at our company
until the bridge is ready.
Your company?
You know what today is.
Yes, of course.
I've also thought a lot alone, walking
along the river from this morning.
If it wasn't for a war, we would have
a concert at the university.
That's the point.
Though we have a war,
we can't pass today normally.
So we organized simple
frontline concerts
and prepared something.
What do you think?
You'd better enjoy with us
only for a while
instead of commemorating the day alone.
Thank you very much.
Comrades!
A seagull has come to our company.
Hello, everyone.
Nice to meet you.
You're very welcome.
We've heard you are a foreign civilian.
Sit comfortably there.
Sit down there.
Comrades!
We've never fought a war before.
We were living in different places,
with different dreams
but we've formed a harmonious company
and fought even several times a day
risking our lives.
We all have our painful troubles.
Among us are only sons
who have left old mothers alone
and a soldier worrying about his
young brother left in the next door.
But nobody talks about it.
What's the source of their strength?
The conviction of sure victory.
Because we have our General
as the Supreme Commander.
Comrades!
Cheers!
Bless good health of the
respected Supreme Commander.
Cheers!
Skirt being torn out by path bush
She's running home dancing
Throwing away the hoe
Nobody knows why she's running
Drown into the stream
crossing the small bridge
but she keeps on running home
Is it a holiday of the army?
It's the birthday of our respected
Supreme Commander Kim Il Sung
Songs and laughter!
It can be heard only among the
people who are sure to win the war.
Then do they really think
they can defeat the USA, such strong?
What do they believe in?
What's the source of their strength?
The letter from the frontline
Nobody knows she got it
Comrades!
We have made a serious mistake.
"Navy congratulatory group"
is here in this concert.
Right!
They want you to sing a song.
You can't avoid it.
Please!
I won't forget, even after a long time,
you comrades that l met in the frontline.
To see you laughing
in such fierce battles
I can remember the lyrics
that my father sent me
with his last letter.
This is the song I've composed
with that lyrics at leisure.
Who taught me
What is more precious than youth
Kind eyes of mother who saw me off
Told me it's the fatherland
Who taught me
What is more precious than life
A tree burning in a battle site
Told me it's the fatherland
You made much efforts, comrade Sol Ju.
I'm sorry that you have to leave now without
a rest to attend a model combatant meeting.
Never mind.
The chief of staff, I will leave
immediately as you ordered.
-Take care of yourself.
-Thank you.
Sol Ju, he seems to be very uneasy.
Tell him something before you leave.
Shall we go out?
Are you leaving?
Are you going?
Yes, I am.
You'll return to your country under
the international law as you wish.
Yes? Is it true?
Yes, our headquarters will
soon send you to Pyongyang.
Thanks a lot.
I have been so far in deceiving you.
In fact, I'm not a historian
but a composer
I came to the frontline to write "Sonata"
about the victory of the UN forces.
In the West, when the war broke out
they said it would soon end
with the victory of America.
Now what do you think of it?
Once again, I think about the war
and destiny of humanity.
Specially you, about the Korean people,
about your own fate.
Forgive me.
You also lost your father
due to this war.
We all have similar grievances.
But we're overcoming them
for something more important.
I can not understand you.
Is there anything more precious than
yourself and your family?
It's motherland.
We have never thought of our own fate
apart from the motherland.
Since our respected Supreme Commander
Kim Il Sung restored our fatherland,
our family could have led a happy life.
I had a very precious experience
not as a composer,
as a human being here in Korea.
And I'll leave with an
unforgettable memory.
Finally I have one thing to ask you.
What is it?
Will you write that song for me?
I'm sorry, but it's not completed yet.
When the war is over and I complete it,
I'll send it with pleasure.
Well, good luck.
Saying good-bye I worried
about her future
and the country's calamities.
Wishing them good luck...
I prayed in my mind.
Didn't you see her later?
Yes, I did.
It was really unexpected.
When?
In Berlin, the summer of the year.
-In Berlin?
-Yes.
It was so much exicted.
As she told, I went back home
safely one week later.
I felt myself like a
returning general of triumphant.
They all thought it as a miracle that I
returned after being captured in Korea.
Why?
In those days people
didn't know correctly about Korea.
So I was regarded as being blessed.
In that summer there was
a large international festival in the
capital of German Democratic Republic.
You mean the 3rd
Youth and Students Festival?
Yes.
Oh! Then Ra Sol Ju took part
in that festival, didn't she?
I've never dreamt of that.
Such a foreign country,
far away from fighting Korea.
As the Korean delegates entered
the stadium at the opening ceremony
100 thousands of people
stood up to cheer.
Their land and population is small.
But what encouraged them
in such military uniform to come
to far-off Europe to sing a song?
Oh, Komak?
Nice to see you.
I came here as a tourist.
Is that so?
Nice to see you.
I got so much excited to see you
at the opening day.
And you had a wonderful performance.
Where is Ra Sol Ju?
She went to the International Seminar.
I see. Send her my regard.
Even on flight to Berlin, I've never
dreamt that I could meet you here again.
Very glad.
-I'll visit your hotel tomorrow.
-Yes, please.
Hurry.
Good bye.
Where is Ra Sol Ju?
Upstairs.
Ra Sol Ju!
Oh, Komak!
I heard you met our comrades yesterday.
-Thank you.
-You're leaving so early?
Sol Ju.
-Hurry.
-Yes.
As you saw our country is
overcoming the hardship.
So we should go to the front line.
I understand you.
However, if you return to
the front, will you be safe?
Komak
If we had ever thought
we would be defeated in the war
then we couldn't have been able to
bring these songs in this festival.
Our respected Supreme Commander
told us that
we should go to Berlin to convince
the progressive world people
that Korea is sure to win
the US imperialism.
Your Supreme Commander?
Yes...
Please, forgive me.
I thought wrongly the
noble world of music.
I intended to write the song of UN force's
victory which invades your honest nation.
I tore the sonata into pieces in my mind.
Thank you, Mr. Komak!
We will always regard you as our friend.
It's the musical note you asked.
Take it as my gift.
Thanks.
I'll remember you for ever.
The more I listen to the song,
the more I want to think.
Maybe because of its background?
Of course!
I've never forgotten Ra Sol Ju
for 30 years with this song.
By the way, what about going
for a walk until the concert starts?
-Very good.
-Please.
Perhaps, if Ra Sol Ju is alive,
she may be working as a musician.
Yes, I think so.
One year after she had left Berlin,
I heard a very bad news.
The situation grew quite tense as
the US started the New Offensive.
Press of the West said that
Korea was in a firestorm,
The heights of the hills
were lowered over 10 meters.
It's a miracle if she is alive till now.
But I want to believe that miracle.
Any clue there?
At that time, I met a journalist
returned from the Korean war,
I was told that your
Supreme Commander ordered
to open the Servicemen's Art Festival.
Then I realised that the Korean people were
not threatened by the New Offensive,
and the victory was already Koreans'.
As I expected, in July next year
the delightful news shaked the world.
The Victory of Korea!
From that time, I started
to make a piano concerto
about the victory of
the Korean people with her song.
This is the reason why I want to
listen to her opinion.
Hearing your story,
I also want to see her once.
I will do my best to
make your desire come true.
Thank you.
Dear guide!
-A guest left this message for you.
-Thank you.
Dear guide, I'm writing this as
I heard you're guiding Komak.
I know him well since the war.
Hello. This is Koryo Hotel.
I want to speak to Ri Young Hui.
Sorry.
Our deputy art director has gone to
the joint performance rehearsal.
I'm an art instructor here.
How can I help you?
I'm a guide for the
April Spring Friendship Art Festival.
I've just received a message
from Vice President. So...
Ah...
She went there to see
a man called Komak.
She will come back at about 6 o'clock.
Call later.
Oh, to my regret...
It's the time for
friendship evening party.
Okay.
I'll certainly try to call that time.
Good bye.
Hello, Komak.
Why don't you dance?
Watching them is also interesting.
Let me guess what you're thinking now.
You're thinking of somebody
you can share the memories
on this joyful day, aren't you?
Never mind.
She will soon appear in front of you.
Is that true?
I've just phoned to a person who fought
together with Ra Sol Ju during the war.
Really?
After returning from
the Berlin festival,
they took part in the
performance of the Servicemen.
Your guess was right.
Well, then...
she survived in that severe war?
Yes, she is.
She wants to see you tomorrow.
Then I can finally see her.
Thank you very much.
Oh, she's there.
Mr. Komak.
You, wearing navy uniform!
You're right.
Very nice to see you.
Oh, When did you learn our language?
Well, a little...
It's really nice to see you again
in our country
Me too. Please let's go in.
Yes, please.
-Please sit down.
-Thank you.
Nothing changed and
you still look young for your age.
What do you do now?
I work as a deputy director
in a theatre.
Good.
What about you?
I work as a professor
in a musical university.
Have you given up history?
Oh, you've got a good memory.
Well,
in Berlin that time, did you receive the
musical note from our squad leader?
Yes, I did.
I have been keeping that note till now.
Here.
So what happend to Ra Sol Ju afterward?
I think the story would be long.
I'm afraid if l should have
too much time of you.
No, it's OK.
Time is no matter for your story.
Since I got a visa card
for your country,
I was so excited to see you and covered
the half way around the world at once.
I understand you.
So, did you bring her song with you
to the art festival of the servicemen?
Yes, but she couldn't come.
We brought her song, but
she couldn't come with us.
What was the problem?
It was the day that we were coming
for that art festival.
Who taught me
What's more precious than youth
Kind eyes of mother seeing me off
Told me it's motherland.
Who taught me
What's more precious than life
One tree burning at the frontline
Told me it's fatherland.
O, mother, my motherland
It will be forever with the General
Let's stop practising and speed up.
Squad leader,
can we arrive
at Pyongyang today?
The brigade headquarters will inform us.
It will be really great if all
the branches of army gather together.
But how were we to perform on the very
first day though we are farthest away?
It's nautal, Ok Ju. Your song
is well known even in Berlin.
Sqaud leader,
I wish our way to the festival were
opened to the parade of war victory.
Wonderful!
The day is not far.
Hurry up.
What can we do in the daylight?
Because of the warship
of the communist army...
No other choice.
Ambush here until it becomes dark.
I'll shoot anyone who moves.
Listen, all of you.
We must explode two train tunnels
leading to the frontline
by tonight.
Understood?
Got it.
Good!
Catch them alive without a noise.
Yes, sir.
To arms!
Yong Suk!
Squad leader!
Yong Suk!
Yong Hui, gun!
Go behind a large rock
with comrades. Hurry!
Yes.
They are escaping sideways.
Ok Ju!
Ok Ju!
-Yong Hui.
-Oh, Ok Ju...
You have to leave first.
I'll block them here.
Squad leader, let's go together.
No, I can't.
That only road to the frontline
would be dangerous if they escape here.
Yong Hui,
nobody can replace us, you know.
Squad leader!
Squad leader, come round!
Squad leader!
Squad leader!
Why are you leaving only me?
Squad leader!
In the hard-fought battle
full of enemies bullets
We fought to keep the words in mind
Next, female sailor's chorus.
"Who taught me?"
Performed by comrade
Ra Sol Ju and 4 others.
But the members of the group died a
heroic death in the unexpected battle
while crossing the
coastline in Talsongri,
and therefore can't attain the meeting.
They didn't come here, but
they asked Ri Yong Hui,
the only survivor,
to take their songs with her.
Who taught me
What's more precious than the whole life
The bloody flag my comrades handed
Told me it's fatherland
Even though the rivers and mountains
burn to the ashes
The soldier's conviction becomes strong
How can such a nice person die?
She left...
Really left...
But we've never thought she left us.
So many people same as Ra Sol Ju
are growing up near us.
Yes, you are right.
I realised what she
devoted her life for.
If she were alive and heard my concert,
she would have advised that
this concert must be the hymn
to the great President Kim Il Sung
That's right.
It's the unanimous desire of
our Korean people.
Why is it the only desire
of the Korean people?
It's the desire of the world
people including me.
I've realized correctly
that the victory of the Korean people,
the source of the great strength caused
the rapid development of Korea
is just the great President Kim Il Sung