| Pulgasari | |
|---|---|
 Japanese VHS flyer | |
| Directed by |
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| Written by | Kim Se Ryun |
| Based on | Bulgasari (1962) by Kim Myeong-je |
| Produced by | Shin Sang-ok (uncredited) |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography |
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| Edited by | Kim Ryon Sun |
| Music by | So Jong Gon |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Twin (1995) Raging Thunder (1998) |
Release dates |
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Running time | 95 minutes |
| Countries | |
| Language | Korean |
| Budget | $2–3 million |
Pulgasari[a] is an epic kaiju film directed and produced in 1985 by Shin Sang-ok during his abduction by North Korean authorities. A multinational co-production between North Korea, Japan, and China, it is a remake of the 1962 South Korean film also depicting the eponymous creature from Korean folklore. The ensemble cast includes Chang Son Hui, Ham Gi Sop, Jong-uk Ri, Gwon Ri, and Yong-hok Pak, with Kenpachiro Satsuma as the titular monster. Set during the Goryeo Dynasty, it follows a blacksmith's daughter who brings to life a metal-eating monster envisioned by her father to defeat the monarchy.
Pulgasari was the last film made by Shin under the orders of Kim Jong Il (then-heir apparent); Shin and his wife, Choi Eun-hee, had remained in confinement in North Korea since 1978. The film was initially put forward in February 1985. Principal photography took place in Pyongyang from June to August 1985, with the support of the North Korean military and roughly 13,000 extras. A team of 15 Toho employees handled special effects photography from September to December. With an approximately ¥200–300 million ($2–3 million) budget, Pulgasari was one of the most expensive films ever produced in North Korea.
Initially scheduled for a 1986 worldwide release, Pulgasari was banned upon Shin and Choi escaping North Korean supervision in March. Shin later worked on an American remake of the film. Pulgasari was released on VHS in Japan on January 21, 1995, and officially debuted in Tokyo on July 4, 1998, to critical acclaim. According to Cine21, it outperformed Godzilla (1998) in Japan and became the highest-grossing North Korean film of all time. In the subsequent years, it has gained an international cult following.
- ^ a b Kinema Junpo 2003, p. 145.
- ^ Eiga Chirashi 2023a.
- ^ Eiga Chirashi 2023b.
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