Director Lee Jae-yong is known both at home and internationally for his explorations of sexual moors in films such as the kitschy youth comedy "Dasepo Naughty Girls" ("Dasepo Girl") (2006) and the elegant drama of aristocratic intrigues in the late Chosun-era, "Untold Scandal" (2003). His latest project takes an abrupt turn away from this preoccupation, moving in an interesting new direction, and is to be shot partly in North Korea.
With the working title, "Homecoming", the drama, scripted also by Lee, will be set both in the city of Wonsan, Gangwon Province circa 1950 and in present day Seoul. It begins with a 15-year old boy, LEE, dreaming of palm trees and a tropical paradise as glimpsed in American magazines. Jumping forward to the present day, LEE, now an aging widower, is preparing for his daughter's wedding to a US Army soldier and her departure to the US. As he watches the wedding old secrets and a strong resolve rise up in his mind. He is inexplicably drawn to the Geumgang Mountains in North Korea, where he hopes to find closure.
The US$2.8 million project has currently secured 50% of its financing and shooting is expected to start in March 2008. It participated in both Hong Kong's Asian Film Financing Forum (HAF) and the Pusan Asian Film Market's Co-Production PRO. Ellen Kim will produce the project for b.o.m. Film Productions. b.o.m. previously produced director Lee's "Untold Scandal" and is currently completing Hong Sang-soo's "Night and Day".
English 
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