1. Overview
Choe Ik-gyu, also known by the pseudonym Choe Sang-geun (최상근Choe Sang-geunKorean), was a prominent North Korean film director, propagandist, and politician. He played a crucial role in shaping North Korea's cultural landscape under Kim Jong-il, particularly in cinema and grand mass spectacles. His extensive career was marked by significant contributions to state propaganda and the development of revolutionary arts. However, his legacy is also associated with controversial involvement in the abduction of South Korean artists Shin Sang-ok and Choi Eun-hee, an event that highlights the severe human rights implications inherent in the North Korean system's approach to culture and control. This article will explore his life, professional trajectory, influential works, and the dual nature of his impact within the North Korean political and artistic spheres.
2. Early life and background
Choe Ik-gyu's personal background includes his birth into a modest family, his educational pursuits, and his early entry into the cultural sector.
2.1. Birth and education
Choe Ik-gyu was born on February 26, 1934, into a poor family in Hwadae County, North Hamgyong Province, Korea. In 1954, he graduated with a baccalaureate from the department of Russian literature at Kim Hyong Jik University of Education. The same year, he briefly worked as a lecturer of Russian at Kim Il-sung University's Pyongyang Labor Academy. He also pursued studies in the Soviet Union and is an alumnus of the Red Flag Mangyongdae Revolutionary School in Pyongyang.
2.2. Personal life
Choe Ik-gyu is married and has a son and three daughters. His eldest daughter, Choe Il-sim, has followed a path in the arts, becoming an aspiring scenario writer. She is notably credited with writing scripts for the five-part movie series *The Country I Saw*, which began production in 1988.
3. Career and major activities
Choe Ik-gyu's professional trajectory is characterized by his rapid ascent in the film industry, his crucial partnership with Kim Jong-il, and his influential roles in both cultural administration and political propaganda.
3.1. Early career in film
Choe began his career at the Korea Film Studio in 1955, initially serving as a deputy film director before becoming an independent director. At the remarkably young age of 22, in 1956, he was appointed as the head of the studio. As a filmmaker, he was largely self-taught but highly ambitious, deeply familiar with the Stalinist model of filmmaking. His early work included the 1963 film *A Garden Zinnia*, which marked his breakthrough as a director.
3.2. Collaboration with Kim Jong-il
In 1968, when Kim Jong-il, the future leader of North Korea, assumed control of the country's film industry, he formed a crucial partnership with Choe Ik-gyu. At this time, Choe was the most experienced filmmaker in North Korea and was considered "arguably the single North Korean most knowledgeable about film, other than Kim." Choe became Kim's closest collaborator and "film tutor." Their partnership was highly productive, with Kim Jong-il serving as producer and Choe as director for a series of films that would become known as "Immortal Classics" and recipients of the prestigious People's Prize. These works profoundly shaped the North Korean film industry.
The first film they made together was *Sea of Blood* in 1968, followed by *Five Guerilla Brothers* in the same year. By the end of the 1960s, Choe's influence grew significantly; he was appointed as a supervisor of the film industry section within the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, overseeing all filmmaking in North Korea. In 1972, their collaboration continued with the release of *The Flower Girl*, which further solidified Choe's position as Kim's close confidant. This success led to an expansion of Choe's responsibilities to include propaganda spectacles beyond just film, making him vice director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department. Their relationship remained strong and enduring, with Choe personally involved in directing many more films and supervising productions such as the multi-part series *The Star of Korea* (1980-1987).
3.2.1. Abduction of Shin Sang-ok and Choi Eun-hee
Choe Ik-gyu played a direct and significant role in the abduction of the renowned South Korean director Shin Sang-ok and actress Choi Eun-hee. This event, orchestrated by Kim Jong-il in 1978, stands as a stark example of human rights violations committed by the North Korean regime. In a secretly recorded tape, Kim Jong-il explicitly revealed to the kidnapped couple that he decided to abduct them on the advice of Choe Ik-gyu, who considered Shin Sang-ok to be the best director in South Korea. Kim Jong-il, on the tape, justified this decision by stating that Choe was "the right person to help bring about change in our film industry," being "well versed in motion pictures" and "the best man for this work," though he added that Choe "can't do it all by himself," thus necessitating the abduction.
Choe was present when Kim Jong-il reunited Shin and Choi on March 6, 1983, after years of forced separation. From that point onward, Choe was tasked with working alongside Shin to direct movies for Kim Jong-il, effectively supervising their forced labor. Choe often served as a messenger between Kim, Shin, and Choi, as the latter two rarely had direct meetings with Kim.
Choe accompanied Shin and Choi on a trip from Pyongyang to various European cities, including Moscow, East Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia. The purpose of this trip was to scout locations for *An Emissary of No Return*, the first film Shin was coerced into making for Kim Jong-il. Despite his own acclaim as a film director, Choe reportedly expressed discontent at having to supervise his South Korean counterpart, and both Shin and Choi held negative opinions of Choe. Choe even resorted to openly criticizing Shin's directing in front of the film crew. Shin eventually regained control of the project by threatening to report Choe's disruptive behavior to Kim Jong-il.
When *An Emissary of No Return* was set to be screened at the London Film Festival, Shin contemplated escaping. However, Choe Ik-gyu and an entourage of bodyguards had traveled to London in advance, thwarting Shin's initial escape attempt. After Shin and Choi finally managed to escape in Vienna in 1986, while on a business trip under Choe's watch, Choe was promptly demoted from his influential position in the Propaganda and Agitation Department. He was subsequently sent to the countryside, and his exact whereabouts remained unknown for several years, a consequence of failing to prevent the escape of the high-profile abductees. This incident highlights the brutal realities faced by those deemed disloyal or incompetent within the North Korean hierarchy, and the severe lack of personal freedom under the regime.
3.3. Public and political roles
After his demotion following the Shin Sang-ok and Choi Eun-hee escape, Choe Ik-gyu was allowed to return to public life in 1988 as the vice director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department. In this capacity, he assumed full control over the theater and operatic fields. That same year, he was involved in the creation of *The Life of Chunhyang*, an acclaimed folk opera, where he guided performers as if he were a stage director. Beginning in the early 1990s, using his pseudonym Choe Sang-geun, he produced the monumental 50-part film series *The Nation and Destiny*. Kim Jong-il considered this extensive project to be the last work made under his personal guidance, with Choe serving as producer, director, and scenario writer throughout its production.
Choe's political career also saw him serve as Minister of Culture from September 2003 to 2006, though he temporarily retired during this period due to diabetes and other chronic health issues. On March 8, 2009, he was elected as a delegate to the 12th Supreme People's Assembly, representing Electoral District #73. Later in 2009, he finally attained the top position as the head of the Propaganda and Agitation Department, solidifying his status as one of North Korea's leading propaganda chiefs. However, his tenure as head was brief, as he was replaced by Kang Nung-su in early February 2010 for undisclosed reasons. Despite this, Choe remained a delegate to the Supreme People's Assembly and was frequently seen accompanying Kim Jong-il on formal occasions until the latter's death in 2011. When traveling internationally, such as his visit to Seoul, South Korea in 2000 as a counsel to the National Orchestra of North Korea, he consistently used his pseudonym, Choe Sang-geun.
3.4. Dismissals and reinstatements
Choe Ik-gyu's career was characterized by a recurring pattern of dismissals from prominent positions, particularly within the Propaganda and Agitation Department, followed by subsequent reinstatements. This fluctuation reflects the volatile nature of North Korean politics and the enduring, albeit sometimes strained, trust that Kim Jong-il placed in him.
He was dismissed from the Propaganda and Agitation Department a total of five times:
- First in 1969.
- Again in 1977, as part of broader purges within the party.
- In 1986, following the high-profile escape of Shin Sang-ok and Choi Eun-hee in Vienna while they were under his supervision.
- In 1993, for unspecified reasons.
- And finally in 2010, when he was replaced as head of the Propaganda and Agitation Department.
Despite these repeated demotions and periods out of public life, Kim Jong-il's confidence in Choe persisted. A notable example of this enduring trust is when Kim Jong-il permitted Choe to travel to Germany for health treatment in 1993, even during one of his periods of dismissal. This level of personal consideration underscored the unique and resilient relationship between the two figures.
4. Major works
Choe Ik-gyu's significant directorial and production works primarily span the mediums of film and opera, reflecting his profound impact on North Korean arts and propaganda.
4.1. Film
Choe Ik-gyu directed or produced several notable films that were instrumental in shaping North Korean cinema:
- A Garden Zinnia* (1963)
- Sea of Blood* (1968)
- Five Guerilla Brothers* (1968)
- The Flower Girl* (1972)
- The Star of Korea* (1980-1987), a multi-part film series.
- The Nation and Destiny* (early 1990s), an extensive 50-part film series for which Choe served as producer, director, and scenario writer.
4.2. Opera
Choe Ik-gyu also made significant contributions to North Korean opera, guiding and directing works within the genre of revolutionary arts:
- Sea of Blood* (1971), an operatic adaptation of the film he co-created.
- The Life of Chunhyang* (1988), an acclaimed folk opera that he was involved in making and provided artistic guidance for.
5. Legacy and influence
Choe Ik-gyu's long and impactful career left an indelible mark on North Korean culture, politics, and propaganda, particularly through his artistic guidance and administrative roles under Kim Jong-il and his support during the succession of Kim Jong-un.
5.1. Role in North Korean propaganda
Choe Ik-gyu was central to the development and execution of North Korean propaganda, especially through large-scale spectacles that projected the state's ideology. He played a key role in organizing significant national events such as Day of the Sun celebrations and Liberation Day marches. He was instrumental in developing the concept of mass games, grand gymnastic and artistic performances that later evolved into the internationally recognized Arirang Festival, a recurring propaganda spectacle held in Pyongyang. Choe continued to oversee the organization of this massive event even in his later years.
Beyond film and mass games, Choe also provided artistic guidance to Korean revolutionary operas and plays, further exemplifying his comprehensive involvement in shaping the state's public image and artistic direction. His profound influence on North Korean artistic output is summarized by Paul Fischer, author of *A Kim Jong-Il Production*, who assessed that "the modern North Korean state, which is a production, a display performance of its own, owes as much to Choe Ik-Gyu's taste and talents as it does to Kim Jong-Il."
5.2. Support for Kim Jong-un's succession
Choe Ik-gyu played a critical role in the political transition following the death of Kim Jong-il. He was among the influential figures who openly vouched for the succession of Kim Jong-un to the leadership of North Korea. This support was particularly significant during a period when Kim Jong-un's ascension to power was still uncertain and needed consolidation among the party elite. His endorsement provided crucial legitimacy to the young leader, underscoring Choe's enduring political influence within the inner circle of the North Korean leadership. Beyond his support for Kim Jong-un, Choe also reportedly aided Kim Jong-il's third wife Ko Yong-hui and Jang Song-thaek, further indicating his deep entanglement with the highest echelons of power.
6. Criticism and controversies
Choe Ik-gyu's career is marked by notable controversies, primarily his direct involvement in the abduction of South Korean director Shin Sang-ok and actress Choi Eun-hee. In 1978, these prominent artists were forcibly brought to North Korea under the direction of Kim Jong-il. Evidence from a secretly recorded tape indicates that Kim Jong-il claimed he had kidnapped the couple on Choe's explicit recommendation, as Choe reportedly viewed Shin Sang-ok as the best director in South Korea.
Following their abduction, Choe Ik-gyu was directly involved in supervising the forced filmmaking activities of Shin and Choi within North Korea. This situation effectively deprived the artists of their fundamental freedoms, coercing them into producing films for the North Korean regime against their will. Such forced labor and detention represent severe violations of human rights.
The consequences of this controversial involvement were significant for Choe. When Shin Sang-ok and Choi Eun-hee successfully escaped in Vienna in 1986 while under Choe's supervision, Choe was swiftly demoted from his influential position in the Propaganda and Agitation Department and sent to an undisclosed location in the countryside for several years. This incident stands as a major point of criticism in his career, highlighting the coercive and ethically dubious methods employed by the North Korean state, with Choe Ik-gyu serving as a key implementer of these policies.