The North Korean Film Studio Posters
Posters from the North Korean FIlm Studios offering a rare chance to see into North Korean propaganda as you have never seen!
And even the opportunity to purchase a piece of North Korean film history.
North Korean Film Studio Background
The North Korean Film Studio was established in 1947.
It built permanent sets to shoot pro-revolutionary films that were very much against the Japanese colonization of the country and the US presence in South Korea.
Different streets were created to represent colonial-era Korea, 1930’s Manchuria, South Korea, and imperial Japan.
There was even a set depicting a generic European country, including a church and a number of villas.
North Korean Film Studio Poster Art
Pyongyang Film Studio, otherwise known as North Korean Film Studio, is being renovated.
The posters which were dreamt up by North Korean artists as ‘imperialist advertising’ used to make the streets more authentic are being removed.
Koryo Studio Commission
In 2003, we commissioned artwork of these original posters as a limited edition or hand-painted North Korean poster. For artist Han Jong Sil who is normally commissioned to paint Propaganda posters, this was an unusual project.
Purchases
For the first time, we are selling the individual posters as a limited edition of 20 pieces only on 240 gsm white matt Hahnemühle paper using a state-of-the-art Epson giclée printer.
Each print has a 2cm white framing border embossed with the Koryo Studio seal and edition numbered in pencil.
The works are signed by the artist and are 120 EUR each + postage.
Korean Film Studio Poster Art Background
Over the years, artists from the film studio were instructed to paint advertisements and hoardings to make the sets look realistic and to create a North Korean view of foreign street scenes.
The North Korean Artists
These Korean artists would have had no direct experience of these places and would have drawn their inspiration from photographs.
Their ‘capitalist’ style adverts promoted dog grooming to brothels and even included their interpretation of Western-style film hoardings. The posters have a wonderful naivety, a ‘lost in translation’ feel to them.
In North Korea, advertising is not permitted so the artists were dealing with a medium that was truly alien to them.
Visiting the Film Studios
Director of Koryo Studio, Nicholas Bonner, has been a regular visitor to the Film Studio since the 1990s and he always photographed the film posters as they were replaced or re-painted.
In 2003 he commissioned artists from the Film Studio to recreate the advertising posters as individual pieces of art.
The Film Studios Today
A Chinese investor has recently acquired the film set, so renovations are now underway and unfortunately, the original posters will most likely have been destroyed. Now the only full record of the posters is with Koryo Studio.
North Korean Film Studio Poster Artworks
Limited edition of 20 giclee prints at 120 EUR + shipping.
Lamer Hair Salon
Artist: Han Jong Sil
Year 2003
Gyclee Print on art paper
Edition of 20
Size A3
Price 120 EUR
ID: P002
OK
Artist: Han Jong Sil
Year 2003
Gyclee Print on art paper
Edition of 20
Size A3
Price 120 EUR
ID: P003
Oasis
Artist: Han Jong Sil
Year 2003
Gyclee Print on art paper
Edition of 20
Size A3
Price 120 EUR
ID: P001
Cafe
Artist: Han Jong Sil
Year 2003
Gyclee Print on art paper
Edition of 20
Size A3
Price 120 EUR
ID: P004
Motel Drinks
Artist: Han Jong Sil
Year 2003
Gyclee Print on art paper
Edition of 20
Size A3
Price 120 EUR
ID: P008
Yakgodyo
Artist: Han Jong Sil
Year 2003
Gyclee Print on art paper
Edition of 20
Size A3
Price 120 EUR
ID: P006
Lactogen
Artist: Han Jong Sil
Year 2003
Gyclee Print on art paper
Edition of 20
Size A3
Price 120 EUR
ID: P007
Nylon
Artist: Han Jong Sil
Year 2003
Gyclee Print on art paper
Edition of 20
Size A3
Price 120 EUR
ID: P005
North Korean Film Studio Poster Artworks
A Closer Look.
Poster used in Pyongyang Film Studio, South Korean Street
Text: Oasis
Please note the resemblane to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is coincidental, the posters were from an earlier time.
Koryo Tours Commission
Size: A3
ID: P001
Poster used in Pyongyang Film Studio
Text: Beauty Salon, South Korean street.
Koryo Tours Commission
Size: A3
ID: P002
Poster in Japanese Street promoting the ‘OK’ Grand Show nightclub
Text: Characters are undecipherable, just used for effect.
Koryo Tours Commission
Size: A3
ID: P003
Poster used in Pyongyang Film Studio, Japanese Street
Text: Cafe. Other characters are undecipherable, just used for effect.
Koryo Tours Commission
Size: A3
ID: P004
Poster used in Pyongyang Film Studio, South Korean Street.
Text: Nylon
Koryo Tours Commission
Size: A3
ID: P005
Poster used in Pyongyang Film Studio, Japanese Street
Text: Characters are undecipherable, just used for effect.
Koryo Tours Commission
Size: A3
ID: P006
Poster used in Pyongyang Film Studio, advertising for ‘Lactogen, made in Australia’, Japanese Street.
Koryo Tours Commission
Size: A3
ID: P007
Poster used in Pyongyang Film Studio, Japanese Street
Text: Characters are undecipherable, just used for effect.
Koryo Tours Commission
Size: A3
ID: P008
Order No. 027” (1986) set during the Korean War a group of taekwondo-kicking elite soldiers is sent across the border into South Korea to destroy a military base.
The scenes in the following video give a good idea of the posters used to create more realism for the film studio ‘South Korea Street’.
Koryo Studio Explains. This is a YouTube series. Check our videos out on YouTube for a closer look at the Koryo Studio artworks, as well as a commentary with Nick Bonner.