Art of Cinema

Korean Art Film Studio

The Korean Art Film Studio (조선예술영화촬영소 | 朝鮮藝術攝影所）is the home of the North Korean film industry, commonly known as “Chollywood” (a combinaton of “Chollima” + “Hollywood), and located in Pyongyang, North Korea. The studio was founded in 1947 and covers an area of over 1 million m². It is located about 16km North of Pyongyang’s city centre and, as well functioning as a film studio to produce multiple Korean films, it is also open to tourists and North Koreans to visit.

History

Over the years that the North Korean Film Studio has been around, it has produced hundreds of films. Some of which have won awards and prizes at international film festivals. The wide area it covers numerous sets allows it to produce all kinds of films.
Popular films produced in these film studios include The Flower Girl (1972), popular not only in Korea but also neighboring China, and A Broad Bellflower (1987).

The Korean Art Film Studio Today

So what’s a visit to this North Korean Film Studio like? What can you expect to see?
Foreigners can pay a visit to many of the areas of the North Korean Film Studio. With such a large area, it is hard to cover it all. However, paying a visit to the film studios you will be taken around by a local guide who can help you see the best places the film studio has to offer.
Upon entering the film studios, you’ll walk up a large, open space that is lined with sculptures, including a prominent bronze statue of President Kim Il Sung, and mosaics related to the North Korean film industry.

President Km Il Sung and North Korean filmmakers.

Inside the North Korean Film Studio grounds, there are various sets for you to explore. Who knew you could visit Korea, China, Japan, and Europe, all in one city? Once more, you’re taking a step back in time as you visit sets that are made to mimic streets of years ago. These sets are meant to approximate colonial-era Korea and South Korea, Manchuria in the 1930’s, imperial Japan, and some generic western country.

Walk down the Chinese and Japanese streets and you can see typical sushi and ramen restaurants dotted around, and head to the Europe set and you’ll feel like you’re in a different country entirely. There are even replicas of old western film posters, such as the Seven Year Itch, and advertisements.