Review of The Lovers and the Despot (2016) by Wayne K — 01 May 2017

A documentary which is equal parts fascinating and horrifying, if often insubstantial, The Lovers & The Despot tells a story so bizarre you'd swear it could never be true, and some people still believe that to be so.

It provides an interesting glimpse into not only life in North Korea, but into the mind of its idiosyncratic leader of the time Kim Jong-Il, apparently more self-effacing than his successor, who wanted so badly to glorify his nation that he was willing to kidnap a high-profile couple to make it happen.

It feels like it left a lot of important details out, only sticking to the major events and ignoring the little ones which could add a lot more depth to the tale. The use of real footage adds authenticity, and I'm genuinely surprised that there exists so much video and photographic recordings of Jong-Il, but it's fascinating to see him in ways we never have before, since we were rarely, if ever, offered the chance.

And that's what this documentary is in a nutshell: Getting a close look at something we've never had a chance to see before. It may not be as comprehensive as it should be, but I learned a lot from the interviews and footage, and would definitely recommend it to anyone who has any interest in what is undoubtedly the most mysterious country on Earth.