"TO THE STARRY ISLAND" "AHN Sung-Ki" "MOON Sung-Keun" "SHIM Hae-Jin" "AHN So-Young" "LEE Yong-Yi" "KIM Yong-Man" "HUR June-Ho" "Special appearance:" "CHOl Hyung-In" "Special appearance:" "LEE Kyung-Yung, MYUNG Kye-Nam" "Producer PARK Kwang-Su" "In collaboration with SAMSUNG NICES and Channel 4 Television, London" "Associate Producer PARK Keon-Seop" "Executive Producer PARK Ki-Yong" "Director of Photography YOO Young-Gil" "Director of Lighting KIM Dong-Ho" "Editor KIM Hyun" "Music SONG Hong-Sup" "Sound Mixer KANG Dae-Sung" "Sound Recording LEE Byung-Ha" "Assistant Directors:" "LEE Chang-Dong, PARK Byung-Kwun" "Based on the novel by IM Chul-Woo" "Director PARK Kwang-Su" "No need to come out to meet us!" "It was no trouble." " Is he one of the locals?" "Soon-Dol, how are you?" "This is my friend, Kim Chul." "This is my wife." " It's good to meet you!" "Is the burial site ready?" "Cut the engine!" "Stop the boat, will you?" "Listen, the thing is..." "Hey, please stop the boat!" "Okay, no need to shout!" "Listen, there's a problem." " Problem?" "Let's go aft, I'll explain." "Are you serious about this?" "Have we come all this way to hear this?" "We're supposed to go back to Seoul?" "I've tried to reason with them, but they won't listen." "When you sold me burial plot, you said there'd be no problems!" "How could I foresee this?" "They're adamant they won't let your father be buried on the island, so what can we do?" "Bullshit!" "This funeral is none of their business." "It's not my fault!" "I say we go ahead with the funeral after coming all this way." "Anyway, let's go ashore." "Right!" "Stop the boat!" "Soon-Dol, how can we solve this?" "Right now, no idea." "You surely aren't giving in to them?" "Jae-Gu, you should solve this problem." "Please, all of you, listen to me!" "Why are you being so difficult?" "Don't waste your breath!" "You won't dock on Kwisong Island!" "What right have you to stop us?" " What kind of people are you?" "This funeral is our business, not yours!" "The people of Kwisong have decided not to let you land!" "Go back where you came from before anything nasty happens." "What are we supposed to do now?" "Get the hell out of here!" "Calm down a bit!" "Come alongside." "Sok-Do, let me off." "Who are you?" "I'm from here too." "Let me have a word with them." "Pull closer!" "So what now?" "The boat's gone, and the coffin's floating offshore." "I don't know what to do." "Why the hell couldn't" "Moon Jae-Gu find a burial plot near Seoul?" "Should he ignore his late father's wishes?" "The man just wanted to be buried here." "The son is just doing his duty." "What is this crap?" "Are you Moon's running dog?" "Running dog?" "Watch your words!" "None of this would have happened if you hadn't sold him that plot!" "You can't be that poor, you scumbag!" "Mind your language, or I'll get you." "What they do is up to them, but that coffin comes ashore only over my dead body!" "How do you feel?" "You were born here too, weren't you?" "Aren't you Teacher Kim's son?" "He's the village chief." "How do you do?" "I'm Kim Chul." "You almost drowned out there!" "Not much of a homecoming!" "Me, I'm Hwang Dong-Pal." "You've begun to grow old." "But you still look young." "I hear you're a poet now." "Have you seen Jae-Gu yet?" "I'm just an ordinary man, and I can't shrug off painful memories." "Time can't heal all wounds." "The real reason he came was to see you." "Where did that boat go?" "Poet Kim!" "You'll feel better after a drink!" "Come on, just one glass!" "Bride!" "Enter!" "Oknim, come down now!" "Quick!" "A bride must take care!" "Prettying yourself up with flowers?" "Good, a bride should look her best." "Come on, it's time to begin!" "Bride!" "Bow down first!" "Don't laugh!" "A bride should be meek and demure!" "Bride!" "Second genuflection!" "Good, once more." "Now this way!" "Once more!" "Mister!" "You must call me 'husband' now." "Husband!" " What is it?" "Mister, why don't you go home now?" "What do you mean, 'home?" "' This is my home now." "Come on, let's go to bed." "That randy old man can't wait!" "Look, I've even made the bed for you." "You want me to undress you?" "She isn't that slow herself!" "Hey, let me have a look!" "Go home!" "The bride and groom should sleep together!" "This is my bed!" "Go home to your own!" "I don't want to play with you anymore, mister!" "Go home!" "I told you, call me 'husband' now!" "Get out!" "What are you doing here?" "Sorry, just checking the bridal chamber." "Bridal chamber?" "You nearly checked a murder!" "You aren't going to give up, are you?" "Don't know what I was thinking of, trying to take a new, young bride at my age." "You have to be patient with Oknim." "Try to coax her once more." "Come on, you've been married before!" "Get through this night and you'll live happily ever after!" "So-Dong, get a move on!" "Good luck!" "We'd better leave them to it!" "Mr. Kim," "Jae-Gu's in the cemetery and he's acting crazy." "Please come, I don't know what might happen." "We're not moving back here!" "It was his last wish to be buried here!" "How can you obstruct a dead man's last wish?" "How can you obstruct a funeral?" "What is this?" "You think I like this?" "The whole village is against it, so what can I do?" "This is ridiculous." "I have the burial permit, isn't that enough?" "Why don't they mind their own business?" "You think you can come here and walk all over us?" "Think again!" "Listen, I see your point, but many people died unfairly in the war!" "In a way, my father was a victim too." "Your father was a victim?" "!" "Heaven and earth know he was no such thing!" "I've heard enough of this." "Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?" "I paid for this plot to bury my father!" "Don't you people respect the law?" "The law?" "We're just ordinary villagers." "With all your money and power, you can call the police or the army!" "Like father, like son!" "Shut up!" "You know whose graves these are?" "They all died the same day, 40 years ago." "It's not us opposing your father's burial here..." "It's them!" "It's the ones in these graves who won't have him here!" "Is anyone home?" "Mrs. Nam?" "Do you remember me?" "I'm the son of Teacher Kim." "Are you young Chul?" "Mr. Kim's son?" "Welcome!" "Sorry I didn't recognize you." "Please come in." "How long has it been?" "Heavens, how you've changed!" "But your house hasn't changed." "My daughters have grown up and moved away." "I'm alone now." "What a surprise to see you!" "Make yourself at home." "What do you do in Seoul?" "Well, I write poetry." "I hear that Moon Deok-Bae is to be buried here." "Jae-Gu is here, too." "Chul!" "Oknim!" "Oknim!" "Oknim!" "Look, there's a boat coming in!" "Wait for me!" "Business on the mainland today See you when I get back" "Get a load of him, all made up like that!" "What's he up to?" "Going to see his mistress, of course!" "His wife slaves away to bring up the kids, but he squanders everything on that cow!" "Sol-Bong, why aren't you helping?" "Stop lording it over me, just because I'm sitting here!" "Come on, show us what you can do!" "Got no energy today." "Maybe it's just the heat, or maybe I'm just too hungry." "Your tinkerer's back, alive and well!" "Hey, working up a sweat!" "Come down!" "Never mind, Oknim." "Stay up there." "Let's push a little harder." "Doing all right, you men?" "What's to look at?" "Come on, make an effort!" "I'm sorry!" "Forgive me!" "You're a lazy slut and a fool!" "I promise I'll keep my mouth shut from now on!" "I'll kill you!" "How dare you!" "Please forgive me!" "He will kill her!" "He's beating her like a drum!" "Smash up all your pots and pans!" "Are you egging him on, you idiot?" "I'm good at lighting the fire in people's hearts." "Please forgive me!" "Can she survive such a beating?" "You think I'm putting on a show, you cretin?" "Don't hit!" "It hurts!" "You're bloody useless, you!" "Don't cry, Oknim." "Trust me, I can fix anything for a lady." "There's not a hole I can't plug!" "You broke a pan in a fight with mother-in-law?" "I'll fix it!" "I'll even fix a lonely widow's chamber pot!" "Disgusting!" "That's not a local accent, is it?" "I'm from Jeju Island." "Well!" "How did you end up here?" "Try one of these, they're very fresh." "My late husband brought me here." "But he died in the typhoon three years ago, and I've been alone ever since." "And the women here have sharp eyes and sharper tongues, so I haven't been able to do anything about it." "Get out of here!" "Poltok!" "Poltok!" "[Easy lay]" "Dad, why is Oknim silly like that?" "Hurry up in there instead of asking stupid questions." "Dad" "Dad!" " What?" "Where has mom gone?" "I've told you before, far away." "Will she come back when I'm big?" " Yes" "Dad, I've had my poo." "Hey, wake up!" "What?" "What is it?" "Can you hear that noise from Poltok-ne's place?" "Something's going on." "Maybe she's talking in her sleep." "It sounds more like someone's beating her!" "Who'd be beating a widow?" "That's what I'm wondering." "We'd better take a look." "Oh my god, you're killing me!" "Who's there?" "Please carry on." "No one's dying, let's go home." "Caught much?" " A little." "Look, I bet she loves these!" "The artemisia?" "They're good whether you cook them or not." "Oh, they're better raw!" "Just one suck and the liquid spurts out!" "You're so vulgar!" "Was that tinkerer fixing something of yours last night?" "What do you mean?" "I hear he worked so hard, he woke the whole neighborhood!" "How dare you speak to me like that!" "Did I say something wrong?" "How could you give in to him so easily?" "Watch your dirty mouth, you old cow!" "I've respected your age until now, but..." "You filthy slut, how dare you wag your finger at me!" "You're calling me a slut?" "Damn right I am!" "I'll kill you!" "That's enough, now." "Stop it!" "I didn't see you come, father-in-law." "I'm afraid we haven't much to eat, but please enjoy it." "Opsun, you're doing well." "Not really." "What the hell is this?" "Have you gone mad?" "Just be patient." "Your father must be hungry, so we should serve him first." "What the fuck is this all about, you dumb halfwit?" "Nam Chi-Kon, where are you, you wretch?" "This is your father!" "Ah, there you are!" "Good." "I'm going to teach you a lesson!" "What?" "You, you..." "Are you insane, you slut?" "This is your father speaking to you!" "I went through so much to raise you!" "I'm sorry!" "Forgive me, father!" "What does a motorcar look like?" "Well, you know what a cart looks like?" "An ox-drawn cart?" "Well, a car is like an ox cart without the ox." "It sort of pulls itself." "Have you seen a train, too?" "Of course, it's like a huge hunk of metal," "moving like a flash." "And have you been to Seoul?" "I've been everywhere!" "'Wherever the wind and clouds take me'" "Look, there's Pan-nim!" "Hunchback Pan-nim!" "Don't fight!" "Stop it!" "Jae-Gu, your mother's here!" "Mom, Dong-Pal was being rude to sister" "Chul, come to our house for dinner." "You can take some sweet potatoes for your father." "Why do you still set a place for Dad?" "He never comes home to eat anymore." "I'm sure he'll be back tonight." "Liar!" "I know Dad's with his mistress on Kotseom Island." "Who told you that?" "Everyone knows." "Pan-nim..." "Pan-nim!" "Oh, don't do that..." "Hold still" "You filthy pair!" "You whore!" "'The boatman's song fades in the distance'" "'Beyond the waves off Samhak Island'" "'The new bride left on the pier'" "'Sobs until her dress is soaked in tears'" "How dare you scare me like that, bitch!" "You could have killed us!" "You, who can't even bear a normal child!" "Why can't you use what brain you have?" "You think I'm just out to amuse myself?" "I have dreams, you know." "How can I live on this tiny island all my life?" "You'll see." "I'll make my mark soon enough!" "Who is there to love around here, anyhow?" "Pan-nim, my darling, what's wrong?" "Open your eyes and look at me." "Pan-nim, what is it?" "We interrupt this broadcast for an important announcement from the Ministry of Defense." "At dawn on 25 June, the Communist puppet regime's army and navy began an illegal advance into the southern part of the country." "Our valiant soldiers are repelling this invasion at the 38th Parallel" "President Rhee has convened an emergency session of cabinet." "My poor, dear baby!" "May your next life be sweet!" "You starved and suffered in this life!" "May you go to heaven and find peace!" "Oknim!" "Sir, how do you think the war is going?" "What do you mean by 'how?" "'" "I mean, which side is winning?" "It makes no difference, they're just killing each other." "They say the Reds will come and kill indiscriminately." "Do you believe that, sir?" "I doubt they'd be that bad." "They don't know what they're on about." "The Commies are after landowners, not dirt poor people like us." "Anyway, it's doing me no good." "Thanks to the war, I'm stuck here." "I've heard you're using the war as an excuse to stay here." "And why shouldn't I stay?" "Any place can be home when you get to know it." "Nopdo-daek!" "Nopdo-daek!" "Mrs. Moon!" "Jae-Gu's mom!" "Pan-nim's mom!" "Nopdo-daek!" "Don't cry, don't cry." "Have some of my milk." "Don't cry." "Now Pan-nim is a star." "After dying, we all become stars." "We all go up to the sky as stars." "All you restless spirits!" "Those who died prematurely, those who starved or went naked, those who drowned or died away from their homeland... please take this rice and be gone!" "Mom, Chul is coming around." "See, sir, it works!" "You little rascal, what were you doing out alone in the night?" "The main thing is, he's safe now." "Your dad was so worried about you." "If it weren't for Oknim..." "Dad, is Pan-nim really a star now?" "What are you talking about?" "Oknim says we become stars when we die." "Did she?" "I have to go back to my class." "Don't worry, he'll be alright now." "Ah, Oknim!" "You should make a move too." "Is there something you want to say?" "Come on then, out with it." "Do the dead really appear to you?" "If so, can you see my mother?" "You want to see her?" "Just a moment." "She might visit us." "Close your eyes tight." "No matter what happens, keep your eyes shut tight." "Chul, my dear Chul, you've grown so much." "You've missed your mom, haven't you?" "But you must be strong, however much you miss me." "Be a good boy for your dad." "Study hard, and grow up to be a good man." "That's all I ask of you." "Understand?" "You really have to take her now?" "I know an asylum in Haenam;" "a friend of mine works there." "But things are so uncertain with this war." "The hospital will still be open." "Anyway, what else can I do?" "I can't just leave her as she is." "'The pink skirt swirling in the breeze,'" "Come on, hurry up." "'Ruffling the bow at the front,'" "'She's standing on the temple hill,'" "'Where birds fly over,'" "Nopdo-daek, you poor thing!" "Get well and come back soon." "'We laughed together as the flowers bloomed. '" "'We cried together as the flowers waned. '" "'Her sweet vows fill her mind,'" "'But the spring days are passing... '" "All on your own?" "Waiting for me?" "What are you doing?" "I know what you want." "Feels good, doesn't it?" "Doesn't it?" "I'm in heaven!" "Hey, what's that?" "What?" "Let's take a look." "Come on!" "Dong-Pal, look!" "It's a ship coming in." "Let's go see!" "Chul!" "What is it?" "Let's ride on the swing too." "Who do ya think they are?" "Looks like a navy boat." "What the hell is it doing here?" "Maybe they're checking our loyalties." "Then we'd better show we're on their side!" "How?" "Hurray!" "Long live the Republic of Korea!" "That's not a Republican Navy boat!" "Then what is it?" "The Republican forces are in retreat, so it can't be one of theirs." "Hell!" "Now we're done for!" "Hurray for the Communist army!" "Hurray!" "Why would the Commies scout out this small island?" "You're sure they were Communists?" "Dead sure!" "Now that the Republic's in retreat, there'll be chaos." "I wonder what's become of Moon Deok-Bae?" "No word since he took his wife away." "Drinking again?" "Come along, Sol-Bong." "Back to work!" "Or don't you want to be my tenant farmer anymore?" "Wise up, old man." "There'll be no landlords and tenants in the future!" "What are you talking about?" "The war has changed everything." "Land titles are worthless now." "No one will buy them." "Isn't that right?" "What bullshit!" "Quiet!" "What's that noise?" "Can you hear?" "Yes, I can hear something." "What is it?" "Sounds like cannon fire." "What?" "I'm frightened!" "It's nothing." "Dad, can we go home now?" "Excuse us." "You must be tired!" "Not much further." "How are you all?" "Who the devil is she?" "What has he done with Nopdo-daek?" "And who is this painted trollop?" "Only three days in the asylum before she ran away and drowned in a lake." "I picked up her body myself and buried her in a nearby cemetery." "Why should I lie to you about this?" "A man should always behave decently!" "You're so right." "Even if all that is true, how can you bring another woman here so soon?" "Gentlemen, the fact is..." " What's more, we're at war, and your only concern is a new woman?" "What do you expect?" "What about my children?" "When your daughter died, you were nowhere to be seen." "Why drag the children into it now?" "The law says we should hand you over to the police, but as we're at war, we'll punish you ourselves, in the traditional way." "How can you do this?" "Where's the evidence?" "Where's the justice?" "You're no better than communists!" "You want justice?" "Let me go!" "Shut your cursed mouth?" "Sir, please forgive me, sir!" "This is due punishment!" "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." "You fucking bastards!" "You'll pay for this, wait and see!" "Jae-Gu!" "Chul!" "Dad!" "Dad!" "Only me." "I live alone." "Go to the school playground!" "Hurry, to the playground!" "Everyone please gather at the school!" "Soldiers of the DPRK are here!" "Please come at once." "Dad!" "Good people of Kwisong Island!" "We are soldiers of the People's Liberation Army." "You have suffered great hardships." "Now you are liberated from the" "Yankees and their running dogs." "First some good news." "The war is nearly over." "Dad!" "The Americans and their running dogs will soon be gone." "Korea will be a paradise on Earth as the People's Republic!" "Our first task is to weed out bad social elements for punishment." "Agents of Syngman Rhee and the US imperialists." "Volunteers to mete out punishment, step forward." "Good!" "You have the right attitude." "Anyone else?" "Any comrade brave enough to identify and punish landowners, boat owners, and lackeys of the capitalists?" "Step forward now!" "Mr. Hwang, why hesitate?" " Any more?" "What are you doing?" " Come on!" "Hurry up!" "Come forward!" "Now, pick out reactionary elements." "Start with policemen, civil servants, and their families." "Hurry up!" "Begin now!" "You, stand up." " Why me?" "Isn't your brother with a local council?" "He is, but I'm not!" "He has never given me a cent!" "Stand over there." "What are you doing?" "Reactionary!" "Understand that the world has changed now!" "Comrade, this is the prime offender!" "This is the richest bastard on the island!" "He owns land and boats, and I heard his brother is a policeman!" "Move that one over there." "Sol-Bong, how can you do this?" "Remember what I did for your father!" "You must be the teacher?" " Yes." "Well, you don't look like much of a teacher!" "You!" "Over there!" "Comrade, Mr. Kim is on our side." "He's not an anti-communist." "He's worked hard since he came to this miserable place." "Next!" "Name?" "They're also anti-communists!" "They're landowners." "What?" "It's a tiny little patch!" "You're talking nonsense." "But you boasted about its size!" "Many others heard you do so." "Next!" "I'm his brother." "Thank you." "Next!" "A shaman?" "Then you're another." "Over there." "Next!" "You're her husband?" "I tried to stop her from becoming a shaman." "I can vouch for him." "We fought like enemies, so I'm no anti-communist." "Comrade, to the left." "Hey!" "Please look after my baby." "To the left." "You never liked me." "You always called me an easy lay." "You shouldn't be on this side." "And didn't you say your cousin's nephew was a council clerk?" "Never!" "No such thing!" "I know no council clerks." "Excuse me, comrade!" "I beg you, forgive me." "I was just joking when I called you an easy lay." "From now on, it'll be share and share alike." "True equality." "Please keep the line straight." "At last, my husband is going to have some respect around here!" "When will they finish?" "I'm starving." "Me too." "Well done, comrades." "You are all to be commended." "Will you be so loyal to the Democratic People's Republic?" "I..." "I pledge my loyalty with my life!" "Excellent!" "Now, let's cheer the Democratic People's Republic!" "Long live the Democratic People's Republic!" "Destroy communism!" "What the hell is this now?" "That's Moon Deok-Bae!" "Hell no!" "We've been tricked!" "I never wanted to..." "That's the end of me!" "Innocent people have been alarmed here today." "The Communists who invaded the South are fleeing now, but we must track down their stragglers and sympathizers." "Hence today's little charade." "You can't complain, you Red bastards!" "No one forced you to volunteer!" "I belong to that side!" "My nephew is a council clerk." "Poltok-ne, you'll vouch for me, won't you?" "You know!" "Stop this!" " What?" "Who are you?" "This is like playing soldiers." "All of these people are innocent." "They don't know Left from Right." "How can you be so immoral and inhumane?" "You can't do this!" "Immoral and inhumane?" "How can a teacher talk such rot?" "We're at war, man!" "'Inhumane?" "'" "With the country at risk of collapse?" "His face is evidence enough that there are Reds on this island!" "Don't blame me!" "I just said there might be some here." "This is all your doing, Deok-Bae!" "This is your personal revenge!" "No, it's truly not!" "Leave him alone!" "He's innocent." "Which side are you on?" "What's that?" "Catch her, quick!" "Fire!" "Moon Deok-Bae..." "Jae-Gu's father!" "You had a long journey back here." "Your son Jae-Gu is a fine young man." "And your grandson is a fine boy too." "Was it hard bringing them up so far from home?" "How strange to meet like this, so many years later... divided by death." "Even animals head home to die." "So I understand your wish to be buried here, to come home in death." "You see the boat?" "It understands the shaman!" "But you still harbor some resentments, and your burden must weigh heavy." "How can we deal with these feelings?" "Please speak." "You must have something to say!" "All that resentment and enmity..." "What are we to do about it?" "Please speak!" "You simple mortals of this world..." "How could you understand?" "Father, I understand your wish!" "Please forgive your unfilial son!" "I'll bring you to this island!" "Stop it!" " What are you doing?" "Stop it!" "Out of my way, you bastard!" "You can forget about that!" "Just stop it, please!" "Out of my way, son of a bitch!" "Why should we be indulgent?" "We suffered the wrongs." "What kind of justice is that?" "Come on, all of you, help me!" "Please calm down." " Stay back!" "Please be calm." " Leave me alone!" "You dare come back here decked out like this!" "Why are you doing this?" "Why?" "No!" "No!" "The sadness of we lost souls, wandering in the afterlife" "We who died away from our homes and families" "I thought the afterlife was many thousand miles away" "Little did I know, it was so close" "With eyes open, we see this world" "With eyes closed, we see the next." "Please help me!" "Hurry, to the coffin boat!" "Revised subtitles by Narodnik (2014)" "Original VHS subtitles by Tony Rayns (2000)" "Digital video by the Korean Film Archive"