Pyongyang Film Studio

Pyongyang Film Studio

Pyongyang Film Studio is about a 25-minute drive from downtown Pyongyang. It is under the jurisdiction of the North Korean State Film Committee, with the Film Shooting Street Management Committee handling the actual filming operations. The late North Korean leader Kim Il-sung and the current Supreme Leader Kim Jong-il placed great emphasis on film and cultural industries, and began guiding the establishment of a film production base shortly after the liberation of Korea. This studio was officially completed in 1982, although film production had actually begun here as early as during the Korean War.

During the construction of the base, the manpower and resources of the entire nation were mobilized. Kim Il-sung personally inspected the site 22 times, while Kim Jong-il visited it 591 times. The studio complex includes numerous facilities such as outdoor filming sets, a screenplay creation building, an audiovisual synthesis facility, and a director’s building. Many of North Korea’s most famous films were shot here. The main built-up area of the studio is divided into several key sections, including Korean Street, Chinese Street, and Japanese Street. As visitors enter the architectural complex, the first area they encounter is “Korean Street.” The buildings lining this street are mostly made of wood, featuring both grand halls and pavilions as well as quaint private residences. There are also anti-Japanese watchtowers and guerrilla camps, allowing visitors to appreciate a variety of architectural styles.