Beyond Utopia: Documenting the Escape From North Korea
“...When life hands you an opportunity to watch footage like this, you don’t turn it down.” – IndieWire
Sharing visuals from the field has always been a dilemma for our organization. On one hand, the highly sensitive nature of the work makes protecting our routes and the identities of those involved the top priority. On the other, there is undeniable power and potential for impact in showing the reality of rescues—the high-stakes peril, raw emotion, and incredible moments of bravery from our North Korean friends. If only people could see what we did; it would become undeniably clear how important this issue is.
When Liberty in North Korea was first introduced to the Beyond Utopia team and their goal of documenting an actual rescue, we were incredibly hopeful, but with a healthy dose of skepticism. We knew all too well the countless risks, conflicting interests, and stakeholders involved in making such a project. Yet when we saw the footage, even in the most initial stages of editing, we knew this was something special.
Gripping, visceral, and urgent, Beyond Utopia embeds the viewer into the lives of several people as they navigate the path to freedom — a mother desperate to reunite with her son, a family of five as they attempt their perilous escape, and a South Korean pastor who’s devoted his life to helping North Korean refugees.
The film is both a simple record of events as they unfold and a suspenseful piece of cinema, weaved together with commentary from leading experts on the Korean Peninsula (including LiNK’s South Korea Country Director, Sokeel Park). It pulls back the curtain on the escape journey in a way that honors the truth and the film participants, while preserving the integrity of the work being documented. Although Beyond Utopia utilized Pastor Kim’s networks rather than our own, LiNK worked closely with the film’s team throughout post-production to review footage for security and accuracy.
The film made its debut in January 2023 at the Sundance Film Festival, long recognized as a hotspot for the upcoming year’s most impactful stories. To premiere at this influential celebration of cinema is a lifelong dream for many filmmakers, making Beyond Utopia’s inclusion alone a significant achievement.
LiNK’s CEO, Hannah Song, was able to attend Sundance alongside the crew and some of the film participants. She sat with the Roh family as they re-lived their escape on screen and saw how harrowing it truly was. For them to finally look back on their journey was a surreal and deeply emotional experience. Audience members were also tearing up and sniffling throughout the film and at the end, there was a long standing ovation — so deserved by these families for everything they have been through to reach freedom.
Sundance had one more surprise in store for us. A testament to the film’s heart, it won the coveted Audience Award for U.S. Documentary, selected by festival attendees themselves. The heartfelt recognition launched Beyond Utopia into another level of visibility, setting the tone for its success in the film festival circuit with some calling it an “Oscar hopeful.”
LiNK is proud to be an impact partner and fiscal sponsor for the film. As Beyond Utopia heads to theaters on October 23rd and 24th for an exclusive two-day event, LiNK will be joining the film on-screen to turn audience interest into tangible action. This documentary follows the lives of a handful of people, but the story is much larger than that. The goal was always to raise awareness and invite new audiences to learn more about all aspects of this issue, get involved as Allies, and help more North Korean refugees reach freedom.
As we’ve been able to slowly regain momentum with rescues since the pandemic, the level of visibility that Beyond Utopia offers is a timely opportunity. The journey has only become more challenging in recent years with border lockdowns, increased surveillance, and heightened restrictions. Costs have skyrocketed and become incredibly volatile, but our commitment to this work is stronger than ever.
Above all, Beyond Utopia is a story about the strength and resilience of ordinary North Koreans, despite the staggering circumstances stacked against them. Changing the narrative on North Korea to focus on the people, not a dictator or missiles, has long been a key pillar of our work. Beyond Utopia aligns with this perfectly, and we hope it brings greater urgency and support for this issue.
It cannot be overstated how rare this glimpse into this modern-day underground railroad is, and what a herculean feat it was for this film to be made.
Don’t miss the opportunity to see Beyond Utopia for yourself — now available on Hulu, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime video, and more.
North Korean Refugees Reaching their Potential: A Mid-Year Recap of 2024
It’s been a busy first half of the year for Liberty in North Korea! In case you missed it, here’s all that we’ve accomplished together with YOU and our North Korean friends.
Many of these major updates have been a long time in the making. This bigger-picture impact is only possible because of the continued support and generosity of this global movement. With every update we share, know that you’re now a part of each of these stories, and you have helped to change lives!
The 2024 Advocacy Fellows: Bella, Grace, and Lily wrapped up their 2.5 months in the US after traveling to 11 cities, speaking at 48 events and meetings, and sharing their stories in person with over a thousand people!
20 North Korean refugees now living in freedom: Of the 20 rescued, 3 families were able to escape together and will also reunite with family in South Korea. One woman will be seeing her sister again after being separated for 25 years!
The LiNK English Language Program: This spring, we had our biggest semester of LELP yet—156 participants, including 78 North Korean students and 78 volunteers. 98% of participants reported that they were satisfied with the program!
12 North Korean students awarded academic scholarships: $77,400 was awarded to help North Koreans studying in the US complete their post-secondary education programs and achieve their academic goals.
Featured Content
- 📰 Read: From our World Refugee Day campaign, experience “The Journey” of North Korean refugees through the eyes of Il-Lyong, Vickey, Haneul, and Doohyun.
- 🎥 Watch: North Korean stories are headed to the Emmys! Beyond Utopia, a documentary following several people as they escape from North Korea, was just nominated for “Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking.” Stream now on Hulu!
- 📝 Learn: Curious about North Korean instant noodles? Or what middle school is like in the most closed-off country in the world? Our North Korean friend (and one of last year’s Summit speakers!) Sunghee is publishing weekly articles about her experiences.
LiNK in the News
- A daring escape by boat: Kang Gu-rin is one of just 15 North Korean refugees who have escaped directly from North Korea and made it to South Korea since 2021. Read more in this recent Washington Post article.
- The Closing of North Korea 2018-2023: Earlier this year, Human Rights Watch published an in-depth report on the devastating impact of pandemic-era restrictions on the North Korean people.
- Where they are now: Last month, Geumhyok, one of our 2018 LiNK Advocacy Fellows, spoke at the U.N. Security Council Meeting on North Korean Human Rights (timestamp 35:50). He’s the second LiNK program alumni to be invited to speak this year!
Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to the North Korean people. We’re excited to see what the second half of 2024 brings!
