Howwouldyoudescribeyourselfasafilm-maker?I’veneverimaginedI’dbeafilm-maker,butafterImadeadocumentary,peoplestartedtocallmeadirectorandIwaslike,OK.IwasbornandraisedinJapan,secondgenerationKorean;bothmyparentscamefromJejuIslandinSouthKorea.EventhoughmyparentswereborninSouthKorea,theychoseNorthKoreaastheirFatherlandduetotheirideologyandhardexperience.AfterKoreabecameindependent,theywerelivinginJapanbecauseduringthewar,theymovedtoJapanfromSouthKorea.InJapan,thestatusforKoreanpeoplewasreallyworsethantrash:nohumanrights,strongdiscrimination.Myfatherdecidedtobecomeahuman-rightactivist.Atthetime,SouthKoreawasverypoliticallyinsecure:themilitarygovernment.Also,therewasaseveremassacrehappenedinJejuIsland,SouthKoreain1948,andmyparentslostalotoffriendsandrelatives:theywerekilled.Thenmyparentswerelike,nomoreSouthKoreangovernment.TheytotallystoppedbelievingtheSouthandtheychosetheNorth.ThoughtheyreallyknewnothingaboutNorthKorea,theyhadgreatexpectations.Atthetime,socialismwaskindofahopeformanypeopleallovertheworld,maybe.Also,KimIl-sungmadeabeautifulspeechforKoreansinJapan.ForKoreans,theSouthKoreangovernmenttotallyignoredthemwhileNorthKoreakindof,playedabeautifulrole(asshowninKimIl-sung'sspeech):ifyouchooseNorthKoreaasyourFatherland,wearegoingtogiveyouhouses,medicalcare,educationandjobs.Sowhydon'tyoucometoNorthKorea?It'syourFatherland.Andthenmyfathertotallyfellinlovewithhisspeech.Myfather'sideologywasnotlogical,veryemotional,likemafia,Yakuzapeople,youknow,thefeelings,thathecouldn'tbetrayoyabun,theboss.Butbyandby,theycametoknowtherealityofNorthKoreabuttheyjustcouldn'tdenyeverythingintheirlivesandthat'swhytheystilltrytobelieveinthatcountryandtheyneedtopretendtobelieveinthecountrybecausetheyhavehostages:children,andgrandchildrennow.Butduringthe60s,myfatherwasarealactivistworkinginaNorthKoreanAssociationinJapanandhesenthissons,thatis,mybrothers,toNorthKorea,whatIwouldsay,abigmistakebutatthattime,morethan90,000KoreanslivinginJapanmovedtoNK,withbighopeanddreams.Itwasaverypoliticalco-projectbyNorthKorea,theJpaneseRedCrossandbothgovernments.NorthKoreareallywantednotonlypeople,butalsomoneyandconnections;JapanwantedtokickoutKoreanpeople,foranyreasons,asmuchastheycould.Youmentionedyouspentsixmonthpreparingandfinishedshootingthefilmwithinonlytwoweeks.That'samazing.Yeah(laugh).Idon'tknowhowwediditintwoweeksbutitwasreallyanightmare.Toohot,inTokyo.Andalso,wereallyhadnotime.SothereweremomentsthatIreallywantedtotakeonemore,andIreallyhadtogiveupsomanythings.Themonitorwasthiskindofsmallmonitor(handsign:nobigthananaverageadult'spalm)andIreallycouldn'tsee(clearly).IhopeIcouldhaveabetterbudget,andsomemoretime.ButwhenIwasmuchyoungerthannow,atmytwentiesandearlythirties,Iwaseitherapoortheatreplaycompanymember,orpoorvideojournalistorsomethingandthenIbecameadocumentaryfilm-maker.(ButyoumadeforNewSchool,inNewYork!)Yeah,yeah,yeah,Iwasabartender.Iworkedasabartender,andalsoIhadmanymanypart-timejobs.WhenIwasinJapan,itwasahardtimeeventogetajobasawaitresswithmyidentityorwithmyKoreannameespecially.ButnowIbecameJapaneserepresentativeforOscar,mymomissohappy!Itisreallyamiracle.Myfriendsarehappywiththat,too.It'sinteresting.WhenmybrotherswereinJapan,itwasreallytheworsttimeforKoreanpeoplelivinginJapanbutnowmanythingshavechanged.Alsoduringthefilm-making,maybeyouandyourfatherreconciledwitheachother?Yeah.Duringthedocumentarymaking,Ithink,withoutavideocamera,Icouldn'trebuildtherelationshipbetweenmyfatherandI.Whenhepassedawaythreeyearsago,hewasreallyhappytohearthatmydocumentariesstartedtogotomanyfilmfestivals.Withdocumentaries,too,Iwenttomanyfilmfestivals.HereallywantedmetohaveSouthKoreanpassport.Hesaidthatinthedocumentaryandthat'swhytheassociationdidn'tlikeit.(Laugh)Hewasreallyhonest,morementallyhonestinmydocumentaryandthatwasthankful.Mymomsaidbeinghonestwashislastgiftforme,formyfilm-making.