‘Seoul Guardians’ Acquired by Asian Shadows Ahead of Rotterdam Bow

Sales company Asian Shadows has acquired worldwide rights to South Korean documentary “The Seoul Guardians,” directed by MBC journalists Jong Woo Kim, Shin Wan Kim and Chul Young Cho.

The feature-length documentary could have its world premiere at the fifty fifth International Film Festival Rotterdam.

“The Seoul Guardians” chronicles six tense hours inside and outdoors South Korea’s National Assembly following the declaration of martial regulation on Dec. 3, 2024. The movie captures the dramatic occasions as residents, lawmakers, troopers and law enforcement officials converged on the Assembly, with reminiscences of the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising resurfacing amid the chaos.

At 10:28 p.m. on Dec. 3, 2024, then-President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial regulation, accusing the Democratic Party of collaborating with North Korean communists. The decree banned all political actions and public assemblies, with martial regulation troops transferring to grab management of the National Assembly. Citizens rushed to dam the troops while lawmakers broke via barricades and scaled partitions to achieve the chamber for voting.

Journalists from MBC’s “PD Notebook” program, including director Jong Woo Kim, instantly headed to the National Assembly after listening to the news. The movie paperwork how residents, journalists, YouTubers, lawmakers and aides spontaneously blocked the troops’ advance, invoking reminiscences of the Gwangju Democratic Uprising 45 years earlier.

President Yoon was subsequently impeached, and Lee Jae Myung turned South Korea’s new President.

The documentary is produced by Sona Jo and Shin Wan Kim for MBC (Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation), one of South Korea’s main tv and radio broadcasters. Jo’s current credit embody “Free Chol Soo Lee,” which received the 2024 Emmy Award for Outstanding Historical Documentary.

The movie was written and edited by NYC-based editor Stacy Kim and co-director Chul Young Cho. Kim is a former senior editor at Vice Media.

Co-director Jong Woo Kim has created nonfiction tv applications and documentaries at MBC, including the “Meeting You” collection, which received the ABU Documentary Award. Co-director Shin Wan Kim has primarily produced discuss reveals and current-affairs documentaries, with deal with training points. Co-director Chul Young Cho has produced nature documentaries and current-affairs programming, with credit including “Bear,” which received an award at the Houston International Film Festival.

“‘The Seoul Guardians’ is one of a kind film,” said Maria Ruggieri, head of sales and acquisitions at Asian Shadows. “When we discovered it, we were captivated by its depiction of the tension and the chaos that follow the declaration of martial law in Seoul and by the reaction of common citizens rushing to the National Assembly to allow the democratic law to be protected. This film allows us to observe the Seoul Guardians in action while guarding the soul of the country from the consequences of a martial law, and it shares with us the fear and the danger we are living in these times of worldwide uncertainties. We are proud to represent the first feature length film by journalists-turned-directors Jong Woo Kim, Shin Wan Kim, Chul Young Cho, who didn’t hesitate to take the camera that night and to film history in progress.”

Founded in 2014, Hong Kong-based Asian Shadows represents documentaries specializing in social and historic points. The company’s slate contains works by Wang Bing, Soda Kazuhiro and Wang Xiaoshuai, among others.