Crossing the Line_
In 1962, a U.S. soldier sent to guard the peace in South Korea deserted his unit, walked across the most heavily fortified area on earth and defected to the Cold War enemy, the communist state of North Korea. He became a star of the North Korean propaganda machine, but then disappeared from the face of the earth. Now, after 45 years, the story of James Dresnok, the last American defector in North Korea, is being told for the first time. Crossing the Line follows Dresnok as he recalls his childhood, desertion, and life in the DPRK.
Starring
James Dresnok, Charles Robert Jenkins, Christian Slater
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Year context
Crossing the Line was released 20 years ago in 2006.
Overview
In 1962, a U.S. soldier sent to guard the peace in South Korea deserted his unit, walked across the most heavily fortified area on earth and defected to the ...
Crossing the Line is a Documentary film with a runtime of 1h 34m.
CAST (5)
JD
James Dresnok
Himself
CR
Charles Robert Jenkins
Himself
Christian Slater
Narrator
BC
Bruce Cumings
Self
Kim Il-sung
Self (archive footage)
DETAILS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Crossing the Line about?
In 1962, a U.S. soldier sent to guard the peace in South Korea deserted his unit, walked across the most heavily fortified area on earth and defected to the Cold War enemy, the communist state of North Korea. He became a star of the North Korean propaganda machine, but then disappeared from the face of the earth. Now, after 45 years, the story of James Dresnok, the last American defector in North Korea, is being told for the first time. Crossing the Line follows Dresnok as he recalls his childhood, desertion, and life in the DPRK.
How long is Crossing the Line?
Crossing the Line has a runtime of 94 minutes (1h 34m).
Who stars in Crossing the Line?
The cast of Crossing the Line includes James Dresnok, Charles Robert Jenkins, Christian Slater, Bruce Cumings, Kim Il-sung.
What is the rating of Crossing the Line?
Crossing the Line has a rating of 7.2 out of 10 based on 20 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (1)
Documentary