The Lovers and The Despot_
"They were kidnapped by their biggest fan"
Hong Kong, 1978. South Korean actress Choi Eun-hee is kidnapped by North Korean operatives following orders from dictator Kim Jong-il.
Starring
Paul Courtenay Hyu, Yuna Shin, Choi Eun-hee
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
Apple TV
9 countries
G
Google Play
4 countries
YouTube
2 countries
Prime Video
2 countries
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Year context
The Lovers and The Despot was released 10 years ago in 2016.
Overview
Hong Kong, 1978. South Korean actress Choi Eun-hee is kidnapped by North Korean operatives following orders from dictator Kim Jong-il.
The Lovers and The Despot is a Documentary, History film with a runtime of 1h 38m.
CAST (19)
Paul Courtenay Hyu
Shin Sang-ok
YS
Yuna Shin
Choi Eun-hee
Choi Eun-hee
Self - Actress / Various Roles
MY
Michael Yi
Self - US Intelligence Officer
SJ
Shin Jeong-kyun
Self - Choi and Shin's Son
SM
Shin Myung-yim
Self - Choi and Shin's Daughter
CK
Choi Kyung-ok
Self - Choi's Brother
IT
Iain T. A. Hall
Self - RHK Police Inspector (1975-79)
Pierre Rissient
Self - Film Critic
Lee Jang-ho
Self - Filmmaker
DS
David Straub
Self - US SD Officer (1984-86)
JJ
Jang Jin-sun
Self - Kim's Former Court Poet
NT
Nishida Tetsuo
Self - Film Critic
Derek Malcolm
Self - Film Critic
DS
Dean S. Robinson
Self - Vienna US Embassy Officer (1985-87)
Shin Sang-ok
Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Kim Jong-il
Self - Politician (archive footage)
Kim Il-sung
Self - Politician (archive footage)
Kim Jong-un
Self - Politician (archive footage)
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
98 min (1h 38m)
Country
Rating
6.9/10 (30 votes)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Lovers and The Despot about?
Hong Kong, 1978. South Korean actress Choi Eun-hee is kidnapped by North Korean operatives following orders from dictator Kim Jong-il.
How long is The Lovers and The Despot?
The Lovers and The Despot has a runtime of 98 minutes (1h 38m).
Who stars in The Lovers and The Despot?
The cast of The Lovers and The Despot includes Paul Courtenay Hyu, Yuna Shin, Choi Eun-hee, Michael Yi, Shin Jeong-kyun.
What is the rating of The Lovers and The Despot?
The Lovers and The Despot has a rating of 6.9 out of 10 based on 30 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (2)
Documentary
History