Under the Sun_
Over the course of one year, this film follows the life of an ordinary Pyongyang family whose daughter was chosen to take part in Day of the Shining Star (Kim Jong-il's birthday) celebration. While North Korean government wanted a propaganda film, the director kept on filming between the scripted scenes. The ritualized explosions of color and joy contrast sharply with pale everyday reality, which is not particularly terrible, but rather quite surreal.
Starring
Lee Zin-mi, Yu-yong, Hye-yong
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
Prime Video
4 countries
Apple TV
3 countries
G
Google Play
2 countries
YouTube
1 country
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Year context
Under the Sun was released 11 years ago in 2015.
Overview
Over the course of one year, this film follows the life of an ordinary Pyongyang family whose daughter was chosen to take part in Day of the Shining Star (Ki...
Under the Sun is a Documentary film with a runtime of 1h 50m.
CAST (8)
LZ
Lee Zin-mi
Herself
Y
Yu-yong
Herself
H
Hye-yong
Herself
O
Oh-gyong
Herself
LS
Lim Soo-yong
Herself
CS
Choi Song-min
Herself
S
Su-yong
Herself
Kim Jong-un
Himself
DETAILS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Under the Sun about?
Over the course of one year, this film follows the life of an ordinary Pyongyang family whose daughter was chosen to take part in Day of the Shining Star (Kim Jong-il's birthday) celebration. While North Korean government wanted a propaganda film, the director kept on filming between the scripted scenes. The ritualized explosions of color and joy contrast sharply with pale everyday reality, which is not particularly terrible, but rather quite surreal.
How long is Under the Sun?
Under the Sun has a runtime of 110 minutes (1h 50m).
Who stars in Under the Sun?
The cast of Under the Sun includes Lee Zin-mi, Yu-yong, Hye-yong, Oh-gyong, Lim Soo-yong.
What is the rating of Under the Sun?
Under the Sun has a rating of 7.2 out of 10 based on 118 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (1)
Documentary