Director Lee Man-hee, Father of Actress Lee Hye-young, Speaks Directly

On the 14th, Korean Film Archive screens 'The Marine Who Does Not Return' in 4K
Post-screening talk with actress Lee Hye-young and Director Kim Hong-jun of the Film Archive

The Korean Film Archive (Director Kim Hong-jun) and the War Memorial of Korea (Chairman Baek Seung-ju) announced on the 9th that they will screen the 4K restored film "The Marines Who Do Not Return" (Lee Man-hee, 1963) at the Lee Byung-hyung Hall of the War Memorial of Korea on the 14th.

Actor Lee Hye-young. She will attend the Korean Film Archive's screening of "The Marine Who Does Not Return" and share stories about the life and works of her father, director Lee Man-hee.
[Photo by Myeongdong Art Theater]

After the screening, actress Lee Hye-young will share stories about the life and works of her father, director Lee Man-hee. Following this, director Park Chan-wook's "Joint Security Area (JSA)" will be screened.

Director Lee Man-hee's 1963 film "The Marines Who Do Not Return" was produced ten years after the end of the Korean War (1953) and vividly captures the firsthand experiences of filmmakers who directly participated in the war. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Korea-US alliance, the Korean Film Archive digitally restored this work in 4K and first unveiled it at the Archive's Cinematheque KOFA in June, receiving high praise from audiences and academia alike.

Director Lee Man-hee's 1963 work, Marine Who Does Not Return. [Photo courtesy of the Korean Film Archive]

This screening event was jointly organized by the Korean Film Archive and the War Memorial of Korea to promote friendship between the two countries and to reflect on the historical significance of the Korea-US alliance on its 70th anniversary. The free screening will take place at 9:30 AM at the Lee Byung-hyung Hall in Yongsan, War Memorial of Korea. After the screening of "The Marines Who Do Not Return," actress Lee Hye-young, daughter of director Lee Man-hee, will attend and share her reflections on her father's life and works, moderated by Director Kim Hong-jun. Notably, 30 US military personnel stationed in Korea have been invited to this screening to add significance by collectively viewing this vivid record of the Korean War from Korea’s perspective 60 years ago.

In the afternoon, attendees will watch director Park Chan-wook's 2000 film "Joint Security Area (JSA)" together with a US defense expert. Former US Army Lieutenant Colonel Steve Tharp has been invited to provide expert commentary after the screening of "Joint Security Area (JSA)." He will offer detailed insights about the Military Demarcation Line and the Joint Security Area at the time of the film’s production, as well as discuss the current situation more than 20 years later.

The screening event will be held on the 14th at the Lee Byung-hyung Hall of the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, with English interpretation provided. All screenings are free of charge. Reservations can be made through the official website of the War Memorial of Korea.