The Reunion Was Not Filmed at the Participant's Request
Teenage Bomb Threat Suspect Apprehended in Seoul
The much-discussed "Andong Station Promise," which recently gained attention online, was at risk of being canceled due to a bomb threat but ultimately, the main participants reunited after 10 years.
University students interviewing at Andong Station in Andong City, Gyeongbuk, in 2015. KBS 'Docu 3 Days' broadcast screen.
On August 22, KBS 2TV aired "Documentary 3 Days Special Edition - About Time: 72-Hour Journey to 10 Years Ago," featuring the moment when the protagonists of the "Andong Station Promise" reunited.
The people who first met through the 2015 broadcast of "Documentary 3 Days - Andong Station" came together again at the same location after 10 years. At that time, two university students on a Naeilro trip and the production team conducted an impromptu interview. The female students told cinematographer Lee Jiwon, "Please make a documentary even 10 years from now," to which Lee replied, "Will I still be doing this work then?" One student suggested, "Let's meet here on August 15, 2025," and Lee accepted, linking pinkies to make a promise. With this year marking the 10th anniversary, the story became a hot topic.
On the day before the promised date, Lee, who had made the pinky promise, headed to Andong Station. He said, "I was a bit worried that no one would show up, that I’d end up being the guy who got stood up," adding, "Still, even if it's just me, it would be romantic to be at the promised place. I felt I should go to keep that sense of romance alive."
On the day of the promise, at 6 a.m., he set up his camera in the old Andong Station square. As time passed, around 300 citizens began to gather. However, about five minutes before the promised time, a threatening message appeared stating, "I will detonate an explosive at the old Andong Station square." The production team and citizens left the scene under police direction.
Just as it seemed the promise would be broken, at 7:48 a.m.-the promised time-a woman approached the production team. She introduced herself as Kim Yoori, one of the main participants from 10 years ago. However, at Kim's request, her appearance was blacked out on the broadcast. The production team explained via subtitles, "At her request, all cameras were turned off," and added, "The two took commemorative photos on their phones to record the meeting."
Afterward, cinematographer Lee said, "Our first words were something like, 'Have you been well?' 'I'm glad you've been living well.'" He continued, "It became such a public promise that I worried a lot. But both of us felt that a promise is a promise, so we showed up. She said she kept remembering it, and as time passed, the promise felt heavier. I realized we must have felt similar emotions." He added, "Since I kept my sense of romance, I feel proud. I'm just so happy."
At the end of the broadcast, an update was given about another main participant, Ahn Hyeyeon. Ahn sent a message to the production team a day before the promised date, saying, "I'm living abroad, so I won't be able to keep the promise from 10 years ago. I'm sorry," and added, "I always cherish the precious memories from that time."
Meanwhile, the teenager who threatened to detonate a bomb in front of the old Andong Station square in Andong City, Gyeongbuk, was apprehended in Seoul. Police reportedly identified the suspect, referred to as "A," through location tracking and other methods. No explosives were found during the search, and at 10:20 a.m.-2 hours and 50 minutes later-police lifted the site restrictions.
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