South Korean actress Won Ji-an, known for her role in the hit series Squid Game, is set to star alongside Jameela Jamil (The Good Place) in a new drama titled Pyongyang Home Video. The film, inspired by true events, will tell the story of two sisters who escape North Korea.
The movie centres on sisters Nari, played by Won Ji-an, and Hana, who secretly grow up watching banned Hollywood films in North Korea. Their lives take a dangerous turn when their father’s black market VHS operation is discovered by a neighbour, forcing the sisters to flee the country.
As they undertake their perilous escape, Nari and Hana use scenes from their beloved movies as a way to cope with the psychological impact of their journey. Years later, Nari encounters Serena, an American talk show host played by Jameela Jamil, who promises to reunite the sisters on live television. However, the broadcast is set to reveal unexpected truths.
The film is a collaboration between Imagine Entertainment and South Korea’s Desert Bloom Pictures. It will be directed by the acclaimed Korean filmmaker Yoon Sung-hyun, who is known for his award-winning movie Bleak Night. The screenplay is written by American screenwriter Liz Kerin, known for her work on the Night’s Edge vampire series.
Producer Janice Chua from Imagine Entertainment shared her enthusiasm for the project, saying, “Pyongyang Home Video is a powerful showing of the strength of imagination—something Jennice Lee of Desert Bloom immediately connected with when I first shared it with her. Our creative partnership reflects what this film stands for – it celebrates the transformative nature of storytelling: how it entertains, liberates and heals. It is a dream to help bring this vision to life with such a remarkable team of creative voices from the U.S. and Korea.”
Desert Bloom’s co-CEOs, Jennice Lee and Hugh Cha, also commented on the film’s significance: “This project hits at the core of what we care about—telling locally grounded stories that speak to the world. Pyongyang Home Video is both timely and human, and we believe its emotional truth will connect far beyond borders. We’re excited to be partnering with Imagine and Janice, whose creative vision aligns closely with our mission.”
Won Ji-an gained international recognition for her role as Se-mi in the second season of Netflix’s Squid Game, as well as her appearance in the South Korean action series D.P. Jameela Jamil is best known for her role as Tahani Al-Jamil in the NBC comedy The Good Place. She will also be voicing a character in the upcoming Pixar animated film Elio.
