The Last Exiles

March 1, 2021
Suja and Jin are two university students from different worlds. Suja is the daughter of a prominent editor at the Rodong Workers Newspaper, while Jin is a poor, brilliant young man from the countryside. Intrigued by Jin's distinct mannerisms and sharp wit, Suja observes him quietly until they strike up a friendship and soon fall in love, dreaming of their bright futures together in Pyongyang. During the term break, Jin returns home to visit his family and sees the chaos and injustice they endure with unwarranted police raids and severe famine. In the heat of the moment, he steals a sack of cornmeal to feed his family and faces dire consequences as a result, shattering his dreams of a successful career. After Jin is arrested and disappears, Suja must confront her upper-class privilege. She decides to take matters into her own hands and search for him herself. Risking her life, she ventures into the black market and the shady underground dwellings of criminals for the sake of love and freedom. In this moving debut, Shin depicts the incredible resilience of people and the power of love in the grim and oppressive realities of North Korea.

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