An 18-year-old North Korean defector, Lee Sun-hwa, crosses the Duman River, traversing the thin boundary between life and death, and arrives in South Korea. Upon completing her resettlement program at Hanawon, she is placed in a public housing unit in Nowon, Seoul. Yet, life in the South feels like an uncharted world. Choosing to enroll in a South Korean high school rather than extend her stay at Hanawon, she soon finds herself struggling—both academically and culturally. Her only wish is to reunite with her family.

A Poet of the River (2025)

February 25, 2025 104 min

Drama

Director: Han Jung-kook  ·  Writer: Han Jung-kook

An 18-year-old North Korean defector, Lee Sun-hwa, crosses the Duman River, traversing the thin boundary between life and death, and arrives in South Korea. Upon completing her resettlement program at Hanawon, she is placed in a public housing unit in Nowon, Seoul. Yet, life in the South feels like an uncharted world. Choosing to enroll in a South Korean high school rather than extend her stay at Hanawon, she soon finds herself struggling—both academically and culturally. Her only wish is to reunite with her family.

Director

Han Jung-kook