Let the Blue River Run (2009 Film)
Let the Blue River Run (Korean: 푸른 강은 흘러라) is a 2009 South Korean drama film directed by Kang Mi-ja. The film is set within the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China and explores the lives of ethnic Korean youth in the region.
Plot
The narrative centers on two 17-year-old friends, Suk-yi and Cheol-yi, who are high school students in Yanbian. The pair share a close bond and have made a symbolic promise to remain as clear and constant as the nearby Duman River. Their relationship faces challenges when Cheol-yi's mother, who is working in South Korea, sends money home. Cheol-yi uses the funds to purchase a motorcycle and a mobile phone, leading to a shift in his behavior that concerns Suk-yi, who attempts to help him return to his former self.
Production
The film is an adaptation of works by Yanbian authors Chun-sik Liang and Nam-hyun Kim. It was directed by Kang Mi-ja, with a screenplay written by Lee Ji-sang, who also served as a producer and cinematographer alongside Kim Woo-hyung. The film has a runtime of 77 minutes.
Release
Let the Blue River Run held its world premiere at the 13th Pusan International Film Festival in October 2008, where it was screened as part of the Korean Cinema Today - Vision section. The film received a theatrical release in South Korea on October 8, 2009. During its opening weekend (October 9–11, 2009), the film played on three screens and recorded 37 admissions.
Cast
- Han Ye-ri as Sook-yi
- Nam Cheol as Cheol-yi
- Lim Seon-ae as Soo-yun
- Ryu Abel as Mi-wook
- Lee Ji-sang as Suk-ryong
