North South Man Woman

An old Korean proverb — nam nam, buk nyeo — says the most beautiful women are in the North, and the most handsome men are in the South. But what happens when you try to bring them together? Filmmakers Morten Traavik and Sun Kim journey across the Korean divide to follow Yujin Han, a sharp, charismatic entrepreneur born in North Korea and now founder of LoveStorya — a matchmaking agency with a radical mission: pairing North Korean refugee women with South Korean men. As Yujin navigates her roles as business owner, counsellor, and cultural bridge, she guides her clients through a minefield of social prejudice, emotional trauma, and ideological tension. Her own North-South marriage serves as the poster image for her work — but behind the scenes, her personal life begins to unravel, forcing her to confront the very challenges she helps others face. Filmed over five years, with rare access and powerful archival footage, NORTH SOUTH MAN WOMAN is a raw, layered, and unexpectedly playful look at love in the shadow of history — where personal and political borders collide in the most intimate of ways.