Madame Choi and the Monsters: A True Story
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About this item
A stranger‑than‑fiction true story of kidnapping, creativity, survival, and escape.
In Madame Choi and the Monsters, writer Patrick Spät and illustrator Sheree Domingo bring to life the astonishing real events surrounding legendary South Korean actress Choi Eun‑hee and filmmaker Shin Sang‑ok―a former power couple whose fates were upended when they were abducted by North Korean agents under orders from the future dictator Kim Jong‑il.
In 1978, Choi is kidnapped and taken to North Korea, where Kim―obsessed with cinema and determined to elevate his nation’s film industry―holds her captive. Six months later, her ex‑husband Shin is abducted as well. For years, neither knows the other is alive until a surreal reunion orchestrated by Kim himself in 1983.
Forced into service as the country’s star director‑actor duo, Choi and Shin are compelled to make films for the regime, including the notorious kaiju cult classic Pulgasari (1985). All the while, Kim Jong‑il works to convince the outside world that the pair has defected willingly. Under constant surveillance and unimaginable pressure, the two slowly rekindle their bond as they secretly plot their freedom.
Their chance finally arrives at the 1986 Vienna Film Festival, where they make a daring break for the American embassy―launching into a high‑stakes escape worthy of the dramatic films they were coerced to create.
Told with gripping visual storytelling and meticulous historical detail, this graphic narrative lays bare one of modern history’s wildest and least believable true tales, blending political thriller, human drama, romance, and dark absurdity. Critics have hailed it as “smart, witty, shocking, compelling, romantic and… just a bit terrifying” and “one of the wildest historical stories you’re liable to hear.”
A riveting chronicle of art under duress, propaganda, resilience, and defiance, Madame Choi and the Monsters is a must‑read for fans of true crime, graphic nonfiction, Korean cinema, and Cold War history.
ASIN: 1914224221
VSKU: DBV.1914224221.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Domingo, Sheree|Spät, Patrick
Binding: Paperback
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing, but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing, and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. May be ex-library with library markings. Ships promptly!
ASIN: 1914224221
VSKU: DBV.1914224221.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Domingo, Sheree|Spät, Patrick
Binding: Paperback
Note: Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.
Condition Notes: Gently used with minimal wear on the corners and cover. A few pages may contain light highlighting or writing, but the text remains fully legible. Dust jacket may be missing, and supplemental materials like CDs or codes may not be included. May be ex-library with library markings. Ships promptly!
Note on Condition
Most of the items in our store are used. The item's condition grade is indicated near the bottom of the product description. If you have any questions regarding specific details of an item, please contact us. We use the following rating scale:
Books:
- Used - Very Good: Item may have minor cosmetic defects (marks, wears, cuts, bends, crushes) on the cover, spine, pages or dust cover. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Item may contain remainder marks on outside edges, which should be noted in listing comments. Item may be missing bundled media.
- Used - Good: All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. Gently used ex-library books with library stickers and markings may be classified as good. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Item may be missing bundled media.
- Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable.
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- Used - Good: Case may be damaged or come repackaged. Disc may have up to 1.5cm marking but is in great working condition.
- Used - Acceptable: A product with extensive external signs of wear, but is in great working condition. The case may be damaged. The cover art, liner, notes, or other inclusion may be marked, or one or all of these items may be missing.
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