Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Beyond Utopia’ on Hulu, a Vital Documentary Detailing the Plight of North Korean Refugees

Oscar may come calling for Beyond Utopia (now streaming on Hulu), director Madeleine Gavin’s documentary about North Koreans attempting to escape the rampant oppression of a totalitarian regime that isolates its citizenry from the rest of the world in order to maintain control. Besides the film’s obvious humanitarian angle, part of its pitch to potential audiences is how it reminds us of the terrible living conditions North Koreans endure under “supreme leader” Kim Jong Un – and how it’s revelatory in some of its details. Gavin embeds a spartan crew with a family of defectors as they embark on a treacherous journey through hostile environments – there are “no recreations” in the film, per a title card – and the result is intense, suspenseful and vital.

BEYOND UTOPIA: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Hyukchang successfully defected from North Korea, and now he wants to help his mother and his sibling’s family to do the same. Consider this terrible, potentially deadly journey: You can’t cross over to South Korea – the border is lined with two million landmines. Instead, you have to cross the Yalu River into China, avoiding North Korean border guards who get bonuses for killing defectors, and Chinese police, who turn escapees over to North Korean authorities or traffic them into the sex trade. Avoid all that, and you’ll contend with a grueling trek through the mountains, which is especially difficult for Hyukchang’s family, since his mother is 80 and his nieces are still quite young. You’ll pay shady brokers to guide you through difficult terrain using some of the same avenues as drug smugglers; sometimes, you’ll have to bribe police. The brokers will get you all the way through China for illegal nighttime crossings into Vietnam, and then Laos – both countries allied with North Korea – and then finally to safety in politically friendly Thailand. It’s arduous and seems nearly impossible.

But Pastor Kim Sungeun has done this before, many times. The former North Korean, now living in Seoul, formed an “underground railroad” for people like Hyukchang’s family, and he estimates having helped rescue 1,000 people in the 10 years prior to the covid pandemic. (This documentary takes place primarily before the pandemic, which prompted such extreme security measures in China, his system was all but shut down.) Pastor Kim ignores his own health issues and frequently travels to China to help guide refugees through the network he established. Once, when he was away, his ailing son died, which only reinforced his commitment to helping others. “In Christian terms, my son was the grain of wheat,” he says, his voice wavering with grief.

The bulk of Beyond Utopia follows Pastor Kim as he helps the family on its long, dangerous journey. It also profiles Soyeon, a defector in Seoul who’s doing everything she can to get her son out of North Korea; she employs blind faith as she negotiates on the phone with brokers, wiring money to them – and learning from them that her son was captured in China and tortured by the North Korean border guard. Amidst these two attempted-escape narratives, the film provides a history lesson that provides context to illuminate why North Koreans would risk so much to leave their home country: The rise of current leader Kim Jong Un and his predecessors, the dire living conditions, the authoritarianism and the government’s ruthless brainwashing of the citizenry, who aren’t privy to any information from the outside world, and therefore have no reason to believe that North Korea isn’t a utopia ruled by divine leaders.  

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Beyond Utopia recalls the gripping verite work of Cartel Land, which puts the viewer smack in the middle of Mexican drug wars. Also, The Rescue, the essential documentary about the rescue of a boys soccer team from a flooded cave system in Thailand, features recreations, but is similarly tense and dramatic in its portrayal of a real-life life-or-death scenario.

Performance Worth Watching: Our hearts utterly break for Soyeon; our hearts can’t help but root so very hard for the Roh family’s well-being; our heart goes out to Pastor Kim for his selfless endeavors.  

Memorable Dialogue: Hyukchang’s nieces are asked what they think of Kim Jong Un, and this is their reply: “He is the greatest person in the world.”

Sex and Skin: None.

Our Take: Beyond Utopia has faced some criticism for its somewhat simplistic handling of the historical context, which ignores the role of U.S. sanctions in perpetuating the poverty and suffering of North Korean citizens. Duly noted; it’s a valid point. But as it stands, it’s a gripping and important documentary that emphasizes its core human stories and their emotional impact. Gavin doesn’t always evenly balance the film’s narrative threads, and it’s a bit uneven, occasionally deviating into talking-head history lessons that are revealing and necessary, but contrast greatly with the raw tension of handheld cameras (I believe some of the film was shot on smartphones) capturing the by-turns dangerous and tedious journey of Hyukchang’s family.

There’s no understating the power of that footage, however. The children climb on the adults’ backs as they trek through tangled mountain paths, led by brokers who at one point seem to be leading them in circles in the pitch-black night in an attempt to leech more money out of them. Meanwhile, Pastor Kim joins the family at great personal risk – his health is a concern, and his good deeds have put him at risk of arrest in multiple countries – as he guides them to safety. This component of Beyond Utopia feels like humanitarian journalism in its purest form, contributing to a damning portrait of authoritarianism and inspiring human perseverance.

Our Call: Beyond Utopia is hands-down one of the best documentaries of 2023. STREAM IT. 

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.