The comedy God's Band, also known as Choir of God, tells the story of a fictional choir set in North Korea. The film, released in December 2025, received positive feedback from audiences during preview screenings, attributed to its witty plot and the return of actor Park Si-hoo to the screen.
Park Si-hoo, who plays a North Korean military officer, shared his impressions of filming in Mongolia in an interview with The Chosun Daily. He noted that he spent between one and two months in the country, working in collaboration with a Mongolian cinematographer and director. The filming took place under very cold conditions, and the actor said, "It was difficult to shoot at minus 40 degrees."
He also added that the crew had to take breaks every five minutes to prevent the equipment from freezing.
Park Si-hoo, returning to cinema after a long hiatus, played the role of Lieutenant Colonel Park Gyeo-soon, a North Korean security officer. He remarked, "This is my first production briefing in 15 years. I really missed the set." The actor emphasized that he was intrigued by the character's transformation process through interaction with the unorganized choir members.
Jung Jin-woon, who played Lieutenant Kim Tae-soon — Park's character's rival, noted that despite their rivalry, the harsh cold in Mongolia brought them together as teammates.
Choi Sung-ja, known as the "national actress," added that more important than the accent or imitation of the North Korean dialect is the emotional depth conveyed in the film. She mentioned that she put her whole soul into even simple actions, such as waving a flag. Experienced actors like So Dong-won and Moon Kyung-min also pointed out the significance of the plot's depth.
# Filming in Mongolia at minus 40 degrees... "Passion that defied the cold"
The actors shared their experiences of filming in the harsh conditions of Mongolia. Nam Tae-hun recalled that the cold was so intense that icicles formed on the team's beards. Ko Hye-jin added that they used bandages to wrap their legs. So Dong-won noted that in the risk of frostbite after sunset, they bonded, relying on each other, which strengthened the team spirit.
Tatar S.Maidar
source: MiddleAsianNews
