The film God's Band, also known as Choir of God, is a comedic story about a fictional choir set in North Korea. Filming took place partially in Mongolia, and the film was released in December 2025 in theaters across South Korea. Preview screenings demonstrated high viewer interest, attributed to the witty script and the return of popular actor Park Si-hoo to the screen.
The main character, a North Korean military officer played by Park Si-hoo, shared his impressions with The Chosun Daily. He mentioned that he spent one and a half to two months in Mongolia, working alongside local directors and cameramen. The actor noted that the filming conditions were extremely challenging, especially at minus 40 degrees, which made the shooting process a unique experience.
Park Si-hoo recounted that due to the severe cold, the crew had to interrupt work every five minutes to protect the equipment from freezing.
Park returned to acting after a long break, playing the role of Lieutenant Colonel Park Gyeo-sun, and noted: "This is my first production briefing in the last 15 years. I felt nostalgic for the filming set." He added that he was intrigued by the process of transforming a cold officer through interaction with an unorganized choir.
Jung Jin-woon, who plays Lieutenant Kim Tae-sun, a rival character to Park's, noted that the cold in Mongolia was a challenge but brought them closer as a team.
Choi Sung-ja, a well-known actress, emphasized the importance of the emotions embedded in the film, stating that "the North Korean dialect or imitation is not the main thing, but the sincerity of feelings and the bitterness of separation." She added that she poured her soul even into small details, such as waving a flag. Additionally, film veterans like Seo Dong-won and Moon Kyung-min noted the deep meaning of the film.
# Filming in Mongolia at minus 40 degrees... "Passion that defied the cold"
The actors shared their impressions of filming in Mongolia. Nam Tae-hun recalled that the cold was so severe that icicles formed on the staff's beards. Ko Hye-jin added that during work, they had to wrap their legs with bandages. Seo Dong-won noted that despite the risk of frostbite after sunset, the team came together and supported each other.
Tatar S. Maidar
source: MiddleAsianNews
