Title : A Journey to Forgive

Genre : Documentary

Director : Lee Sung-soo

Narration : Jang Min-hyuk

Cast list : Oyamareiji(Tokyo Bible Church of Christ), Takimoto Nojomoo(Shinshiro Church),
In-joong Kim(Ansan Dongsan Church), jouihwan(Gimhae Church), Myeongsoo Kim
(Honorary professor Busan gyeongseong University), Hyeryun Jo, Solnamu Song

Production : Fishtree Inc.

The release date : March 2019

Main Message

Film, < a journey to forgiveness > is about the 2300km bicycle trip from Seoul to Tokyo of 12 bike riders for 34 days. Also, it trace the hidden history of reason why shrine workshop is so important for Japan and they invaded Korea.

Kido yui(20 years old), the only Japanese particiants, had consciouness of Japan’s atrocities in the history. Pastor Takimoto Nojomoo revealed the Yasukuni Shrine which is a head temple of dark spirit in Japan. Pastor Oyamareiji ask for forgiveness on behalf of Japanese church that forced to worship the shrine. He declares that there will be no revival in Japanese church if they do not repent their past sin

Viewing points

Point 1

 “We ride 2,300km by bicycle to Seoul station to Tokyo for 34 days!”

– Twelve riders prayed and worship together to resolve the relationship between Korea and Japan! Repair the past and take action to find the new reconcilation as bridge.

Point 2

“Standing before the true of history!”

– Face the spiritual reality that dominate Japan and Japanese church where the revival does not happen and remove the veil. When they trace the path of the darkness standing against God, they meet the paradox of Ise Shrine and the Japanese emperor. The all question is solved at Yasukuni Shrine.

Point 3

” Be together with repent of conscientious Japanes pastors!”

– Find the awakening conscience in Japan through the Pastor Oyama who apologize their force of shrine worshop to Korean church during the Japanese occupation and take the direction. Also, provide the way to break the continuity of the past sin and be clean through pastor Nojomoo who discover the shrine ground in Korea and Japan and do repentance movement.

Point 4

” New style breaking standard documentary format”

– Dynamic images and speedy story development in 34 days trip distract the hearts of audiences. The conflicts and reconcilation of riders caused by tension of long and dangerous travel stimulate the lachrymal glands.
– This film lifts the audience’s emotion through the drama genre beyond the documentary genre by maximizing the empathy through the animation technique in two reproduction parts.

Introduction of Director

– I thought I could forgive them when I started to produce this film. However, the more I study the historical matter such as Dokdo, distortion of history textbooks and comfort women issues, the more I had to face myself who hates and hatred Japan more and more.

This is the why the title is a journey to forgiveness. We know we need to forgive, but we go to Japan with a premise that we can not forgive them becuase of my blinered views, lack of knowledge, and

shortage of experience. Japan transported politicians, soldiers and merchants after they constructed railway and open seaway from Japan to Korea during the Japan’s modernization and prussianization. They overruned the Joseon through this way. So, I decided to looking back on the past following this road. I will crucified my affections that can not forgive them through this travel. I just hope that I could finally forgive Japan at the end of this travel with all my hearts and minds not through the knowledge and throughts.

Lee Sung-soo | Director, Film missionary


Korea's first film missionary making film about forgiveness

– Won the screenplay award of the 29th Grand Bell Awards
– Produced and
– 2005~2009 Committed to full time missionary staff in YWAM Vancouver and University of Nations Jeju
– 2011~2015 Produced the Native American Mission Film ‘Beautiful Child’ and showed the movie in 300 churches
– 2016~2018 Produced ” a journey to forgiveness “

Introduction of main particitants

Pastor Oyamareiji

Asia repentance movement in the period of Japanese colonialism

He rebuilt the Jaeam-ri church with the offering from Janpanese church. He proclaim that there will no revival in Japanese church if Japan do not repent thier sin to God.

Pastor Takimoto Nojomoo

Repenter for shrine worship and intercession prayer

He is excavate the shrine ground and pray for repentance of their sin. He says that the emperor of Japan was build on the myth and the Gods in the shrine are idols.

Hyeryun Jo

Comedian

She is very famous comedian. Even through she is not used to ride a bicycle well, she started to pedal on a bicycle for Japanese she had experienced when she had lived in Japan.

Pastor Gyeongmuk Chae

Leader of Rider team, Bicycle church

He is bicycle rider with skills and experience who likes riding too much so that named his church the Bicycle Church. He is the most experienced team leader. (more than 2500 times)

Pastor Myeongsoo Kim

The oldest participant (70 years old)

He joined this travel to forgive Janpan after he let go of his past involved in ‘North Korea spy group happening’

Sion Oh

Fifth grade in elementary school, The youngest (10 years old)

He can ride BMX very well. His heart for Japan is bigger than any other adults and he can endure this 34 days long journey even though he fall down twice.